I went to put in the distributor for the TPI set up and it's too big at the step at the gasket. What the hell??

Do I have a big block distributor or something? I thought they were the same. Any clues would be helpful.

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Dave

There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".

Is it a pontiac distributor?

It's a computer controlled distributor with a divorced coil. So that would mean it was 87+. It looks just like a small block distributor except for this larger boss.

But I don't now if it would or could be a distributor for a pontiac. I thought GM went with one small block design this late in the game.

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Dave

There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".

The bigblock and smallblock distributors are the same size (assuming we're not taking about a tall deck block). The newer divorced coil setup is also the same size.

You either have a unit from something else (probably an Olds engine- seeing as how that was about the only V8 GM had besides Cadillac in '87-up using a convnetional-type distributor) or you didn't "bump" the engine to get the distributor to drop all the way down.

It's definitely too big. I tried it on three different manifolds just to be sure. The thing that tipped me off there was going to be an issue was that the gasket didn't fit. I really wish I had known there was an problem before I rebuilt the f'n thing, the price of being in a hurry I guess. I was hoping you guys would have pointed out something I forgot but It looks like we are all of the same mind on this one so far. http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/frown.gif

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Dave

There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".

Must not be the right distributor. Both SBC and BBC are the same, and all years should drop in unless it hits an intake runner, which you say it doesn't.

If you need a computer distributor, I have a nice one from a TBI engine. Don't know if it's the same as a TPI unit, but if it is let me know and I will give you a deal on it http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif

1978LT YGM

Mstrtch, shipping looks to be about $10 depending on how I go about doing it. I will pull it today and check the overall condition, but total I won't go over $30 shipped. Is that fair?

Sounds fair to me. Is it the small divorced coil type?

How can I send the money? I prefer paypal just because I'm anxious to get it in the car.

It seems I'm a real dumb a$$. I compared it to the two other distributors and there are a few differences.

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Dave

There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".

Mstrtch, yes it is a divorced coil. My wife has a Paypal account I do believe, so I will get her to update it.

I'm waiting for a friend to come put a deposit down on my S-10, then I will get all greasy http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif

is the distributor not seating all the way down on the intake?? oil pump shaft needs to line up with the distributor groove for it to sit all the way down on the intake... if thats the problem...