Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines 292 Distributor cap

I have a 292 chevy with the standard points ignition that I would like to keep. My question is, is there a window type distributor cap that would fit so I can adjust the points externally?? Thanks

The only distributors that I'm aware of are HEI. GM did install the HEI in 74-86 250/292 engines. They will drop right in, about the only changes that need to be made; change the gap on the plugs, replace the wire from the ignition switch to the coil, with a 10-12 awg wire. If your looking for performance you will need to re-curve the HEI. The HEI was a smog distributor and over the years loss some centrifugal, and vacuum advance. The way around this is to replace points in your current distributor with a Pertronix HEI unit.

Larry

I don't know if they did like for the SBC, but if committed to using the points style distributor I would:

1. Use Pertronix Ignitor (Hall trigger), and put the points in the glove box just as a backup, or

2. Use a dremel to cut a window in the cap to insert the hex driver, and then cover the window with heavy foil tape (HVAC tape).

What points are you running that could be adjusted through a window?
All mine are held down with a screw and you have to adjust gap with a screwdriver in slot of contact plate with cap off.

Pete

The GMC V-6's had cap like that. I don't know if the cap & points would fit.

I believe you're thinking of the SBC-type distributor where the points were adjusted with an Allen wrench through a window with the engine running. With the distributor at the back of the engine, that was about the only practical way you could do it. You hooked up a dwell meter, stuck the Allen wrench in through the window and turned it until you got the right dwell setting, and bingo, your points were adjusted. On the sixes, it didn't work that way. You had to pull the distributor cap off and set the points with a feeler gauge like on most other engines. None of the inline sixes ever had a window-type distributor cap.

My recommendation would be to ditch the points and install a Pertronix conversion, which is really easy and gives you a permanent dwell setting and is more accurate than points ignition, plus it retains the stock appearance of the distributor. Also, if you ever want to go back to using the points, it takes about 10 minutes to change it back.