# Distributor ballast question



## SPCMarty (Jul 29, 2011)

I converted my distributor over to HEI with the crane cams xr-i and the coil it comes with. It included a ceramic ballast that I'm not sure if I need to install it or not. Its a 71' Lemans recently converted to 4spd and a 77' 400 engine. 

Also I'm having issues installing the distributor, I cannot get it to drop in with the oil pump. This question isn't worth it's own thread, but how should the oil pump be lined up with distributor?


B. Co. 1-22 Infantry 4th Infantry Division OIF 2008-09


----------



## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

Install the balast according to the schematic/instructions Crane should have sent with your dist. it will keep you from burning up your coil.

The dist. needs to mesh with the cam gear and slide into the tang on the oil pump. You probably just need to take a screwdriver and turn the oil pump drive tang a little bit so it will align when you drop the dist in.


----------



## SPCMarty (Jul 29, 2011)

Use the ballast, got it. 

Do I have to offset the oil pump notch from the distributor so it lines up as the rotor turns when it engages the cam gear?


B. Co. 1-22 Infantry 4th Infantry Division OIF 2008-09


----------



## jmt455 (Mar 26, 2012)

SPCMarty said:


> Use the ballast, got it.
> 
> Do I have to offset the oil pump notch from the distributor so it lines up as the rotor turns when it engages the cam gear?
> 
> ...


Yes; use a flat blade screwdriver or similar tool to position the oil pump drive shaft so the rotor ends up where it needs to be after the distributor is fully seated.


----------



## SPCMarty (Jul 29, 2011)

Guess I'm just having extreme bad luck in estimating the offset then, screwdriver and all. 


B. Co. 1-22 Infantry 4th Infantry Division OIF 2008-09


----------



## the65gto (Oct 9, 2008)

Just turn the oil pump shaft a couple of degrees and try the distro, repeat till the distro drops in


----------



## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Regarding the ballast, disconnect the wire from coil or the new ballast, turn the switch on, if you read the same voltage as the battery you should use the ballast, there should be a resistor built into the wire and your voltage should be a couple volts less than your battery voltage. If that is the case don't use the ballast resistor that came with the kit. The primary purpose for the voltage drop is to protect the points and also protect the coil as alky said.


----------



## lars (Sep 28, 2004)

SPCMarty said:


> I converted my distributor over to HEI with the crane cams xr-i and the coil it comes with. It included a ceramic ballast that I'm not sure if I need to install it or not. Its a 71' Lemans recently converted to 4spd and a 77' 400 engine.
> 
> Also I'm having issues installing the distributor, I cannot get it to drop in with the oil pump. This question isn't worth it's own thread, but how should the oil pump be lined up with distributor?


First, a minor correction on terminology: You're not converting to HEI. You're converting to breakerless electronic ignition, which is not the same as HEI.

Your '71 has a resistor wire in the stock wire harness to the coil which takes the place of a ballast resistor. You do not need to add more resistance to the circuit as long as your existing wire harness is original and has not been hacked to remove the resistor wire in the stock circuit.

To install the distributor without "clocking" the oil pump with a screwdriver, use a technique that I call "walking the distributor:" Drop the distributor into the block with the distributor housing "clocked" the way you want it (stock Pontiac clocking is with the vacuum advance nipple pointing towards the rear edge of the freeze plug in the rear of the driver's side cylinder head). Now, lift it up and down, rotating the rotor to whatever random position is needed to get the distributor to drop down into the block fully. It will eventually drop all the way down if you keep trying different rotor clocking positions, but the rotor will be pointing in the wrong direction. Once it has dropped all the way down, lift it back up - just enough to disengage the cam gear - and rotate the rotor just a hair (1/2 tooth) counter clockwise. Then, jam/wiggle it back down again, and the chamfer on the distributor shaft will allow the distributor and the oil pump shaft to move 1 tooth over. Repeat until the rotor points to the #1 cap tower position - you can "walk" the rotor over 1 tooth at a time very quickly and accurately using this technique.

Lars


----------



## SPCMarty (Jul 29, 2011)

Is there a picture of this resistor? I haven't altered the wiring at all. 
I got it to drop in seemingly, but it isn't seating fully. maybe 1/8" gap. 


B. Co. 1-22 Infantry 4th Infantry Division OIF 2008-09


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

SPCMarty said:


> Is there a picture of this resistor? I haven't altered the wiring at all.
> I got it to drop in seemingly, but it isn't seating fully. maybe 1/8" gap.


...then it's not engaged on the oil pump shaft. It has to be all the way down sitting on top of the block.

Bear


----------



## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

The wire should be either a black wire with pink print (1.32 ohm/8-cyl) or a pink wire with black print (1.80 ohm/6 cyl). The resistance is built into the wire, the only way to test the wire is to turn on the ignition switch without cranking and measure the voltage or read the resistance in the wire with an ohm meter.


----------



## the65gto (Oct 9, 2008)

SPCMarty said:


> Is there a picture of this resistor? I haven't altered the wiring at all.
> I got it to drop in seemingly, but it isn't seating fully. maybe 1/8" gap.
> 
> 
> B. Co. 1-22 Infantry 4th Infantry Division OIF 2008-09


Here is a pic of my 65 resistance wire,(appears on top of the yellow spring) it is somewhat stiff, and has a metal braid around it. To the far right is a splice point feeding the coil either from the start position or thru the resistance wire from the run position. This is all buried in the cable harness under black tape etc. :lol:


----------



## SPCMarty (Jul 29, 2011)

Ok, I got that figured out. 
Will I need a tach adapter for this setup?


B. Co. 1-22 Infantry 4th Infantry Division OIF 2008-09


----------

