Electronic Ignition

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cougla
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Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 3:01 pm
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Years Owned: 1966 olds Toronado

Electronic Ignition

Postby cougla » Thu Sep 21, 2017 6:03 pm

Is going to a electronic Distributor a good idea for a 1966 Olds Toro?
Does this still have Vac advance tuning? Or how does one orientate it when installing?

Toronadotrofeo
Posts: 83
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 1:17 pm
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Years Owned: 1966 toronado
1981 toronado
1990 toronado
1991 toronado
1992 toronado

Re: Electronic Ignition

Postby Toronadotrofeo » Thu Sep 21, 2017 6:57 pm

Good question I would like to do the same thing

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Otto Skorzeny
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Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Electronic Ignition

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:51 am

I wouldn't say it's a bad idea but I also wouldn't say it's a necessity.

I've been driving a 1956 Cadillac as my only car since 2001. I've put over 80,000 miles on it with the same set of points. When everything is properly set up, points work extremely well.

I bought my '66 Toronado in 2014 so now both cars share daily driver duty and both have points. I see no reason to change what works.

Having said that, it's relatively simple to convert your car to a GM HEI ignition system. If you don't want to do it yourself, here is a guy who converts points type distributors to HEI so that the outward appearance is unaltered. Your car will look stock, but your distributor will be HEI instead of points.

Your vacuum advance would remain the same.

DAVE's small-body HEIs
24 Buffalo Lane
Yerington, Nevada, 89447
775- 722-3294
info@davessmallbodyheis.com
http://www.davessmallbodyheis.com/

bcroe
Posts: 305
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:25 pm
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Years Owned: 79 Toronado or Eldorado

Re: Electronic Ignition

Postby bcroe » Fri Sep 22, 2017 7:22 am

cougla wrote:Is going to a electronic Distributor a good idea for a 1966 Olds Toro?
Does this still have Vac advance tuning? Or how does one orientate it when installing?


Its going to depend on your driving. When point were the only option, I pushed cars hard,
fast, and far, in every kind of weather. Points were not great new, and continuously degraded
until they were intolerable approaching 10,000 miles. The system was highly vulnerable to
getting wet. Plugs were changed at the same, to be sure things were best possible.

I got so fed up with points, I built an electronic ignition for my 62.

With the 76-79 Olds HEI, these problems went away. That big cap with better wires puts
a lot more energy into plugs, without arcing when wet. Plugs last 100,000 miles; probably
a good idea to clean and regap them a few times. A wider plug gap is possible, depending
on your compression ratio. Wiring is cleaner on the engine. The HEI is much more efficient
with the ballast resistor eliminated, putting out more energy but using less.

Small block HEIs fit a big block. The small block used a dented and slid forward air cleaner
to clear the bigger cap/coil. Don't know what is necessary for a big block. The mechanical
and vacuum advance might need some tuning to perfectly match your engine. After 1980
the HEIs used an electronic advance as part of the CCC system. good luck, Bruce Roe

cougla
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 3:01 pm
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Years Owned: 1966 olds Toronado

Re: Electronic Ignition

Postby cougla » Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:43 pm

cougla wrote:Is going to a electronic Distributor a good idea for a 1966 Olds Toro?
Does this still have Vac advance tuning? Or how does one orientate it when installing?




Thank you Guys, for the speedy replies. Much appreciated.


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