HEI distributor setup help needed for '85 F150| 300 straight 6

Yeah I don't know why the mechanic added the inline fuel pump, but it's there now so I'll leave it for the time being. [I had tested the fuel pressure prior to taking it to him and it was fine]. He also did some stuff to the carb. I'll post a few pictures so you can see if I need to disconnect or adjust anything that you know is wrong.

A friend will be helping me soon and he has a timing light that we can use on the truck.

Thanks for your comments Jim!

It seems like the mechanic was throwing stuff at the wall to see if anything would stick.  

The fuel pressure was tested as fine. He should have confirmed that (and float level) before making any changes.
Does he have any experience with carburetors?
I'm no expert on the YFA, but it is about the most basic carb ever built.

I think you can confirm spark by yourself.
Chock a wheel, set the parking brake and put the transmission in neutral.
Turn the key to 'run' and go around front... unplug the relay and plug it back in. You should be able to feel it click off and then back on.

If that's good you can attach your spark tester and jump the starter by touching the little blue/red trigger wire to the battery power post of the fender relay.

I agree with Jim - especially on the idea of running an electric fuel pump into a mechanical one.  Mechanical pumps have a diaphragm that has fuel on one side and the crankcase on the other.  So if it fails you'll have gas in your oil.

If the mechanical pump is good you may be able to unplug it and the truck will still run fine as most electric pumps will pass fuel when they are off.  But don't worry about this until you get the truck running.

The mechanic specializes in modern diesel trucks, but said that it was a basic carburetor and that it should be a simple fix (which it wasn't).

Anyway, I have a fully charged battery 12.65V and now someone here (to turn the key - but I'll make note of using your jumping the starter method for when no one is around).

The engine was turned over NO SPARK with the spark tester.

I checked PIN30 at the relay and it has +12V... I also checked where I connected PIN86 to the old coil White/LT Blue wire and there is +12V when the key is turned on.

I need to test if PIN87 to the +positive of the HEI is getting power but having a hard time with touching the multimeter probe to the power connector at the HEI end. (It was tough to plug in so I don't want to take it out yet if I don't have to).

I'm smelling fuel (carb flooding I assume), so it's definitely getting some fuel.

I need to recheck the wiring.

I'll try to test the relay (unplugging and plugging it back in and see if it clicks off and on).

Any other tests that I can do at the relay?

I tried it a few times with the key ON and each time I unplugged and plugged the relay in I did NOT hear or feel a click of any sort.

The ground seems like a good one, but possibly there is a problem there (?). I crimped on a connector to the BLACK relay wire (PIN 85), sanded off the paint on the fender to bare metal, and used a self tapping screw and a steel washer to mount the ring tight against the fender wall. Should try to ground it to another spot?

Either I wired something wrong (likely) or maybe there is an issue with the new Relay (not likely, but possible).

Sorry I did the above WRONG!

I had it at ON and not RUN...  Let me try again!

Just checking online about the relay mounting. Does it have to be mounted to metal for grounding?
Currently I have it on the plastic covering the wheel well.

I'm going to move it to the metal fender wall and see if that solves some problems.

Are you able to back probe the relay socket at pin 87?
You should see power with the key in run. (The wire between there and the distributor is all new so there shouldn't be any issue?)

I'm sure you've seen a pinout for the relay. There's really nothing else to test.
Fused power in = 30
Switched power out = 87
85 & 86 trigger and ground.

If you have someone there have them turn the key on and off while you listen to the relay and keep a finger on it to feel it click. (no need to unplug it if someone can turn the key to switch on and off the old coil power)

This may be a silly question, but can you remove the distributor cap and have your friend crank the engine to visually confirm the rotor is turning?

You haven't posted a picture of your relay, so I can't say if it grounds through the mounting tab.
If it's a plastic housing it obviously doesn't.

Since I'm playing catch-up disregard my post above for the moment.  ..

You might try unpinning the relay socket and swapping 85 & 86.
Like I said, some relays are diode protected against back feeding and reversing the trigger and ground will not switch it on.

Here's a picture of the relay.



