I have an '86 Iroc with TPI and the in-cap coil distributor. I was thinking of going to the later style remote mount coil distributor. Can this be easily done or does it require a computer swap? The reason I ask is that I have been told that the in cap HEI is not computer controlled and the remote mount coil HEI is computer controlled. Any help on the subject would be appreciated. I originally had wanted this for the LT1 intake conversion but now am looking at the Stealth Ram intake manifold which looks to require the small distributor. Thanks.

 

Ummm, I thought that the TPI's had the remote mount coil. I had a remote mount coil stock, before I switched to an HEI. I think the incap systems are pretty good, but I still have my remote mount coil, and a computer controlled HEI distributor off of my 305 TBI, if your interested, they are for sale. Pm me if you are interested.

 

Actually on the older TPIs, they didn't have the remote mount coil and I thought I could just swap it out with the remote coil distributor, but now I don't know if I can. I do have a remote coil distributor sitting around somewhere. I would just use the one that's on my car now, but the fine print on the Holley Stealth Ram says it only supports the remote mount coil type (small distributor).

 

iceman

locate the 4 terminal est connector off the distributor, these four wires are color coded the same as the external coil distributors, so just buy a external coils harness plugs and match the wiring colors, and then take your red battery wire and run to the coil and the white tach wire and run to the coil, pretty easy swap did it on mine. and tpi uses a different coil mount than the TBI cars. painless wiring sells a adapter that plugs into your 4 wire est plug to adapt the external coil as well if you don't feel like splicing wires

 

This is only partially true. The location of the coil does not determine whether or not the distributor is computer-controlled. Most if not all of the carbed thirdgens came with a computer-controlled distributor and an in-cap coil. The best way to determine whether or not your distributor is computer controlled is to count the number of pins on your ignition control module. If it has 4 pins total, it is not computer controlled. If it has any more than four, then it is computer controlled. Your original distributor was definitely computer controlled, I doubt your fuel-injected car would even run without one. My suggestion is to leave it alone if it is the original distributor and you have enough clearance for it.

 

is there actually any type of benefit to running a remote coil other than clearance?

 

Not that I know of. Some people may think a remote-mount looks better.

EDIT: I suppose it would be beneficial if you wanted to put some kind of ignition control in between the coil and the rotor. On the other hand, the wire between the coil and the distributor is another thing that needs replacing after a while.

 

I want a Stealth Ram intake, but it requires me to use the remote coil distributor (small), and unfortunately my '86 Iroc has the in-cap coil (large), so I'm looking to convert.