Further HEI discussion - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

69-Chevy-350 · 01-12-2003, 05:57 PM

I beg your forgiveness in advance but I have restored other vehicles, mostly Late 70's and ealry 80's BMWs. I need a little education about Hei. What it is and such. What parts I should put in and some general help. My digital cam is having technical problems so i can not show you my engine bay but I can describe what I am running into. The truck is a 69. The title says it and the data plate on the door jam says it. But the stock air filter and spark plugs for the 350 V-8 do not fit and I have had to use different size parts for that. The cap and rotor fit fine. However I am not sure if that was luck or what. I have the coil that seems to be for points with the middle piece being for the plug wires and the two side terminals for the different wires. What would you all recommend to do as an upgrade. I am not made of money so something not to expensive. I just want some better performance and increased mileage possibly.
Secondly, there is oil leaking from what apperas to be the oxygen sensor but i don't think it is or that these trucks even have them. It is plugged into the transmission (near the middle) and there is where it leaks. any ideas? Thanks guys for your assitance and help. I want to get this beast healthy.

Steve
69 Chevy 350 fleetside
81 BMW 528i

mtdave2 · 01-12-2003, 07:07 PM

you know i have tried the hi profomance hei units and have had trouble with them. unless you are racing or have a super hopped motor id just get a OEM type hei, they can be bought new almost anyplace for under 100 bucks. just install that pupy and widen the gap on your plugs, youll notice a major differance.

not sure about your oil leak. the only things i know that run to the trany is the vacume line for the kick down, and the cooling lines. ????? there is a place back by the distributor for your oil presure gauge. that leaks sometimes, but it doesnt run to your trany.. so ??????????

speesh · 01-12-2003, 08:41 PM

could that be the speedometer cable? I think it has an "0" ring on it ... just a guess

O'l Buck · 01-12-2003, 09:01 PM

HEI.....High Energy Ignition....Reliable ignition and herds of volts, like 120,000. Easiest upgrade to do to these trucks, the dizzy will drop right in. As far as the air cleaner, there is a good chance you stock air cleaner won't fit with the HEI in place if it's a 4bbl because the distributor cap is so large. Later models with stock HEI have a dent in the back of the air cleaner to clear the dizzy. 14" chrome air cleaner works fine. the plug on your tranny that is leaking is probably the plug for the kickdown if it's a TH-400. Hope that helps

70 longbed · 01-12-2003, 09:20 PM

Does the size of the HEI fit without moving the engine forward? My friend had to move the motor forward on his 65 because the distributor was right against the firewall. Is there any room on ours? I will putting the HEI in later this week, along with the rebuilt engine.

mikep · 01-12-2003, 09:23 PM

Ive got a small block in mine that is set back in the big block position which is a few inches farther back than usual and it still fits with room to spare.

69-Chevy-350 · 01-12-2003, 10:12 PM

What is the function of the plug for the kickdown and what is a TH-400? If it helps my speedo does not work. The thing that plugs in is a cable that goes in to just about the middle of the tranny and it is held in there with a circular like cap. The cap has a ridges on on it as well... Does this help anyone jog their memory as to what it might be. I hate to pull it out and there be tons of oil coming out. One other thing the oil on the garge floor was not black it looked almost like fresh from the bottle color. It isn't cherry fluid either. I just can't figure it out.
As far as the HEI goes, the air filter is maybe 10 inches so I think I would be alright. Does anybody have a pic of the setup with HEI so that I could compare. As I am understanding it, HeI is basically a better system, more modern. Do I replace the coil as well or would that still be fine. Thanks guys, I only hope one day I can return the big favor you all do for me.

Steve

neonlarry · 01-12-2003, 10:21 PM

Yea, the HEI is a lot better. I don't have a picture of it right now, but the coil for the HEI is in the cap, and that is what makes it bigger so some air cleaners won't fit.

Longhorn Man · 01-13-2003, 12:17 AM

This is the old style points set up...notice the coil. It sounds like this is what you have.

Longhorn Man · 01-13-2003, 12:21 AM

wow..I thought i'd have an HEI pic to post...but I don't. Can some one else post there HEI pic for ID reasons?

Alexis · 01-13-2003, 03:22 AM

the cap is lose cause i had to steal them for another HEI, hehehe.......really just a reason to add some MSD parts

01-12-2003, 05:57 PM	#1
69-Chevy-350 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 27	Further HEI discussion I beg your forgiveness in advance but I have restored other vehicles, mostly Late 70's and ealry 80's BMWs. I need a little education about Hei. What it is and such. What parts I should put in and some general help. My digital cam is having technical problems so i can not show you my engine bay but I can describe what I am running into. The truck is a 69. The title says it and the data plate on the door jam says it. But the stock air filter and spark plugs for the 350 V-8 do not fit and I have had to use different size parts for that. The cap and rotor fit fine. However I am not sure if that was luck or what. I have the coil that seems to be for points with the middle piece being for the plug wires and the two side terminals for the different wires. What would you all recommend to do as an upgrade. I am not made of money so something not to expensive. I just want some better performance and increased mileage possibly. Secondly, there is oil leaking from what apperas to be the oxygen sensor but i don't think it is or that these trucks even have them. It is plugged into the transmission (near the middle) and there is where it leaks. any ideas? Thanks guys for your assitance and help. I want to get this beast healthy. Steve 69 Chevy 350 fleetside 81 BMW 528i

