Distributor ?'s

I have a 89' B2600i and my distributor is currently only a 2wire and has a Vacuum advance. I got a newer motor out of a 90' and its distributor is 4 wire no vacuum advance is there any advantages to running to 4 wire or 2 wire? Also is it possible to wire in the 4 wire as its already timed and good togo with my newer motor?

I not quite as familiar with the 89 setup as the later models. But I do know that if you want to run the new motor in your 89, you will need to do one of two things.

1 Swap a few components from the bad 89 engine.

The distributor being first and foremost. 89 is vac advance while later styles are electronic.

You will probably need to swap the throttle body (with IAC valve and TPS switch)
The throttle is different on the 89 (some 90's had it too so maybe your 90 engine has the 89 style throttle body) If different, then you'll need to swap it along with the IAC valve and TPS switch. You'll also need to swap the intake pipe and boot as they are different also.

You'll need to swap the upper intake manifold (I think the lower is the same.) If your 90 TB is different than your 89. The 89 intake manifold won't mate up to the later style throttle body.


2 To use the new engine, you'll need to swap the wiring harness and ECM from the later model truck since they are both going to be different than your 89. You might need to cross check the coil and igniter also as they could be different but that would be an easy swap anyway.

There may be some other items but this is what comes to mind of the top of my head.

I'd still need to swap the ECU and harness even if everything bolts and all the connectors are the same? Because so far only thing that hasnt matched up to my stock Harness is the intake temp sensor on the front of the plenum.

As I mentioned above, you'd need to do one of the two things listed - ether swap the 89 components onto the the 90 engine, OR, swap the ECM and harness from the 90 truck into the 89 if you want to run the 90 engine with it's original components - intake/TB/Distributor.

So if you swap the the components, the you don't need to swap ECM and Harness.