I've been a slacker in working on my truck, and am finally getting around to bits and pieces. Here's the question:

DusterIdiot helped me find a correct non-leanburn EI distributor to purchase.

I would like to install said distributor now, so I can get some timing advance. I have lean burn dist and carb, but the sensors and computer have been removed by the previous owner.

At this time, I'd JUST like to change the distributor, so I can mess with the carb at a later date (once I'm comfortable). So my questions:

1.) Can I just swap out the distributor and not install an EI box? Right now the distributor just feeds the coil directly, since the lean burn computer is gone.

2.) Where can I pull a vacuum for the advance? I'm not familiar with what options I've got on my existing lean burn carb.

here are some pictures of my carb for reference:

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1985 D100 3.7L Slant 6, 4-speed manual.

Actually, you do not have a computer controlled carburetor. The wires coming off the carb go to the idle speed solenoid, which is not necessarily related to the lean burn system and is actually a nice thing to have.

On a lean burn equipped vehicle it is very easy to install an HEI ignition module. Two wires to the distirutor and two wires to the coil. That's it. I am not sure how you have your current distributor wired right now, but you will need some sort of ignition control module.

A source for a ported vacuum signal will be more of an issue. On lean burn systems with a computer controlled distributor, there is no ported vacuum tap on the carburetor. Instead, the port that used to be for the distributor vacuum advance is used to provide a manifold vacuum source for the computer. Hooking the distributor vacuum advance to this port on the carb will cause you to have full advance at idle and a vacuum advance that does not function properly. Until you get a carburetor that has a true pored vacuum tap you will need to run the distributor without a vacuum advance.

You should test the different ports on the carburetor and see if you can find one that has no vacuum at idle but full vacuum as soon as the throttle is opened. If you find one, that is your distributor vacuum advance port.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

The wires that come off the carb but aren't hooked to anything? I have to warm the truck up with my foot currently... it doesn't choke or "fast idle" or anything.

The distributor is currently not hooked up to anything (from the electronic hookup standpoint). The middle cap plug goes to the coil, but that is it. Then the two (red and blue) wires for the coil disappear into the wiring harness and go who knows where..

I looked around, and didn't see anything that could pass for an ignition module currently.

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1985 D100 3.7L Slant 6, 4-speed manual.

You have the hardware for the choke to work. If the engine does not go to fast idle then something is misadjusted. On your carb the idle stop solenoid also is the curb idle speed screw. If you or a previous owner has been using a screw on the carb that is not part of the solenoid to set the curb idle speed, then you have been using the fast idle speed screw to set your curb idle. Get some rebuild instructions and set all of the choke and fast idle cam settings properly, then get a factory service manual to see the correct procedure to use the idle stop soenoid to set your curb idle. The idle stop solenoid is supposed to kick out and increase idle speed when certain conditions happen (like the AC is turned on) but you can still use it as a curb idle speed screw if it is not connected to anything.

You distributor is probably hooked up to the lean burn computer, otherwise nothing would tell the coil to fire. There will by a two terminal plug and a three terminal plug coming off the body of the distributor below the cap. Even if someone converted it to a points ignition system there will still be at least one wire that goes to the coil. If you can't find the wires, look deeper.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.