01-12-2003, 07:07 PM	#2
mtdave2 newly minted old timer Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Hudson WI Posts: 3,521	you know i have tried the hi profomance hei units and have had trouble with them. unless you are racing or have a super hopped motor id just get a OEM type hei, they can be bought new almost anyplace for under 100 bucks. just install that pupy and widen the gap on your plugs, youll notice a major differance. not sure about your oil leak. the only things i know that run to the trany is the vacume line for the kick down, and the cooling lines. ????? there is a place back by the distributor for your oil presure gauge. that leaks sometimes, but it doesnt run to your trany.. so ?????????? __________________ ____________________________________________ 72 c20 longhorn 65k org miles and counting! 69 k10 Suburban

01-12-2003, 08:41 PM	#3
speesh Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Ridgecrest, CA Posts: 318	could that be the speedometer cable? I think it has an "0" ring on it ... just a guess __________________ 57 suburban(sitting in the driveway), 2 69 C20 longbeds (sitting in the field ) and a 2003 8.1 Suburban Endeavor to persevere. "All of a sudden, I'm the old timer!" Some old timer on American Pickers.

01-12-2003, 09:01 PM	#4
O'l Buck Recovering Truck Driver Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Orleans, NE USA Posts: 1,883	HEI.....High Energy Ignition....Reliable ignition and herds of volts, like 120,000. Easiest upgrade to do to these trucks, the dizzy will drop right in. As far as the air cleaner, there is a good chance you stock air cleaner won't fit with the HEI in place if it's a 4bbl because the distributor cap is so large. Later models with stock HEI have a dent in the back of the air cleaner to clear the dizzy. 14" chrome air cleaner works fine. the plug on your tranny that is leaking is probably the plug for the kickdown if it's a TH-400. Hope that helps __________________ 67 K-20 350, SM465, Eaton rear, 4.56 no spin option 00 Dodge 2500 4x4, 24V cummins, 5 speed Chad South Central Nebraska

01-12-2003, 09:23 PM	#6
mikep Used to have a truck Join Date: May 2002 Location: port orchard WA Posts: 1,552	Ive got a small block in mine that is set back in the big block position which is a few inches farther back than usual and it still fits with room to spare. __________________ No truck :-(

01-12-2003, 09:20 PM	#5
70 longbed Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sierra Vista, AZ Posts: 489	Does the size of the HEI fit without moving the engine forward? My friend had to move the motor forward on his 65 because the distributor was right against the firewall. Is there any room on ours? I will putting the HEI in later this week, along with the rebuilt engine.

01-12-2003, 10:12 PM	#7
69-Chevy-350 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 27	What is the function of the plug for the kickdown and what is a TH-400? If it helps my speedo does not work. The thing that plugs in is a cable that goes in to just about the middle of the tranny and it is held in there with a circular like cap. The cap has a ridges on on it as well... Does this help anyone jog their memory as to what it might be. I hate to pull it out and there be tons of oil coming out. One other thing the oil on the garge floor was not black it looked almost like fresh from the bottle color. It isn't cherry fluid either. I just can't figure it out. As far as the HEI goes, the air filter is maybe 10 inches so I think I would be alright. Does anybody have a pic of the setup with HEI so that I could compare. As I am understanding it, HeI is basically a better system, more modern. Do I replace the coil as well or would that still be fine. Thanks guys, I only hope one day I can return the big favor you all do for me. Steve

01-12-2003, 10:21 PM	#8
neonlarry Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Vacaville, CA Posts: 2,745	Yea, the HEI is a lot better. I don't have a picture of it right now, but the coil for the HEI is in the cap, and that is what makes it bigger so some air cleaners won't fit. __________________ 70 C/10 Light Red 350/TH350, HEI, Duals w/40 series Flows, 91 seat, LED taillights 99 Pontiac S/C GTP, SLP Ram Air hood, GMPP Konis & springs 95 Neon ACR, MP PCM, AFX UDP, 3.0 CAI

01-13-2003, 12:17 AM	#9
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	This is the old style points set up...notice the coil. It sounds like this is what you have. Attached Images

01-13-2003, 12:21 AM	#10
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	wow..I thought i'd have an HEI pic to post...but I don't. Can some one else post there HEI pic for ID reasons?

01-13-2003, 03:22 AM	#11
Alexis Member since 2000 Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Mountain View Ca / Mexico Posts: 7,874	the cap is lose cause i had to steal them for another HEI, hehehe.......really just a reason to add some MSD parts Attached Images

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