 Product Description

    Nominal Coil Voltage: 12 V DC
    Coil Power: 1.8 W
    Coil Resistance: 80 Ω
    Must Operate Voltage: 6~8 V DC
    Must Release Voltage: 0.6~3.6 V DC
    Maximum Applied Voltage: 15.6 V DC
    Contact Ratings: NO 40A 14V DC
    Contact Resistance: 100mMAX (at6VDC 1A)
    Max Switching Current: 40A
    Max Switching Power: 560 W


***Still no click felt or heard with key to run and engine turning over.

I now have it mounted to bare metal on the fender wall.
Haven't tried switching PIN85 / Pin86 yet...

My friend (who has worked as a mechanic in the past) will hopefully be able to stop by this weekend with the timing light and assist me with the truck.. Maybe he'll be able to diagnose the issue with the relay and the NO spark issue.

I still need to back probe the relay socket at pin 87.

I'll take the cap off the HEI and verify that the rotor is spinning ... the next time I work on it. I have to start picking everything up now as it'll be dark soon and I'm working outdoors.

Thanks Jim and Gary for always chiming in and making helpful expert suggestions!
I'm hoping I can get things sorted out soon.

May be a bad relay.
You don't need to crank the engine, just have the key in run.
I might try -key in run, touch the ground wire to bare metal on the engine somewhere-

Does it have the pin numbers embossed in the relay itself?

Okay, good luck!

If you can't feel it click there's some reason why the relay isn't engaging, and you say that you have power at the white/blue wire in run and start....

Try reversing 85&86 when you get a chance.

Hi Jim,

Thanks for trying so hard to help me... I greatly appreciate your efforts and advice!

Next time I get to work on the truck I'll switch PIN86 to ground and attach PIN85 to the coil White w/LT Blue wire and see if that activates the relay.

The Relay package was factory sealed and not tampered with, so it doesn't appear to be a returned item (which you sometimes see - and often they are non-working items). Maybe it's bad, but I need to try some more of your suggestions. More likely it's my poor attempt at wiring. Hopefully with your help (and Gary's) I'll get it figured out. THANKS AGAIN!

Where's 'tanman'? I'm following his blueprint and he apparently had success. Maybe someone knows him and can have him chime in with some comments and some photos of the final wiring in his truck.

I can't tell if the relay you have is broken, or if there's something about how you have it wired.  🤷‍♂️

Hopefully your friend can help you figure it out this weekend.  

Did you make a post in his thread?  Did you tag (assign) him in this thread??? (I can do that...)

Besides checking the W/LtB wire when the key is in run you also need to make sure it has power when cranking or the coil will not have power to start till the key is returned to run.

Now if you want to see if the dist. is set right and maybe have a little "I see the light" and have it run.
Run a wire from the battery to the power connection of the HEI dist. and see if you get any sign of life.
If it starts you can turn the dist. a little both ways till it runs best.
If you have a vacuum gauge adjust timing for highest vacuum reading.
To turn the truck off just disconnect the wire at the battery so the wire is not hot.

Some say you can run that W/LtB wire right to the HEI dist. and have it work.
You can try it that way for a test drive then run wire from battery and see if it runs better.

But at least "hot wiring" from battery to dist. you can see if you get anything before help shows up again.
Dave ----

Hey, I got an email that someone's putting a DUI dizzy on their six. I'm here and will do my best to help. My setup is still working great!

Hey, that was me that tagged you, because the OP referenced your thread and asked to contact you.  
Welcome to the thread, and thank you for the reply!  

He is using an HEI, but not Davis branded.
From what I can understand they are not getting their relay to close using the white/blue coil wire as a trigger (yet)
While they do have power to the old coil wire in start and run, and 30A fused to pin 30.
To me, it seems a bad ground on the pull-in coil but they ran out of daylight yesterday.

Appreciate any input you may have.  

I was dead in the water and it was a grounding issue. Grind off some paint and make sure everything is grounded really well. Grab an extra relay and swap that out. I'll get some pictures posted later today.

Improper ground is the most common blocker. The DUI has some troubleshooting tips.

I ran my HEI distributor with the carter carb and no vacuum advance for several months before I removed the stock intake and exhaust manifold.


https://performancedistributors.com/professional-tips/

Thanks for contacting 'tanman', Jim. It's fantastic that he's now joined the thread! I don't really have a clue about "tagging" and that sort of thing, so thanks for doing that. I'll figure that sort of thing out eventually I guess.

I'm going to take some photos tomorrow of the engine bay and the wiring I've done. I don't think my friend can assist me until next week, but I'd like to try to get more accomplished this weekend.