# Mallory Unilite distributor vs Delco Remy



## gjones (Oct 8, 2012)

Recently acquired a '71 455 Pontiac which had a Delco Remy distributor with a built in coil. This has only two connections on it-one labled tach, and one labeled batt. Does this accept full 12v directly from the ignition switch,and that's it? The existing setup in the '66 Lemans with a 326 has a ballast wire going to a ballast resistor going to the Mallory distributor/ coil, with a whole host of other wires.(I actually wired this up, but she worked beautiful. When the 326 was running hot at 230+, she would still fire up at the touch of the key). Questions are: 1) Will my Mallory distributor slip right into the 455, or is the cam gearing different? 2) if I do use the Delco, will I need to ditch the ballast wire and/or resistor? Thanks for any info.


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## lars (Sep 28, 2004)

I assume the Delco distributor you're talking about is a GM HEI. It takes full 12 volts to the "BAT" terminal with no ballast resistor: Run a 12-gauge wire from your fusebox "IGN" terminal to the distributor terminal.

If the Mallory is for a Pontiac, it will drop right in. However, you have nothing to gain by doing the swap, providing the advance curves on the two distributors are the same. Set up and curve your HEI and it will outperfrom anything else on the market in a street-driven car.

Lars


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## gjones (Oct 8, 2012)

*hei & Mallory*

Thanks for answering my Question, Lars. Didn't think anyone would, considering the relatively basic nature of it. I've been out of the mechanical loop for about 25 years, and have been thrown into the wonderful world of Pontiacs as of late. They are a slightly different animal than I recollect, so I don't want to make a foolish mistake.


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## lars (Sep 28, 2004)

Here's a post I did over on the CorvetteForum recently on the same subject - you may find this interesting:

A few years ago, I did a bit of dyno testing at Westech Performance with Matt King, former Editor of Hot Rod Magazine. We tested several of the aftermarket capacitive discharge systems and top-end distributors against a plain ol' points-type distributor. The engine was a nice street-type 302 Ford putting out 370 horsepower. We tested ignition systems and distributors from Crane, MSD, and Mallory, making sure that each distributor had exactly the same centrifugal advance curve in it with the same total timing. Once these nice aftermarket systems were tested, we went out in the parking lot and pulled the stock points distributor out of Matt Kings crap Falcon: We set it up with the same advance curve on Westech's distributor machine and dropped it in the 302 test engine. Results: There was no change in the engine's performance whatsoever at any point on the rpm curve. Absolutely none.

So here's the recommendation: Run whatever distributor you're comfortable with tuning and curving, and set it up with a good performance curve to match the needs of your engine. Whether this is a tach-drive points-type distributor, an HEI, or an MSD ProBillet is completely irrelevant as long as you can get it set up right. Buy something of good quality that is easily tunable, and make sure you run vacuum advance on any street-driven engine. Trigger boxes, amplifiers, huge coils, and fancy systems will not gain you anything on a moderate performance street engine - spend your time getting the curve and total timing set up right on whatever system you use - that's where the power is.

Here's Matt King (black shirt) and me setting up the points distributor from his Falcon in the 302 test engine to run head-to-head against the top-end capacitive discharge systems:










Notice that we even used the old crap wires out of Matt's Falcon for the testing:









Here's the same engine with one of the fancy aftermarket systems in it and some really nice red plug wires:









Famed Westech Dyno Operator Steve Brule (left) overseeing the testing:









Results: Absolutely no change in power whatsoever from one system to another, as long as the advance curve remained the same:


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## gjones (Oct 8, 2012)

Haven't even laid eyes on a dyno since 1984. Haven't used a distributor tester since '88. Life sometimes has a funny way of taking you down a totally different path from the one you started out on. Great pictures. Thanks for the info. And yes, the Delco is HEI. I will install the Delco back on the 455, and hang onto the Mallory for a spare. (the 326 and 455 are both Pontiac engines. 326=1966 455=1971. I assume the cam gearing is the same for both distributors, then. I'll hide the spaghetti that goes to the Mallory when I stuff the 455 into the '66 Lemans. Thanks again. Cool stuff.


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## lars (Sep 28, 2004)

Again, use whichever distributor you are most comfortable tuning and setting up: Power is not so much the parts you use, but how you set them up. The advantage of aftermarket parts is often in their ease of tunability: If the Mallory has an easier adjustable timing curve, and you know how to "play" with it, then use it. If you can get the HEI curve set up to the correct length and shape, then use the HEI. I assume the Mallory has vacuum advance on it..? If not, you might want to eliminate it from your street engine for that reason.

For detailed info on timing setup, e-mail me for my "How to set Timing" tech paper.

Lars
[email protected]


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