How to lock out timing in a HEI distributor. For racing use only. 

1890 on 9/16/23. Imagine that.

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Yep, shit stinks. Rather be fuckin than shitting.

Thanks man. You wanting to know about the distributor & wires or the lock out kit? The lock out kit came from Super Shops. The distributor & wires came together from KMJ. I believe Super Shops was bought out by Holley. They have the same address.

Thanks so much sam… that engines gonna be a ripper😈🤘🏾

Part # on that lockout kit is "FAST 1000-2503".

@@thereluctantgearhead4544I look out up and can’t find that part

Don't know what the part number was, the wires are HEI style with 90 degree boots under header type Moroso Ultra 40s, KMJ just called the distributor a "racing distributor" with a 65,000 volt coil. Just type in KMJ racing HEI with under header Moroso Ultra 40 wires and it should just pop up on eBay.

Thanks man

Thanks man, alot of people just don't have a clue.

This modification is really for high RPM type engines that don't drive around at low speeds or need economy. Usually engines like this need alot of initial timing, but not so much at high RPM, so rather than try to run 24-26 degrees initial and limit it to 34-36 degrees fully advanced, just lock it out at 34-36 all the time. Pump the gas a couple times and hold the throttle wide open when ya start it and it won't kick back. Also an ignition switch separate from the starter makes it easier to start. Doing this makes the engine have instant throttle response, makes carb tuning easier and makes the engine run better. If I pull an engine like this down to 12-14 degrees initial, it will barely run if at all, backfire and shit. Pretty much all circle track racing NA SBCs are locked out and many drag cars as well. I wouldn't recommend it for a mostly stock vehicle, just cars that run pretty much wide open. It stabilizes the timing everywhere. Definitely makes em have some snap when ya crack it back. This particular engine is going into a drag car with a 4500 stall & 4-10 gear. My daily driver is pretty rowdy too, but I have it set up at 24 degrees initial, 38 total at 2000rpm, no vac advance. I'm thinking about locking it out too actually. It runs better with more initial and less total. But with a curve in it, it's hard to go much further and still limit the total. These type engines run terrible with not much timing at idle. No vaccum, shitty signal to the carb, etc. Locking them out gets the vacuum up at idle, makes the carb act better. Big cams and singleplane intakes are a pain to try to tune down low. It's hard to explain really without us standing in front of a running engine with a timing light, vacuum gauge and AFR gauge. The timing affects the carb metering. Just gotta find what it likes, so I've made many experiments with the timing and carb tuning looking for that magic bullet. It never ends really. This don't work in every engine type of course, it's just one set up for a particular type build. My rowdy bigblock Chevy drag race solid roller engines usually get locked out at somewhere between 40-44 degrees depending on fuel being used, parts selection, etc. Definitely gotta wire in a ignition switch to start them. Turn the engine over and then hit the switch and they light right off. Most of those have cams in the 275-285+@.050, 750-800 lift range. 12-1 to 13.5-1 compression. Building a 454 "street" engine now and it's using a 240/254@.050, 595/595 lift, 108 lobe sep hydraulic roller, it'll have a distributor with a quick curve, but no vacuum advance. Probably end up 40 degrees total. Around 22 initial. Be all in before 2500 rpm. It'll use a Proform "race" HEI with a Moroso curve kit using the thin blue springs. Powerband is approximately 3500-6200 rpm on it. That setup usually works in these particular type 454 street/strip builds. Just gotta figure out what your particular engine wants. For a hot street/strip SBC, a guy could learn alot from the oval track racers. A guy could write a book on this subject matter actually, but it's hard to explain to most folks. Especially on a short utube video. Could turn into hours pretty quick. Engines can be strange and complicated. Definitely not one size fits all with tuning these old school race type engines. Many variables to be considered. Everything affects everything.

For most typical hot street rides, a guy better off with a curve in his distributor. Just takes some work to optimize it. The trick is to get as much as ya can at idle, but not advance too much on the throttle. Most distributors have alot of mechanical advance built in, too much actually. Usually built SBCs end up somewhere between 34 to 40 degrees total timing depending on heads, cam, compression etc. Biggest drawback to locked out timing is it makes the engine harder to start, can even knock a starter off if ya ain't careful. And fuel economy is non existent. But with a drag car, that don't matter. And wiring up an ignition interruption switch is pretty easy. It's not for everybody, but works for many.

@@thomasdemarco617 Theres a dude that made a lot better video than mine and he explains it better. Go watch it. I don't always explain things in the best way. But trust me, it works real fuckin good. And it's not that complicated if ya look into it.

@@thomasdemarco617 Shits not rocket science. Extremely common in some circles. I didn't invent the wheel either... But I know how to use them.

@@thomasdemarco617 You time it just like ya would anyway. Mines locked out at 35 degrees from idle to 7000+rpm. Buy a good lock out kit from KARLS PERFORMANCE and they've already got it figured out for you. The plate puts it in phase. Works like a charm. Wouldn't recommend for Granny's daily driver tho. Best for engines that run wide open most of the time.

Thanks for watching.

I mean, thanks for fuckin watching this motherfucker. Much fuckin appreciated. 😊

It's going in a drag car. It'll be 5000-7000 RPM everytime it runs. Not a street car.

I wouldn't recommend it for a street car.

Try to time a engine like this with 16-18 degrees initial timing and it won't run worth a damn. It needs alot of initial timing, not so much at high rpms. Better to just lock out an engine like this. Fuel economy is a non issue.

I really like tunability of an hei the springs weights and vacuum diaphragm are all adjustable and after 4000 rpms it's at max advance to what you set it it only runs on the mechanical advance when it's wot you I always use light springs on the mechanical advance and it's full advance real quick on a 406 sbc

​@@krazyphucker369Yeah I know all the tricks. The 355 in my driver still has a curve. But after building hundreds of these things since the mid 80s, I've learned a few things. One thing is that what works for one engine ain't necessarily gonna work for another engine. I've done much experimentation on dynos and the track. So everything I do I do for a reason. My street setup is more conventional. Buts it's borderline on needing to be locked out too. Needs alot of initial timing. 20 initial and 38 total. No vac advance. All in by 2000rpm. Seems to work best for that particular combo.