What should I upgrade my I6 distributor with?

[ekgguy]

I read the thread that SHIFTY did a few years ago regarding upgrading the distributor to an HEI. That seems pretty straight-forward. I was wondering if there is anything better out there now than the HEI as an upgrade?

I want to make the I6 run as good as possible while I am amassing parts for the LS change-over and doing body work.

What is the latest and greatest? Right now it has the original points distributor.

[EARNHARDT#3]

Nothing has changed. Some will say HEI. Some will say pertronix. Personally I prefer HEI because in case of a failure you can get parts off the shelf anywhere easily vs. having to find a replacement Pertronix unit.

[Custom/Ten]

I'm runnin an hei dizzy from an 80 250 on my 72 250. Basically a bolt on and cheap too, just needed to run a new power wire, get some 8mm wires also from an 80, and regap the plugs. I really like it, I don't see how you could make it any easier than that. I went with the 80s timing too. Got the dizzy and wires from advance, something like 100 bucks. Don't use their stranded wire btw, that stuffs junk, IMO anyway.

[rdgt67]

Was the 80's dizzy have a coil on the cap? I like the price from ato zone but my 70 250 is an external coil.

[Custom/Ten]

Originally Posted by rdgt67

Was the 80's dizzy have a coil on the cap? I like the price from ato zone but my 70 250 is an external coil.

Yea it's coil in cap 65000 v I think, my dizzy came with the coil. You gotta remove old coil and Run the power straight to the dizzy

[Custom/Ten]

I'll get you a pic if I have some time kinda bust right now

[rdgt67]

Thanks. Did you have an external coil? Is it easy to wire around?

[Custom/Ten]

Yes, and yes, super easy, way less complicated than these online walk troughs sound lol

[rdgt67]

I sent you a pm. Thanks.

[Custom/Ten]

Hey man, started to send you a long pm earlier and phone died on the last sentence lol. We'll get you sorted out in the morning. I'll get you some pics and part numbers. Whatever ya need man.

[Custom/Ten]

Here's a pic from the day I got my truck, factory setup, external coil, I beleive these run about 15000 v, blah blah someone correct me if I'm wrong. Factory gap was 35 FYI I heard the coil in cap hei is to big to fit with ac so if you do have ac just go ahead and stop me.

[RichardJ]

What?

All points distributors have an external coil.
1975 was the first year of the HEI and the I6 used an HEI with external coil. I think it was in '77, the I6 was given the taller cap with built in coil.
The first HEI I had in my 292 was one with the internal coil. The caps are not interchangeable because the locator notch is in a different place.
When I was designing and building the AC compressor bracket, the height I chose, dictated the external coil so I could remove the cap, without loosening the compressor belt.

That first HEI was installed in the early '90s and both have been running with the original wiring with the ballast resistor in place and unmolested. I did remove the yellow (on most) wire from the "R" terminal of the starter solenoid.

In 1975, Chevy said to gap all the HEI plugs at .060". By 1980, everyone realized that instead of changing points every 10k miles, they then had to change the plug wires every 10k miles.
If the introduction of the HEI did anything, it brought about a marked improvement in the quality of plug wires.
By 1990, Chevy called for plug gaps of .035" for most HEI engines.

New plugs will fire at around 12k Volts in most engines. As the plugs get older and the electrodes wear the required voltage rises. At higher voltages there is a tendency for misfires and spark scatter.
With a .060" gap you have an even higher voltage requirement and an increased occurrence of spark scatter.
By reducing the HEI ignition plug gap, Chevy was able to reduce emissions and a small increase in fuel mileage.

.035" plug gaps have worked fine in my 292 for many years.

[Custom/Ten]

What? Is your point, I'm just trying to make sure he doesn't buy a an 80s cap in coil if he's got a compressor, it will be in the way of the massive cap. That's a pretty motor ya got there!

[Custom/Ten]

Ok most of what Richard said is true but if I understood him correctly he kept a resistance wire with an hei, everything I've ever read says to remove the resistance wire. I removed mine and advise you do the same. The resistance wire is there to allow you 12 v at startup then it drops voltage as to not burn up the old points style ignition. Newer hei ignition is designed to run off 12v all off the time so it would be a bad idea to leave in that resistance wire and he is the first person I have ever heard to leave it in. Maybe I misunderstood him. I'm going to suggest you remove all old wiring.

[Custom/Ten]

Ok I'm gonna give you a quick walkthrough on how to put a 1980 hei from a 250 on your truck. Between mine and shiftys I think you'll get it figured out.

Here's a parts list

1980 stock distributor for a 250, you should be able to get one at any parts store, make sure you buy the one that comes with the cap and the coil. part number t1697 at advance $129.99 online right now

Spark plug wires for a 1980, you can get a precut set from advance part number 96601 $27.99 or cut your own, they are 8mm wires

10 ft 12 gauge REAL automotive wire! (A little extra in case you mess up, wire is cheap) that stuff they sell at parts stores is just speaker wire. You want oil and gas resistant wire or what I went with, gxl wire from wire barn. About $10.

A gm 56 series connector (I recommend you get a five pack in case you screw one up)

(Optional) new spark plugs for YOUR 250. This is a good time to replace you plugs, I recommend AC Delco platinum plugs, I gapped mine to .040, I think shiftys recommendation was .045. Your choice.

[Custom/Ten]

Set your engine to top dead center and remove all this, also remove old plugs now if your swapping those out. The resistance wire you see is connected to your coil, the starter, and goes to the firewall on the driver side. It's all wrapped up in harness tape.

[GRX]

Running points in my 250. Works just fine when the parts are all good. Reason so many see a vast improvement going HEI is because they are replacing worn out parts.

[Custom/Ten]

Originally Posted by GRX

Running points in my 250. Works just fine when the parts are all good. Reason so many see a vast improvement going HEI is because they are replacing worn out parts.

Some truth here for sure but I honestly get tired of hearing this. There's 50000 more volts in the hei and you can get parts easier, don't have to mess around withs points but yea other than that, those old points distributors are just fine.

[Custom/Ten]

GRX might have a point though, (well two of them I guess.....ugh, puns) if your gonna be doing the ls swap maybe just stay with the old dizzy and give it a tune up. Whatever you wanna do man.

[GRX]

Nice pun. Was on my phone here earlier and now that I am on the desktop typing is easier. That is what I was eluding to regarding the intended ls swap. May be able to get away with a re-tune of the stock system and save money not buying an HEI set up which is soon to be discarded.

Gap the spark plugs at .035. Look for cracks in the cap or spark carbon trails. At that point a new cap will be needed. The points and condenser should always be replaced together. Gap setting is .019 but I like to set worn point ignition at .017. Dwell angle should be 31-34. Thing with the 6-cyl is there is no window in the cap so trial and error with the dwell meter is required.

[rdgt67]

Hats off to custom ten for his help And post. Thanks and happy motoring.

[Custom/Ten]

Ekgguy, I just realized I high jacked the crap out of your thread. Rdgt67 sent me a pm for some help with the hei install and I told him I would just post the info in his thread which is what I thought this was. Not his fault, I just totally screwed up lol. Sorry man! I'm a retard, oops! I'm going to sign out and go sit in a corner until I've learned my lesson.