HEI help, ideas, thoughts, throw it away ?

Okay. If and when I ever get around to it again, I will reinstall and tinker with it so more.
DAN: I had read the aritcle; thanks for the effort and the info. I know it is not the battery.
MSB: I will look into this the next time. I had pulled it out several times and rechecked, thinking the same as you. Hey, no one is perfect, and that's worth checking.
SOUTHTOWNS: I had retarded the timing to TDC just to try it. Seemed a little better(starting) but had no throttle response. I figured after the intial install, I would go the curve and vac advance
route.
JAMES P : I knew the module controlled the spark not the timing. Just didn't say it. I don't think it is coil problem, and I had planned to carry the spare HEI just in case. (If the Bantam will hold any more parts, that is!)
THANKS ALL

 

okay guys, after talking to coby over the weekend it seems as though i could have been a tooth off myself? i couldn't understand it the way he explained it (no offense meant coby, it's still baffling to me...). soo, when i put the distributor in i didn't pay any attention to how the points came out, i took all of the spark plugs except number one out and rolled the jeep forward until 1 was on the compression stroke. from here the transmission was put in neutral and i rolled the jeep back up to where i was working (number one still at TDC...). then i played around with the oil pump so that i could get the distributor to sit in (after grinding on the intake) and seat on the timing chain cover with the vacume not being in the fan. then i found where the rotor hit the number one plug on the cap, looked to see if everything was in the clear and tightened it down. everything was wired right, and the terminals were right on the cap (even to even, odd to odd).

now then, i'm having a tough time thinking everything could be a tooth off. if i brought #1 to TDC and put the distributor in, and the rotated the cap around to where the rotor was on #1 it should be timed just about right, right? i know i'd have to tune it up a little bit to get the timing exactly right, but that should work right? i've put many a distributor in like this before and everythign fired right up. if someone else could point me somewhere and that gives me a picture (pop-up books would be better) i'd be verry thankfull....

sorry for the long response, but this has been on my mind the whole weekend
-Chris

 

I have had modules change the way my vehicle runs before. If a module controls spark, wouldn't it in effect control timing too if it wasn't working properly? Just a thought, because i have noticed performance differences with different modules in the same distributor.

 

John: Not really. Is all the module is is an electronic switch. Some of the High Perf. ones claim to have a longer dwell to saturate the coil more, therby producing a more spark. The module replaces the points, but with no moving parts so they can't wear or get pitted. Usually, they either work or don't work. 2 years ago the module died in my Yukon, lucklly 50 feet from my driveway so I coasted in. It went totally and completely DEAD. A $49 part.

 

I agree Jim, but in some rare case they can work erratically. My mom had a 79 Buick, and we were heading out to Laughlin, when the module started acting up (backfiring through the carb), but it was still working. It would just act up occasionally. Well it gave up the ghost on I-40 and we spent all night on the side of the road (in January BBRRRR) (before cell phones) The next morning we towed it to Needles, and bought one, and that car never ran better.

 

I'm lucky. When it died, it DIED. I heard from my neighbor and the mechanic that Fords are more prone to this than GM's. My neighbor had his fail twice, but the dealer replaced the fuel pump twice. :evil: The 3rd time he took it to a private mechanic that laughed and replaced the module. His too died on I 40 the last time (not a good place for a dead car). His would die when hot--when cooled off it would start again. Mechanic said the first thing you do is check the module, not the fuel pump.

When mine died I thought it was probably the fuel pump. would have never guessed the module. They say it's good to change them about every 10 years, as is the fuel pump also. My cousin's identical Yukon's fuel pump died last week. Guess what I'm thinking about? But I'm waiting till I get down to 1/8 tank gas.

 

Warning: probable hijack

Jim (jpflat2A): I am heading to the parts store this week for parts to install my HEI. I wrote down parts numbers from a post of yours a few months back. Do you recommend those, or should I go to NAPA or somewhere else?

I wrote down:

Cap DR-447
Rotor DR-318x
ground strap DR-31A
plug wires EC-6627

Sparky is helping me (or I am helping him) convert an EF HEI to OF. I know I need a new OF pickup assembly also. Where do I need to get and what size is the button head bolt?

