Hei

[idaho66stepside]

When putting in a hei distributor what needs to be changed in order for the engine to work? My truck is a 66 with a 283 in it now, soon to be a tweaked 350. I heard something about using heavier gauge wire and a starter button. Is any of that right? Thanks guys!

[BMSJaX]

Originally Posted by idaho66stepside

When putting in a hei distributor what needs to be changed in order for the engine to work? My truck is a 66 with a 283 in it now, soon to be a tweaked 350. I heard something about using heavier gauge wire and a starter button. Is any of that right? Thanks guys!

I just dropped in my HEI and works fine. Though it is recommended to hook it though a relay so it gets direct battery voltage rather than running though the key switch(using a heavier gauge wire from the bat. to relay to HEI). I added a push button as well but it worked fine off the key switch too. Just like push button better.

[idaho66stepside]

Thanks for the reply so that extra stuff isn't really needed after all.

[javadoc]

When I put in the HEI on my 283, I was amazed that it was that simple. Best money spent on the truck yet.

[flips72]

drop it in ,give it a 12 volt power supply (switch on ) and you will be fine.its also a great improvement over points.

[bubba327]

Originally Posted by idaho66stepside

When putting in a hei distributor what needs to be changed in order for the engine to work? My truck is a 66 with a 283 in it now, soon to be a tweaked 350. I heard something about using heavier gauge wire and a starter button. Is any of that right? Thanks guys!

Hello from Star Idaho and welcome to the forum..
My 69 chevelle and my 71 El Camino both had a resister wire between the key and the points distributor (purple? or pink?) that needed to be replaced with a normal wire when installing a HEI.
There was also a wire to remove from the relay side of the starter solenoid. The theory was to provide a full voltage to the distributor while the starter was energized (for starting ease) then drop the voltage slightly to prolong the life of the points while running.
The diagram for my 64 truck does not show any such resister wire in the harness
Post some pictures when you get a chance. we like pictures
Check out the Idaho club here, we have a few local guys.
User CP in top header>Networking in left header>social groups >Idaho club

[Captainfab]

When I've converted to an HEI, I eliminate the original wire from the switch to the coil. Then replace it with a 12ga wire from the switch directly to the HEI. Just make sure you are getting a full 12+ volts to the distributor. And as Bubba327 said, remove the wire from the starter solenoid to the coil.

[62gmc910]

Originally Posted by idaho66stepside

When putting in a hei distributor what needs to be changed in order for the engine to work? My truck is a 66 with a 283 in it now, soon to be a tweaked 350. I heard something about using heavier gauge wire and a starter button. Is any of that right? Thanks guys!

If your truck still has stock wiring ,the plug on the firewall above and to the trucks right of the distributor has a cloth/fiber covered resistance wire in it the blade can be removed and you can replace it with the HEI wire using a replacement blade or when you are at the wreckers getting the HEI just get the wire from the donors harness, the blade is the same as the 66's and as posted above remove the "full voltage" jumper from the starter

[idaho66stepside]

Thanks for the welcome Bubba327 I will check out the the Idaho club for sure. Sounds like I have a little bit wiring to do. I havn't gotten a manual for the 66, do you guys recommend any certain one before I start tearing the ol' truck apart. Next week or so I'll be putting in the motor and give it a try on painting the engine bay I'll have some pics to put up.

[11echo]

I just change out my point dist. for an HEI unit, MAN what a differences! IF you look at your solenoid from the rear, the connection on the left side (closest to the frame) has 2 wires, on my 64 one is yellow and the other has a braided covering (this is the resistance wire) when you cut into it this has a steel wire. When cranking to start the motor the 12 volts is sent to the dist., but once it has started the voltage is kicked down to 9 volts so it doesn't burn up the points. But on a HEI unit it needs 12 volts all the time so you need to cut out the resistor wire and replace with 12 or 14 ga. wire 16 ga would probably work too ...you are only carrying 12 volts.
Big different in performance!! With half the hassle on a tune-up! Good Luck!

[trevota]

FYI its the amps or current flow that dictate the size of wire needed, not voltage.


just look at the size of the wiring in your house.......

[11echo]

trevota Re: Hei
FYI its the amps or current flow that dictate the size of wire needed, not voltage. Just look at the size of the wiring in your house.


trevota is quite right AMPs do dictate wire size. All I was trying to indicate is that it's only a 16 or 18 ga wire that carries the 9 or 12 volts to the distributor now so that size could be used again in the HEI up-grade. ...My $0.02.