Original tri-power air cleaner with electronic distributor.

davidg8991

Well Known Member
Hi everyone and thank you for your time. I have a 348 tri-power with a stock air cleaner. Problem is that the air cleaner does not clear my electronic distributor. Has anyone come up with a solution for this problem? Thank you.
 

LMBRJQ 60

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 4
Only two options:
1 Replace distributor
2 Replace air cleaner

I'd go with 1 and no way dent a good orig air cleaner
Besides all the aftermarket 348/409 distributors are from china

Hi Mike,

Is that to include the three below?
Pertronix
MSD
Pro Comp

I know Procomp was China but thought the other two were USA made?
Then again we just get what arrives on our shores and dont have close access to the companies

Thanks

Steve
 

1958 delivery

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I probably don't know all that's available for 348/409 but i was mainly referring to the HEI type, they're all china. anything procomp is china.
Personally I would lean towards a pertronix module on a stock distributor. China isn't all bad but when it comes to distributors I'd be leery
 

LMBRJQ 60

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 4
I probably don't know all that's available for 348/409 but i was mainly referring to the HEI type, they're all china. anything procomp is china.
Personally I would lean towards a pertronix module on a stock distributor. China isn't all bad but when it comes to distributors I'd be leery

All good, thanks for that
I was looking at a pertronix ready to run for the 348 but i have an original one there as well so could do up the old one with a module and vac can etc i guess. Would have to check bearings/bushes etc

I dont like HEI unless it is original GM product personally, had a good run on GM stuff on SBC and BBC
Not good on procomp but others i know have had good runs on procomp and then others have had crap runs on mallory unilite

Steve
 

427John

Well Known Member
As Boxerdog pointed out a points distributor triggering something like an MSD 6 box will last forever,an example is my Starliner, the factory dual point that triggers an MSD 6 box has had the same sets of points in it for 25 years,while it doesn't see a lot of miles it still runs as good as the day they were put in.The current levels required to control the box are so low that the contacts don't burn like they do when controlling primary power to a coil.Another example is back in the day when Ford brought out their version of transistorized ignition they used the points distributor to trigger it and took the opportunity of lower current to decrease the size of the contacts on the breaker to lighten it to minimize point bounce at high rpm.
 

427John

Well Known Member
Hi everyone and thank you for your time. I have a 348 tri-power with a stock air cleaner. Problem is that the air cleaner does not clear my electronic distributor. Has anyone come up with a solution for this problem? Thank you.
Just to clarify,your aftermarket distributor is a small cap external coil MSD clone right?I don't think I've seen a large cap coil in cap GM HEI type distributor for W motors.If so this is good info that the smaller aftermarket distributors still don't clear the factory tripower aircleaner,does anyone know if this is true of the factory dual quad also?
 
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