Points To Hei Help!!

[tracterman2]

Okay, I have done alot of stuff...but I haven't done this..I know it should be fairly elementary but I have never changed a distributor. I just got a new HEI and am wondering if I need to do anything special. What does it take to change it all over?? Do I need to put a larger gauge wire on for the extra juice that will be going to the HEI? What about wiring it up?? I know there is a ground and hot wire...I don't have a tach so that doesn't matter. What about wiring the plug wires...does someone have a diagram of where they go? I could figure that out but it would be easier to just have diagram. Just a list of things you have done and or run into when changing from points to HEI would be handy...I have a 1970 C-10 with a 307 by the way.

Thanks,

Scott

[dave2953]

You'll want your power wire to be key-on. I used a 12 guage wire with an inline fuse. I just ran it from an unfused spade on the fuse panel. I think the original wire uses 12V to start and 6V to run, so you don't want to use it as HEI runs on a constant 12V. The plug wires are in the normal location. 1,3,5,& 7 are on the left bank and 2.4.6.& 8 are on the right bank. (left and right are as you are sitting in the truck) You probably know this already, but your old plug wires will not work on the HEI unit, so you'll need new ones. Also, it said in your post that you haven't ever installed a dizzy, so you'll want to be sure you are at TDC on the compression stroke and that your rotor is pointed at cylinder #1. It may take some adjusting of the oil pump shaft get the rotor to point at #1. It's pretty straightforward, and you'll love it once you're done. I did mine over 2 years ago, and haven't had to touch it since. Let us know if you some more questions and welcome to the board!

[krue]

Click the Index link in my sig and you'll find several links to threads on this conversion.

[tracterman2]

Thank you, that FAQ page is awsome...that was a great idea!!

[70GMC396]

I'm doing the same tomorrow. Also wondering where that tach wire goes if one's truck is tachless. I can't seem to find that answer in all the HEI threads. Also, I am going to wire up the HEI cap just as I would the points cap - number one in the same position? As opposed to number one moving one post counter-clockwise in the later HEI only engines? So I will end up with an HEI ignition setup that would appear to be wired one post off if one were to think I had a factory equiped HEI engine? Or is the gear/rotor relationship going to be one post different than the points relationship? Silly question, but don't want to second guess myself when I drop in the new HEI.

[70GMCer]

Right beside where the power wire goes into the dizzy, there's another peg for the tach wire. On stock caps, it even says tach.

[RACINJASON22]

Also wondering where that tach wire goes if one's truck is tachless.

If you have no tach you can simply leave this plug un wired no problems you can remove the wire from the inside of the plug end so you don't have a short stub of wire to deal with.

Here,s a good link from rage'nrat638 scroll down to dist. install very good tech with good pic's as always.

Cam And Lifter Install/getting The Timing Right

[70GMC396]

Thanks Jason - that's all i needed - just some peace of mind. Just let the number one wire fall where it needs to?

[1LoC10]

what do you do with this plug? just cut it off and splice the wires in

[msgross]

Originally Posted by 1LoC10

what do you do with this plug? just cut it off and splice the wires in

NO...that plug goes into the neck sticking out on top of your dizzy cap!

Also, the plug wires go just as your old ones did, ignore the plug wire setup on newer stock HEI's.

Cap off you old "+" wire that powered your coil as it has resisitance to make it 6V. Run a new 12V wire that is on when the key is on. No ground needed. Open the gap up on your plugs to .40 -.45 (so I've heard) and change plug wires. Very easy upgrade to do if you follow the FAQ's above... I have that same Mallory unit and found it to be a tight squeeze with the firewall, I managed though...

[spdrcr29]

I'm just happy to find out about the 6v thing on the current coil wire..... Did not know that.... .Thanks fellas. MY day will go easier when I do my conversion in a week or so.

[1LoC10]

ok cool, im still looking at them, and I seen some say plugs into stock system, so thought it was that plug hanging.... thanks

[Jtrux]

Great idea on the HEI. I did mine from start to finish in about an hour, I even messed up too but not paying attention to where the rotor was pointing when I pulled it apart so it could of been done quicker. I used a 10 guage wire ( big I know but i'll never have an issue with it) and also used an inline fuse holder with a 20 amp fuse. As far as the tach question goes I used regular old spade connectors to hook up to the dizzy so that would get rid of the other wire completely so you wouldn't have to worry about it. I didn't have the factory connector so I used spade connectors on both the tach and power side and it works perfectly. I had the MSD before and the box failed on me so I converted thataway I could always have parts available to me at any parts store I would ever be near.

[williamt]

ok a little help here maybe I changed to a accel points eleminator set shoul I also change the pos. wire to my coil it was not in the directions I just instaled the unit and put in a accel super coil I have some flat spots in the mid rpms but I has thinking I might need to rebuild the carb.

[70GMC396]

Finished my conversion today - all went OK, but thx to msgross and another poster for finally stating that it doesn't matter what terminal you use on a new HEI as long as it mechanically lines up. Couldn't find this simple, yet potentially unnerving fact elsewhere. Trying to point a new HEI somewhere arbitrarilly to make factory cut wires aren't too short was a real mental challenge for me ^^. I just said screw it and kept the same TDC/rotor/physical alignment as removed - made the job a lot less confusing IMHO. So thanks again msgross for stating the not so obvious. Ignore any factory reference to where a factory HEI should point or what the number one terminal should be - just doesn't matter - unless you're more a purist. I think - correct me pls if I am wrong. NOW, if I can just smooth out my cruddy old carb. : (

[msgross]

no problem, I remember my Mallory instructions talking about stock HEI and it was different than the points setup. All you actually did was get a hotter spark, no adjustment (dwell/points) and more reliable system on your existing. Hardest thing for my upgrade was getting the oil pump to line up again since it was different than my stock dizzy, nothing a screw driver and tial and error can't fix!...

Congrats and enjoy... I also noticed when I did mine that my external regualtor was putting out 17VOLTS! Not good so be sure to check yours... I'm upgrading to an internal regualted Camaro alternator when I put my truck back together (pickmup sells an adapter to make it plug and play!)....

[70GMC396]

Thanks - I got so lucky - all I had to do was drop it in - seated on the first attempt and lined up with the old number one location - couldn't have been easier - literally 30 seconds. An anomoly no doubt, but I was overdue. Nice truck and build up photos : ) Was your regulator just jacked up or did it have something to do with the conversion / resistor wire???

[msgross]

don't know, I think the regulator was shot. I noticed the voltage when I checked my electric choke... I ran that wire off the same for the HEI, i'm ditching the external regulator on the rebuild anyway... Go for the higher amp internal reg from an 84 camaro. nice having luck on a project, took me 30 minutes to seat mine! finally realized that the oil pump lineup was different from my stock dizzy, solved that and she fell right in...