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Tidy up the Distributor leads

859 views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  docvette 
#1 ·
I just put a new HEI distributor in my 73 Corvette and the wires are a real mess with the current configuration. The leads are really long and untidy with the distributor in the current position.(Lead #1 is currently where I figure lead #3 should be according to the diagram below)
Does anyone have any good ideas for tidying them up with regards to distributor cap orientation. The best I can come up with is if I configure the distributor cap and wires as follows. This has the least amount of unnecessary crossovers of the wires.
Can I cut the plug leads to keep everything neat and tidy, they are Accel leads.

....4.....8
3............1
Front -------Rear of engine
6............2
....5.....7
 
#2 ·
jjl said:
I just put a new HEI distributor in my 73 Corvette and the wires are a real mess with the current configuration. The leads are really long and untidy with the distributor in the current position.(Lead #1 is currently where I figure lead #3 should be according to the diagram below)
Does anyone have any good ideas for tidying them up with regards to distributor cap orientation. The best I can come up with is if I configure the distributor cap and wires as follows. This has the least amount of unnecessary crossovers of the wires.
Can I cut the plug leads to keep everything neat and tidy, they are Accel leads.

....4.....8
3............1
Front -------Rear of engine
6............2
....5.....7

Doc here, :pimp:

With the possible exception of cross fire, IF your using the STOCK Corvette Heat shield for the Distributer, there should be NO wires to see...

IF your not, you can go exotic, get a straight fire cap..(wires 1,3,5,7 come off the left side of the cap, to plugs 1,3,5,7 on the left side of the engine, the same applies to the right side instead of 1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2..) and install straight runs from there , IIRC , the caps come in all colors including CLEAR..(interesting at night..) run about $100 fazools..

IF your running pre~cut good quality 8.5 mm spiral core wires, do not cut them..you probably have them routed wrong..besides changing the resistance per foot..

Corvette provides a Raceway under the headers, near the block motor mounts in which the wires are to be run. Use them, and you'll find pre~made kits will fit properly.

Most of all..your wiring diagram, IF as above, is off traditional locations..someone decided to move the #1 plug wire, rather than do the proper thing, and time it correctly..This is why your plug wires at the cap are a mess..(and if someone had to work on it, that didn't know that, ..could cost you several hundreds of dollars in labor just to track that down..I.E. the local wrench guy can't verify #1 timing on a tune up...WHICH is where all the factory manuals put it..)

Traditionally, #1 plug tower is located at the 5 to 7 O'clock position on the cap ...yours appears to be at 11 O'clock..I'd reset the dizzy, and rewire for 7 O'Clock..that will go far to tidy up things on the cap end.

Doc :pimp:
 
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