Late Buick Odd Fire V6 HEI Distributor - Short Shaft

Upgrade your Buick 90° V6 odd-fire engine — 225 or early 231 CID — with this HEI-style distributor, built around a magnetic trigger and a 65,000-volt coil housed directly in the unit, so there's no external coil or ignition box to wire in separately. This distributor is designed specifically for odd-fire engines and uses an odd-fire distributor cap and trigger configuration that will not interchange with later even-fire units.

This distributor is not compatible with later Buick even-fire V6 engines (1977-and-newer production) or the Buick 3800 V6/front-wheel-drive applications. Because Buick's odd-fire-to-even-fire changeover happened mid-way through the 1977 model year, verify your specific vehicle's engine type by its distributor cap style or engine VIN code rather than by model year alone if your vehicle is a 1977. The housing is machined aluminum with a steel drive gear best matched to cast iron hydraulic or solid flat-tappet camshafts. This distributor requires a 12-volt electrical system with an alternator; it is not compatible with generator-based charging systems or vehicles still running an active ballast resistor in the ignition circuit — the resistor should be removed or bypassed as part of installation.

What Is an HEI Distributor?
HEI (High Energy Ignition) replaces the external coil and breaker points used in factory Buick odd-fire ignition systems with a magnetic trigger and a high-output coil built directly into the distributor housing. Without points to wear or require periodic gap adjustment, timing holds more consistently, and this single unit replaces both the original distributor and ignition coil.

Performance Benefits
The 65,000-volt internal coil produces stronger spark output than a factory points-style distributor, supporting more consistent spark delivery across the RPM range on the Buick 90° V6 odd-fire platform. The magnetic trigger holds timing accurately without the point wear and drift common to older ignition systems. Mechanical and vacuum advance are both included, with a vacuum advance adjustment tool in the box so the timing curve can be tuned for the specific engine and driving conditions.