Hi ther.
bought a 1984 camaro with a scrap v8. So I pulled it a replaced it with a 305 from a 1980 cutlass.
Now my problem is that when I try to start it, it has a very hard time cranking.
I verified that all my grounds are good, vacuum hoses are good and placed properley but still no luck.
When I am lucky enough to get it to kick over, it idles very iradicaly ( either very high or very low or both ) and get really hot really fast.

What I find strange is when I disconnect the three whire connector from the base of the distributor, the engine cranks like a champ but wont start.
When I plug the three whire connector back in, I go back to my problem.

Could this be the ecm controlled timimg advance module or am I on the wrong track all together.

Thanx.

 

If it doesnt have a vacuume advance canister on the side of the dist , then yeah its a computer controlled HEI, if youre not using the comp controlled carb then I would just put a standard SBC HEI in it and be done, but if you still want to use it MSD and I think accel make a replacement Ign module.

But from your discription I would say the timing is off.