distributer on a 350 question

[raser13]

hey guys, my CJ5 has a 350 chevy hidden under the hood. that's the way it was when i bought it. the problem that i have is that the distributor is right up against the firewall. and i do mean right up against the firewall. there's like an 1/8 to 1/4 inch if i'm lucky. when i changed out my clutch i bent it just by lowering my tranny out. right on the other side of the fire wall is the plastic housing for the vent. so i can't just bang a dent in to make room for it.

i just don't want to keep bending them and i'd love to get the timing better. it's supposed to be at 8 degrees but the closest i can get is 7. right now the wiring for the control module is hitting the firewall. this also means that i have to time it periodically. because the fire wall slowly pushes it slightly off.

so my question for all of you that have done a conversion to a 350 is how did you get around this issue??? any help would be awesome. if not i think i'm going to have to swap motors back to an amc. not that that's a bad thing. just cost alot of money that i don't have.

 

[Old Dog]

Sounds like the PO didn't mount it right, there should be some room between it and the firewall. You might check into a different set of motor mounts that will put it in the correct location.

 

[Hedgehog]

Simply put, you are going to have to move the whole drive train forward an inch or so. Which means ....
New or relocated motor mounts, the same for the Transmission mounts, relocated Transmission cross member and driveshaft modifications.

 

[KC2RFD]

Or you can try a Malory distributer. Mallory #650-8548201
Performance Replacement HEI Distributor
1955-96 Chevy 262-454 & 502 except 348-409W, 1955-74 Corvette with Mechanical Tach, and Tall Deck Blocks
Coil Not Included
Ships Today
Was $152.99 Now $130.99
Jeggs.com. hope this helps

 

[Kane]

You will need a small cap distributor. You didn't say if you have an HEI or other large cap but this will be your easiest solution other than moving the motor forward and possible needing to modify drive-shafts and the exhaust.

My 350 has plenty of clearance for even and HEI distributor

 

[Jimbos76cj]

You can also loosen the body mounts and move it to the rear some. May only give you 1/4-1/2" depending on where it is now but its free and if you dont like it you can simply move it forward some. just make sure you have enough clearance with the fan.

 

[raser13]

It's. Got a good sized hei distributor. I can't. Move things to far forwar, or else the fan will be in the radiator. I might. Look i.to sliding the tub back, if i can get it to. I'll. Look and see if i can find the smaller distributor through too. I might upgrade to electric fans anyhow. They were on my to do list anyways.

I was thinking of going back to the stock AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l or a AMC 304 . I don't have a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l but i do have a AMC 304 that i was building up for my javelin. For the AMC 304 id need the metal parts that go between the frame and tbe rubber mounts. And the stock amc bell housing for a t 175. For the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l i'd need the same bell housing and the motor. If anyone has any of this that they want to part with send me a pm. And we'll deal.

 

[Kane]

A small cap distributor will solve your issues and good ones run $250 which is far cheaper than swapping motors

 

[Kane]

I run the MSD pro bullet distributer and it is an awesome part. Setting the timing curve is easy and it is plug and play if you have the msd 6a box.