[Longs]

I thought that I'd relay my experience installing a FAST XR-i (part number 750-1720) in my '67 GTO points distributor. My GTO has over 100K miles and the distributor is original, although I've installed a few sets of points over the years. I had purchased the FAST kit a couple of years ago and never installed it, probably had been at least 20 years since I'd installed the last set of points. My thinking was that with the miles, it would be good to take the physical wear points out of the equation. As I've been reading about timing, I was assuming that my initial timing was not sufficiently advanced.

I did the job with the distributor in the car. Disconnected the battery, removed the cap and rotor then the points and condenser. I popped the grommet out of the distributor base, threaded the wire to the negative coil terminal out and off. All other wiring (tach, resistor wire) remains in place.

The XR-i comes with a hall effect module that attaches with allen screws to a plate that attaches with two more allen screws to the base plate in the distributor. It only fits one way, there's a hole in the plate that aligns with a small protrusion on the base plate. I identified the side of the adapter that mates to the module, and to the base plate. The XR-i comes with some thermal grease, apply it to the back of the module and attach finger tight. Apply some to the adapter where it mates to the base plate.

I go to install the adapter with module attached, and the adapter doesn't sit flat on the base plate and the allen screws don't want to start. Did I mess up the orientation? I take it back off, remove the module,, try again, nope, I have it right, it can't go the other way. I eventually figure out that the original ground wire to the base plate, which appears to be tacked in place,, is interfering and it won't sit flat. Do I try to manipulate the original wire? I don't want it to break loose. I decide instead to notch the adapter with a dremel, now it sits flat. I install it and it fits but by now there isn't too much thermal grease left, hopefully not an issue.

I manipulate the wiring, there's a plastic hold down that attaches with another allen screw through the hole that's used to hold down the condenser when points are installed. The kit comes with a grommet that the wires run through at the bottom of the distributor and out to the coil. The original grommet would not be useable because it's just meant to hold the single wire that connects the negative side of the coil to the points. It was difficult to install the new grommet, got it in with a little grease and pushing it up from the underside of the distributor. I first tried to get it installed from the top side, that seemed difficult, not a lot of room to maneuver.

I got the wires through the grommet, attached the connectors to the coil, reinstalled rotor and cap, and reconnected the battery. I hit the key and it started right up! It seemed to idle better than with the old points, let it run for a while then took it around the block, seemed to run smoother, better response. That could just be because the points were old and look fairly worn, both points and the block so my dwell and timing were likely out of spec. I haven't timed it yet, will time it tomorrow and see how it behaves.

So far so good, although with the above and installing with the distributor in the car, it took about 2 hours to finish job that they say you can do in 20 minutes. I am not a real mechanic, it's probably been 20 years since I worked on the distributor. I do a lot of research, and everything takes much longer than other people claim that it does. I'm keeping the points and condenser in the console but I'd NEVER see swapping back on the side of the road somewhere. Hopefully it never needs that!

[1968GTO421]

Detailed write-up, nice. Thanks (and luck)

[kyle_blake]

Nice write up! I recall the base plate grounding tac weld wire not being in the way. I guess depends on the model of your point distributor? I removed my distributor when I did mine. Did a bang up job but could never get it fire, sputter back. I finally got it to fire, set it for 16 initial. Went to fire it next day, nope. Asked Crane, they said hey man install it on leading edge. I'm like I did, how can it forget it's setting? I sent it back and I think it's stuck at border waiting till it opens CAN-USA. Didn't put tracking on it. Probably gone now, damn it. Always do tracking. I'm glad your experience was better! Maybe I should of left my distributor in. Let me know how rev limiter works!

[Longs]

My thought on doing it in the car was to not introduce any additional variables by removing the distributor, couldn't get it a tooth off, etc.. Even though I'm sure that the installation itself would have been easier on a bench.

I installed the module to be close to the distributor cam but I wasn't particularly precise about it, other than to make sure that it couldn't touch.

I didn't check my timing with the points installed, the points were worn so it was probably retarded. With the XR-i installed, at idle in drive with the vacuum advance line disconnected and plugged, initial timing shows around 8 degrees BTDC, I'm going to leave it there for now and see how it behaves.

I set the rev limiter to 6,000 RPM although I'd never expect to see that, my car's a driver, I don't run it hard enough to get near 6,000 RPM. Same thought, I just didn't want that rev limiter kicking in, making me think something was wrong.