Thanks for the help

 

Mike, my numbers came from Carquest, formerly Big A.
I would let them help you, as I don't know whether the numbers are the same at any store.
I had a little grinding at the leading edge of the intake manifold, drivers side. this is to be expected.
Per someone else here, a good nut/bolt supplier should have the torx boilt you need. other have gone to the dealer.
I ground my hex head bolt down.
Good Luck!
Jim

 

MOP: Like the "other" Jim said, use a Torx bolt or a Button Head works well also. Also a little grinding on the front edge of the intake will prolly be necessary.

Also, most need to have to cut off 1 of the hold downs on the dist cap. Don't worry, this is no big deal. You still got 3! Mine has had that done. Like I said, it seems that most of us have to do it, but not all.

Be sure to get "at least" real good 8mm plug wires. I use MSD 8.5 Superconductors.

You're having Sparky helf you? OMG! R)

 

I would like to introduce myself as a new member of the "hooked it up and it doesn't work" HEI club. I bought the Cape Conversions Distributor and now believe they sent me the wrong one. After following all of the instructions, it doesn't fire. There is a pigtail of a brown, black and orange wire coming out of the side of the distributor body and nothing to hook them to. Any guesses as to what is wrong? I'm going to call Cape Conversions tomorrow to verify they sent me the correct distributor.
JK

 

Cape would be the place to start with yours. I don't think there should be any wires exposed. You provide the 12V power source, ground, and maybe a tach wire. That should be it.
I haven't had the time to reinstall mine and work through it again.
Don't throw in the towel on it entirely, as many have done it and speak highly of it.
Mine was auto parts rebuild and I believe that is where my problem lies.
Others here will have more info for you; good luck!

 

JK: There shouldn't be any wires to connect to anything coming out of the dist. There is just a plug in the cap to connect 12v to and the tach to. Those 3 wires sound like your module connections that are totally internal and connect to the module itself inside the dist. That's the beauty of an HEI, only 1 wire needed.

Strange. The only thing I can think of is you got a "computer controled" dist. :?

 

Would those three wires be the ones that hook to the distributor cap. You know you have the three wires with the connector that plugs into the bottom of the cap just behind where the BAT and TACH wires go? Looking at the underside of the cap there is actually 5 terminals. 3 of those are for the pigtail that comes out of the side of the distributor.

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Thanks to Jim, Jim and Johnny we now have fire. The plug does fit into the slots Johnny described! Since my cap and distributor came in separate containers, the pigtail/plug was never assembled. When I got to the distributor fitup stage and they said to remove the harness, I was stumped and proceeded anyway. Near the end of the instructions, they say in bold to reconnect the harness. Never could guess what they were talking about. Its a wonder none of the helicopters I used to work on never fell out of the sky. Lucky I guess. Thaks to all! This forum really works.

JK

 

Reality check,
On breakpoint systems, you need you need full battery voltage to the positive side of the coil while cranking. Once the engine is started, the resistance wire/ballest resistor (between the fuse panel and ignition sws) reduces voltage to something like 8 volts or less...this was done so breaker points wouldn't get burnt up while the engine was running.

Net/net, make sure you have correct voltage during cranking. I installed a Mallory kit in place of my points and couldn't get it to fire...checked, then replaced the resistance wire and now it starts great.

 

Final chapter to my HEI experience. As mentioned the other day we got fire with the suggestions from this forum. Wrapped it up today with final timing and reassembly of other mini-projects underway at the same time. The test drive occured a while ago in 100 degree heat. First thing I noticed is that it ran much smoother and has a lot more power and stability at very low RPM(i.e. no coughs, stumbles or shudders). Around the neighborhood it has much more "zip". Freeway driving showed much better acceleration and more top end. Went over a mountain pass the tops out at one mile above sea level. This pass, climbing west, used to take me down to 40 mph, or less if the wind was blowing in my face. Easy 55 mph on the climb now. Oh, I almost forgot, even on a very hot day, it runs cooler by 5 to 10 degrees. As mentioned elsewhere, this is probably the best investment for the $$ you can make in your Dauntless. My Dauntless seems to really like this setup. If she is happy, I'm thrilled!

JK

 

JK: Great to hear. The HEI is probablly the best thing you can do to a stock :v6: Quick and easy.

The only thing that I would suggest is that you use the very best wires that you can afford (I use MSD Superconductors) and some Platinum plugs. That completes the ign. upgrade and will give you top performance on a stock :v6: You really don't need all those HP Ign. upgrades unless you have a highly modified :v6: . The stock HEI with good wires and plugs will work just great.

Glad you're Happy.