Points vs HEI 1969 C/10

[Slik69]

Can someone tell me if my truckwill really run better with HEI ignition system. I did a tune on an older engine and for the most part, it's running ok/good..now that we got the points and timing adjusted properly. A friend of mine is after me about getting rid of the points and installing an HEI unit. He's swearing the car will be night and day difference.

Can someone please confirm this. I know points are old tech, but is HEI really all that much better. What would be different.

Thanks

[Longhorn Man]

more power for a better spark
once everything is set, the only thing that degrades performance is wear on the cap and rotor. No points to wear out, no dwell adjustment... set it and forget it.

It is a better set up.

[Boog]

If your points type dist is all fresh you may or may not be able to tell if it runs night and day different. But I will say the HEI dist puts out more voltage to the plugs so it should start better and run longer between tuneups. I had moisture problems with one of my points type trucks. Every time it rained it would not start. The HEI stopped that. They are cheap and plentiful and dead nutz reliable.

[SCOTI]

For the 'older' hard-core gearhead w/a more strip than street motor, points might be the choice. For the average sbc motor..... user friendly, ease of maintenance, & increased durability = HEI all the way.

But I will say the HEI dist puts out more voltage to the plugs so it should start better and run longer between tuneups. I had moisture problems with one of my points type trucks. Every time it rained it would not start. The HEI stopped that.

x2. I had this same issue w/my 67's original 6cyl ignition. Even w/all new parts, if there was rain, there was trouble. Fast forward 13yrs when I bought my 68. It also had a 6cyl w/the points dizzy. I remembered how much of a pain the 67 was & found a 6cyl HEI set-up @ my local yard. I swapped it in & never had any trouble, rain or shine. My annual tune-ups also had 6 coffee colored plugs every year.

[elektrik]

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I got a 69 with a 350 and was thinking about switching from points to HEI too. Can anyone tell me which specific parts to buy? I can probably research where to get them, I'm just not sure WHAT parts I'd need...

Thanks!

[haysonj]

Originally Posted by elektrik

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I got a 69 with a 350 and was thinking about switching from points to HEI too. Can anyone tell me which specific parts to buy? I can probably research where to get them, I'm just not sure WHAT parts I'd need...

Thanks!

Go to the salvage yard and get one out of a 75 to 86 chevy and should work or buy rebuilt from parts house but you will pay a core charge everything you need is in the dist.

[elektrik]

Originally Posted by haysonj

Go to the salvage yard and get one out of a 75 to 86 chevy and should work or buy rebuilt from parts house but you will pay a core charge everything you need is in the dist.

Two things:

1. Can we still do that? Can we still *go* to salvage yards in CA?
2. 75 - 86 Chevy.....Truck? Car? V8? 350 only? I think I would feel a little more comfortable doing that if I knew more specifics as to what model vehicle, etc.

[Sinister]

Originally Posted by elektrik

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I got a 69 with a 350 and was thinking about switching from points to HEI too. Can anyone tell me which specific parts to buy? I can probably research where to get them, I'm just not sure WHAT parts I'd need...

Thanks!

Get an HEI from Skip White on Fleabay. That and new plug wires from your favorite auto parts place. I think there's a FAQ somewhere, it's an easy install.

[nbroady]

Also check craigslist if you have one in your area... I find LOTS of parts on there, too.

[hounddogs!]

Not night and day in my case, it's definitely better in the wet. Note that when the black goo runs out of the module inside the cap, the vehicle won't start....

Go with the HEI.

[cdowns]

biggest downfall of points is lack of knowledge and maintenence on the owners part

[c10addict]

Not to hijack the thread but I was getting ready to start a post to see how you check the tach signal from a HEI dizzy. My new tach quit working after about 2 weeks in my 64.. all the wires are hooked up properly..

[hotrodxy]

you could also get the accel point eliminator kit and keep the original look. if you want a higher voltage spark get a new coil like the msd blaster 2
http://www.jegs.com/i/Accel/110/2010/10002/-1

[justcuz]

Originally Posted by c10addict

Not to hijack the thread but I was getting ready to start a post to see how you check the tach signal from a HEI dizzy. My new tach quit working after about 2 weeks in my 64.. all the wires are hooked up properly..

