Hot rodding the HEI distributor
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The large diameter of the cap helps to prevent this and it works well enough in a passenger car, even with the wider gaps that were used for some applications. But once the RPM goes up and the cylinder pressure increases, the chance of a misfire increases dramatically with a wider plug gap. | The large diameter of the cap helps to prevent this and it works well enough in a passenger car, even with the wider gaps that were used for some applications. But once the RPM goes up and the cylinder pressure increases, the chance of a misfire increases dramatically with a wider plug gap. | ||
| − | === | + | ===Electrical connections=== |
| − | If converting to an HEI from a points-type distributor, often the wire that was used to supply current to the point-type coil will have a ballast resistor in line, or the wire itself will be a resistor wire. This is not needed or wanted for the HEI- it needs to be supplied with full system voltage at all times for best performance. | + | If converting to an HEI from a points-type distributor, often the wire that was used to supply current to the point-type coil will have a ballast resistor in line, or the wire itself will be a resistor wire. This is not needed or wanted for the HEI- it needs to be supplied with full system voltage at all times for best performance. Depending on the application this could mean rewiring or replacing the resistor wire for a 12-14 gauge supply wire. |
| − | + | Also, the wire from the starter solenoid “R” terminal can be eliminated. New HEI coil wire and tach hook-up pigtails are available. These pigtails are a better solution than using a crimp-on type female spade connector because the pigtail has a much more robust design that won’t break off even after repeated removals. They also have positive retention clips that prevents the connection to fall off. | |
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| + | Another neat wiring aid is the Accel p/n 170072. It’s a combination HEI battery/tach pigtail that has a connector for both current to the HEI AND a connection for the tach molded together. A tach wire connector isn’t needed if using an MSD box that has a separate tach hook-up; in that case use just the HEI power supply pigtail. | ||
| + | {| | ||
| + | |[[File:Painless 30809 hei power.jpg|thumb|center|200px|Painless p/n 30809 power]] | ||
| + | |[[File:Hei tach pigtail.jpg|thumb|center|220px|Pico p/n 5664PT tach]] | ||
| + | |[[File:Accel 170072.jpg|thumb|center|315px|Accel p/n 170072 combo connector power and tach]] | ||
| + | |} | ||
==Parts of the HEI system== | ==Parts of the HEI system== | ||
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