How to swap a HEI distributor into a 88-95 TBI system

I swapped out the TBI distributor for a HEI distributor and had good results.

[@wwboydsr]

You’re my people man, good job.

[@royt.rankin627]

Nice work

[@rickysgarage4036]

Thank you

[@hippiehomesteader2377]

IM confused . so the small purple and white wire hook to the bigger white tach wire then to distributor tack????

[@sergiowhat3361]

hell yeah man this is great just did this on my 95 350, just was wondering if you messed with the timing or what degrees you left ur timing mark at? Also now 2 months later how does it work ?

[@rickysgarage4036]

For me I set my timing advance a little bit, the degrees I'm not sure because my timing cover is plastic and only has 0* (vortec plastic timing cover). As of now truck runs good but the TBI sweats a lot of condensation, but I will make a update video on this matter

[@kyled9235]

How'd you get your injectors to pulse?

[@donblue3725]

thanks man...

[@rickysgarage4036]

You're welcome!

[@spymaine89]

thanks

[@jessiedillard1920]

Did a L98 swap in my 90 TBI truck. If i can use the OEM L98 dizzy by following your tips then im gonna try.

[@rickysgarage4036]

Hope it helps!

[@MattCabbage-xz8zu]

I’m considering a vortec swap into my TBi truck.. did you notice a low end torque loss? Did you do any other mods to fuel system? Did you have computer chip tune or is that why you did the hei to adjust timing? Did it not run right at first? Awesome video!!

[@rickysgarage4036]

I've been getting a lot of comments like these so I will make a update video on this matter stay tuned thank you for the feedback!

[@JTsMechanicShop5748]

Any feedback

[@rickysgarage4036]

Just logged in and I will definitely be making a video tomorrow

[@shenaniganswhatsoever363]

So ive done this like you say by running the tach signal from hei distributor to the purple wire on the harness. Ran, but very very rich. Perhaps an aftermarket computer will work like that, but not an oem gm one. There is a way to "trick" the computer to an extent, but it wont make proper air fuel adjustments. Ultimately don't recommend this whatsoever. Not opposed to the hei mechanical advance, but it just doesn't jive without changing the ignition module. And then you have at minimum the brown/black jumper wire disconnected, so the computer wont compute like it supposed to.

[@kevantorrance4342]

Hi, from memory the dizzy only sends a pulse to the ecm to fire the injectors, so the taco pulse should work. The a/f is controlled by the o2 sensor and map... might look into this a bit more.

[@shenaniganswhatsoever363]

@@kevantorrance4342 yes I'd recommend you look into it some more. The particular computer I messed with was a 95'. When you send a weird signal to that purple wire to trigger the injectors, aka the hei tach signal, it does not work for me. Floods the engine with fuel. Only way I've made it work is by using the tbi ignition module, eliminating the 4 pin hei module. The engine ran good for awhile, then started to overfuel, due to the computer not reading from the o2 sensor. The computer won't make adjustments I learned if the ignition set wire is disconnected. Makes sense too if you think about it. Ultimately went back to stock distributor with everything hooked up, and all was well again. Maybe the earlier computers are different, but regardless a blanket statement like this video says will get you into trouble. I don't advise.

[@rickysgarage4036]

You're not the first person that comments this issue, hopefully in the near future I will make a update video on this problem! Thank you for the feedback!

[@shenaniganswhatsoever363]

@@rickysgarage4036 that would be good. As much as I like simple things like the hei distributor, without a proper tune it's wasted effort imo. An aftermarket or early computer is probably necessary to get it to run right with hei distributor. Late computers are a pita.

[@Blackc-vb8zg]

Did it your way, now I have code 42 , can help me solve it,,, ignition bypass, and thank you

[@rickysgarage4036]

Interesting I don't have a code or check engine light on, that's the first for me

[@shenaniganswhatsoever363]

@@rickysgarage4036 if you don't have a code set with 3 wires disconnected, you either have a really old computer, or it's aftermarket or been tuned. Or your light is burned out. Tried this most recently on a 95 tbi 350, absolutely didn't work the way you say. Also tried on an earlier 93 I think tbi 350, also didn't work on that. Injectors flooded the engine with fuel, barely run. Had to remove the 4 pin hei module and use the tbi module to trigger the purple wire like it would be stock. Alot more to it than what I'm saying too. I dunno why I'm wasting my time commenting, but I cannot stand people leading others down a misinformed road. Just ain't right.