The tach feed off the HEI comes right off the cap next to the 12 volt wire to energise the distributor. It even says tach on the cap. If you do not have a signal to that wire you need to take the center of the cap off and reveal the coil. Track the wire from the connector to the coil, if it is intact then your trouble is between the distributor and the tach, probably where the wire goes through the firewall. Or maybe the tach took a dump, check it with another tach. Also make sure your tach ground is good.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by cdowns

biggest downfall of points is lack of knowledge and maintenence on the owners part

And on my K20, just getting to the points for maintenance is difficult at best. I switched to HEI many years ago and it was one of the best things I ever did for my truck. It's at least as good as a brand-new set of points & condensor, except that it stays in perfect tune without annual adjustments and/or replacements.

To the OP, I didn't notice any performance improvement vs a new set of points. Remember to gap the plugs at .045 with HEI (.035 with points).

[Dingfodgy]

I have an HEI in my LWB and it starts a little quicker than my SWB with a Pertronix points eliminator kit in the stock dizzy. Aesthetically I prefer the small cap look of the SWB....but as others have mentioned the HEI has been stone cold reliable since I've had the truck. Performance wise- I haven't experienced a noticable difference.

[19673ontree]

Originally Posted by cdowns

biggest downfall of points is lack of knowledge and maintenence on the owners part

I thought a lot about this subject and the above NAIL'S IT
people don't like point's because they can't get them set right ,
myself I love my point's , my 67 camaro has run and gave me good service for ten year's with two set's at about $6 buck's each so that's about $1.20 per year , the hei will leave you sitting beside the road with no warning too !

[Boog]

Originally Posted by 19673ontree

I thought a lot about this subject and the above NAIL'S IT
people don't like point's because they can't get them set right ,
myself I love my point's , my 67 camaro has run and gave me good service for ten year's with two set's at about $6 buck's each so that's about $1.20 per year , the hei will leave you sitting beside the road with no warning too !

I'm glad to see you like the points setup. It's not really difficult to set them right. The thing is they wear down and require adjustment now and then to keep them gapped right. There is no adjustment necessary on the HEI dist and they run for many carefree miles. Much stronger spark too!
I'm just curious. In the 10 years of service how many miles did you put on those points?

[PanelDeland]

It made a world of difference in my 250 6.Part of that may have been the shape the old points unit was in but I don't have any miss,no hesitation and it starts and runs out better.Other than the disc swap it's probably the best mod I've done.

[Dingfodgy]

I imagine the HEI would have a more significant performance advantage over a stock points setup, but in my case my SWB has the Pertronix electronic ignition kit and a "flame-thrower" high voltage coil. I imagine it's output is very similar to that of the HEI...hence the negligible performance advantage.

[old Chevy guy]

My vote HEI nearly the first mod on any old chevy Ive ever bought. I have a69 Camaro outside waiting patiently for a re-resteration{done last 22 years ago frame off} so she only gets run once or twice a year.If I went out there right now Id only turn that motor enough to get some fuel up and she would start right up,no dirty or rusty points to fool with!

[Slik69]

I don't get the guys that are stating no performance advantage. I'm wanting to hear good things, but not quit convinved to install the HEI unit. What I'm hearing is if the points are new and adjusted properly (which is mycase) then I will not notice a difference?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Slik69

I don't get the guys that are stating no performance advantage. I'm wanting to hear good things, but not quit convinved to install the HEI unit. What I'm hearing is if the points are new and adjusted properly (which is mycase) then I will not notice a difference?

The issue is..... nothing you do will keep points new. They will require periodic inspection & will require adjustment; the electronic ignition won't.

A performance gain will be seen if you utilize a better ignition system w/a hotter coil vs. a stock coil (D.U.I., Accel, Mallory, or MSD). But the same can be said for points type ignitions.

Electronic ignitions are more user friendly over the lifespan of the vehicle.

[PanelDeland]

Scotti said it well.The thing to remember is that a stock HEI puts out twice or so the volts of a points system.You can run a slightly wider plug gap and may see some slight milage improvement from burning the fuel more efficiently(May as in maybe 1/2 MPG).

[Longhorn Man]

like I said above, set it and forget it, instead of set it, and then climb back up on the core support and try to adjust them again in 5000 miles.