Summit HEI upgrade kit

[natedogg]

Thanks for any and all replies. I have learned so much from the great info here. I want to upgrade the HEI in my 85. Truck has the original numbers matching 305 with Edelbrock intake and carb. Everything else is stock. When the truck is sitting still ideling there is a slight stumble in the exhaust note. I'm thinking the kit will solve this? Other than that the truck runs really good. Has anyone used this kit or something similar? Do I need all of the kit?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...olet/model/c10

[dragonball98312]

Have you looked into doing the HEI relay upgrade? It uses a relay to give a full 12v charge to the distributor. Id recommend trying that before buying anything else.

[enaberif]

HEI kits are really a snake oil more than anything. There really is no need for fancy requirements in a relatively stock engine or even a mild build.

If you have a stumble you need to look at other places first rather than a upgrade kit.

[Bigstevex4]

I got a hole HEI distributer for my six for that much. That took care of the same problem the bush gets wore in distributer. This kind of stuff I think of how many million times that thing has been around in 160 thousand miles. Or 260 thousand?

[gmachinz]

My experience with odd stumbles too especially with high mileage motors no matter how well they're maintained, is the slack in the link type chain and wearing of the nylon coating off the cam gear. The nylon "pieces" as they wear off usually collect in the oil pump pickup tube creating low oil pressure. Most people never stop to think that the majority of "running" issues can be traced directly to a worn timing set-nothing can compensate for it other than spending a weekend dropping your oil pan, pulling your timing cover off and replacing it.

A good HD double roller set from Dynagear or Cloyes is about $40-50 and its well worth the effort. IMO if your motor is stock and has 75K+ miles, I'd suggest a new timing set.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by natedogg

Thanks for any and all replies. I have learned so much from the great info here. I want to upgrade the HEI in my 85. Truck has the original numbers matching 305 with Edelbrock intake and carb. Everything else is stock. When the truck is sitting still ideling there is a slight stumble in the exhaust note. I'm thinking the kit will solve this? Other than that the truck runs really good. Has anyone used this kit or something similar? Do I need all of the kit?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...olet/model/c10

As someone said above, I doubt the HEI is your problem. It was a very good design, and still is. And parts are cheap and available everywhere.

I don't understand the comment above about using a relay, because an HEI is wired to get full battery voltage, minus any losses through wire, switches and connectors, of course.

[Jake Wade]

Has anyone been able to find a source for the little bushings that go between the advance weight and pin?

NAPA use to offer them in the Echlin line but, not anymore, been discontinued.

[dragonball98312]

Originally Posted by MikeB

As someone said above, I doubt the HEI is your problem. It was a very good design, and still is. And parts are cheap and available everywhere.

I don't understand the comment above about using a relay, because an HEI is wired to get full battery voltage, minus any losses through wire, switches and connectors, of course.

yeah i looked into it after i posted it. if his was factory hei it shouldnt matter. the reason it helped me in my 77 is cause my trucks running a full harness from a 73 that was originally points. so the relay helped me when i switched to hei. my bad

[gmachinz]

Originally Posted by Jake Wade

Has anyone been able to find a source for the little bushings that go between the advance weight and pin?

NAPA use to offer them in the Echlin line but, not anymore, been discontinued.

Whenever I overhaul the HEI's I just use the Accel curve kits-them come with spring set, weights and nylon bushings. They're about $8-10 at any O'Reillys parts store.

[gmachinz]

I also use an adjustable vacuum advance as well.

[ron350]

Jake Wade I found these two part numbers.
AC Delco D337A
http://parts-catalog.acdelco.com/cat...tock_check.php

Standard DG54 at Rock Auto
https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,c...,parttype,7116

Gmachinz what is the part number of that Accel kit?

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by dragonball98312

yeah i looked into it after i posted it. if his was factory hei it shouldnt matter. the reason it helped me in my 77 is cause my trucks running a full harness from a 73 that was originally points. so the relay helped me when i switched to hei. my bad

This is because the wire from the bulkhead connector uses a resistor type wire which doesn't give full 12v to the HEI distributor.

This leads to a person doing 1 of 2 things..

The first thing is just running a 12v wire minimum 12g from the bat terminal to the fuse block.

The second and which I think is the best option is getting a new terminal and crimping a new wire and feeding it directly in place of the resistor wire.

Option two is what I did since the PO(s) horribly hacked the hei together in my truck.

[gmachinz]

Originally Posted by ron350

Jake Wade I found these two part numbers.
AC Delco D337A
http://parts-catalog.acdelco.com/cat...tock_check.php

Standard DG54 at Rock Auto
https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,c...,parttype,7116

Gmachinz what is the part number of that Accel kit?

31041 is the Accel part number for the HEI curve kit. It has 3 sets of springs which are color coded to provide more or less tension. This let's you bring it total timing sooner or later in your RPM range.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by enaberif

This is because the wire from the bulkhead connector uses a resistor type wire which doesn't give full 12v to the HEI distributor.

This leads to a person doing 1 of 2 things..

The first thing is just running a 12v wire minimum 12g from the bat terminal to the fuse block.

The second and which I think is the best option is getting a new terminal and crimping a new wire and feeding it directly in place of the resistor wire.

Option two is what I did since the PO(s) horribly hacked the hei together in my truck.

And then there are some 60s Pontiacs that used a couple feet of resistance wiring burried in a harness under the dash. Lots of fun!