HEI Dist caps

Ive been looking around at "ignition up grade kits" for my HEI so I can use my old dist but making it a little better.

But some caps in the kits have 4 screws/bolts to hold them on, while my distrubtor in my 1987 caprice only has 2 screws holding it in.

is the 4 screw cap able to work with the 2 tapped holes in my dist?

No. Your car (as with mine) has the small cap external coil HEI. The cap you speak of above is the large cap/coil-in-cap HEI that the smaller unit replaced.

No. Your car (as with mine) has the small cap external coil HEI. The cap you speak of above is the large cap/coil-in-cap HEI that the smaller unit replaced.

I see, thanks silicon.

Will my external coil dist work in my 1981 block? if I buy a dist with a coil in it, will my wires for my old HEI still work?

The smaller format HEI distributor will fit so long as there is room around the intake. If you are using the same intake from the vehicle which donated the distributor, there should be no problems. With the distributor being smaller in diameter, there really should be no chance of interference. The electrical connectors on the '87 distributor will not mate with an older harness.

I'm a little confused by the questions. Are you intending to rebuild/install an '81 block for your '87? Or are you stealing parts from the '87 to get an older vehicle running?

The smaller format HEI distributor will fit so long as there is room around the intake. If you are using the same intake from the vehicle which donated the distributor, there should be no problems. With the distributor being smaller in diameter, there really should be no chance of interference. The electrical connectors on the '87 distributor will not mate with an older harness.

I'm a little confused by the questions. Are you intending to rebuild/install an '81 block for your '87? Or are you stealing parts from the '87 to get an older vehicle running?

im rebuilding a 1981 350 for my 1987 caprice. i was wondering if I could use my dist from my 1987 in my 1981 block.

The bottom end of the 350 is done, I just need the heads re built and its ready to go in.

Yes, the small-cap distributor will work fine in an '81 block. Aside from the fact that the '87 has computer control (some '81s did not), and a different plug than the large-cap distributors have, it all works fine. You can adapt a later small-cap distributor to the earlier large-cap C3-controlled engine by cutting and splicing the wire connector, matching colors up on the wires.

As long as everything is going into your '87, there will be no problems electrically - however you will need to run the flexplate for the '81 as it has a different bolt circle with its two-piece RMS crank vs. the later one-piece RMS part which uses a smaller bolt circle (and counterweights).

Yes, the small-cap distributor will work fine in an '81 block. Aside from the fact that the '87 has computer control (some '81s did not), and a different plug than the large-cap distributors have, it all works fine. You can adapt a later small-cap distributor to the earlier large-cap C3-controlled engine by cutting and splicing the wire connector, matching colors up on the wires.

As long as everything is going into your '87, there will be no problems electrically - however you will need to run the flexplate for the '81 as it has a different bolt circle with its two-piece RMS crank vs. the later one-piece RMS part which uses a smaller bolt circle (and counterweights).

I think im misunderstanding the wire cutting part. I have to do some wiring if i use a older dist with the large cap, but if I use my dist from my 1987 no wiring changes needed?

I think im misunderstanding the wire cutting part. I have to do some wiring if i use a older dist with the large cap, but if I use my dist from my 1987 no wiring changes needed?

Correct.