Designed to drive HEI module plate...

-
Abodybomber

Abodybomber

Breaking street machines , since 1983.....:)
Legendary Member
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
30,853
Reaction score
7,263
Location
Arroyo grande ca
Mild Magnum 360, stock curved dizzy, old analog MSD 6a box... It's a few years old, started misfiring under 3000(no multi spark, essentially...) ... Battery died, took alternator & v.r. with it... Replacement of all three, still leaves a really bad throttle response, but better than the non charging set up ( obviously..). Have been considering the designed to drive HEI plate, for the GM 4 pin.... Chime in : Comments good & bad, are welcome.....
 
I love my HEI setup. Here's a pic. Very simple to wire up. You can pull modules with their coils and mounting brackets all day long at any junkyard. New modules are dirt cheap and can be had anywhere.

For the first time ever (been running this for over 8 years, half of which I was commuting daily in the car) a module died in a parking lot. Happened a couple months ago. Took a few minutes to swap out the module (I keep a spare in the glove box) and away I went.

Before anyone comments on the pic, this pic was taken during the re-install. I hadn't hooked up the ground wire to the module mounting bolt yet. It's there now.

In regards to the designed2drive plate, I've never seen one on a car before but it looks like a good setup! Not quite as good for cooling but it will probably be fine.

IMG_20161107_190103.jpg
 
kiss said:
I love my HEI setup. Here's a pic. Very simple to wire up. You can pull modules with their coils and mounting brackets all day long at any junkyard. New modules are dirt cheap and can be had anywhere.

For the first time ever (been running this for over 8 years, half of which I was commuting daily in the car) a module died in a parking lot. Happened a couple months ago. Took a few minutes to swap out the module (I keep a spare in the glove box) and away I went.

Before anyone comments on the pic, this pic was taken during the re-install. I hadn't hooked up the ground wire to the module mounting bolt yet. It's there now.

In regards to the designed2drive plate, I've never seen one on a car before but it looks like a good setup! Not quite as good for cooling but it will probably be fine.

View attachment 1715029982
Click to expand...
That looks nice, home made?... Tired of 150-260 a box, every decade, or so.... The thought, was to have : the car breaks down, parts are available.... Much appreciated...
 
I bought the D2D plate a few years ago and put it on one of my 64 Barracudas. It works well and has given me the benefits of HEI in a pretty sano package. A bit pricey but I am happy with mine.
 
grimreaper said:
I bought the D2D plate a few years ago and put it on one of my 64 Barracudas. It works well and has given me the benefits of HEI in a pretty sano package. A bit pricey but I am happy with mine.
Click to expand...
yes it is too pricey for what you get. make one yourself out of a piece of aluminum (cut it/trim/deburr on bench grinder/paint as desired) & be sure to use heat sink paste between it & bottom metal plate on module
 
the valiant i just bought has that set up on it.. i like having the module hidden right under the dist... i bought one a few years ago.. mounted it on the dist but haven't installed it yet..

its a nice piece. counter sunk screws nicely made.. not some hacked up thing..

$25 is too much?? well worth $25 to me.. time is money man.. and i'd have more then $25 worth of my time into it making it myself.

6F353CF4-F196-40B7-8CA2-6EBD7CD0EC01.jpg


78351CA6-8C05-4D1E-8045-D208B5E174F6.jpg


BB71FFF6-B0A3-4988-88C8-B662EADB2CB4.jpg
 
That bracket is what I use on my 340. It worked out very well. I'm with Joe on this one. $25 or spend a few hours fabricating a bracket. I'd rather spend that time drinking beer.
 
abodyjoe said:
the valiant i just bought has that set up on it.. i like having the module hidden right under the dist... i bought one a few years ago.. mounted it on the dist but haven't installed it yet..

its a nice piece. counter sunk screws nicely made.. not some hacked up thing..

$25 is too much?? well worth $25 to me.. time is money man.. and i'd have more then $25 worth of my time into it making it myself.

View attachment 1715030069

View attachment 1715030070

View attachment 1715030071
Click to expand...
Hell for 25 bones,.. ordered one. It's cheap insurance, to sit in waiting... Thanks, everyone!
 
It should survive there since GM mounted their 8-pin HEI module inside the distributor. The 8-pin has nicer wiring connections and direct connection to the GM "external" coil.
 
While it's usually bad form to bump up nearly year-old threads, I think the topic is close enough to warrant it:

I'm using one of these on my '68 Satellite (Yes, B-body. I don't have D2D adapter in an A-body right now) - which barely gets driven - and have since blown up two HEI modules. Both have been complete failures following otherwise normal operation. Once was within 5 minutes of a cold start while running, the other was about 30 minutes after moving the car from one driveway spot to another on a cold start. South Florida weather ensures that none of this ever takes place at less than 55 degrees Fahrenheit (at worst).

I've been mulling over the possible causes of failure, I'm starting to suspect that either the Designed2Drive plate as it is now isn't an ample enough heatsink - or the placement outside the distributor behind the block accelerates the failure.

Consider the setup: It's a 360 LA running a standard Mopar electronic ignition distributor, a 4-pin HEI module with no inline resistor, Ford TFI e-core coil (FD478), and a modern voltage regulator fed by a later squareback alternator. The car did not have a tach in it when it the HEI module failed at first, but it currently has an original tach in it now, fitted with a Real Time Engineering solid-state PCB in place of the original.

The electronic voltage regulator presumably prevents the system from exceeding 12V, so I shouldn't think it failed from overvoltage. Far as I know, the TFI e-core coil's primary resistance is low enough to work properly with the HEI module (and deliver its benefits).

The first HEI module was an aftermarket unit, and I chalked up its failure as a Chinese piece of crap. However, the second one that failed was an original GM unit - marked with the logo and all - and it couldn't have been under the hood for 200 miles before this failure. Both were put down with proper heatsink compound.

I have my doubts that the tach could have caused it, seeing as it wasn't there during the first module failure.

At any rate, I'm wary of that plate at this point. Curious to hear your thoughts. I'm considering shoving one under the dash instead with a larger heatsink (and maybe a fan), but for the amount of time this thing sees the road, I doubt if I'll have much to report for a long while.

-Kurt
 
That plate isn't your issue. I've been running mine without a single issue here in Oklahoma. It gets pretty hot here and I even took a 2 hour trip in 100 degree weather without a problem. The car sat for about 3 hours and then made the 2 hour trip home. I'm using an MSD coil and a stock mopar distributor. The HEI module is an Accel 4 pin module. I doubt it adds any power or does anything special, I just thought it was probably better quality than most.
 
1994redram said:
That plate isn't your issue. I've been running mine without a single issue here in Oklahoma. It gets pretty hot here and I even took a 2 hour trip in 100 degree weather without a problem. The car sat for about 3 hours and then made the 2 hour trip home. I'm using an MSD coil and a stock mopar distributor. The HEI module is an Accel 4 pin module. I doubt it adds any power or does anything special, I just thought it was probably better quality than most.
Click to expand...

Which MSD coil are you running? Curious as to its specs. Your module is the Accel 35361, right?

-Kurt
 
I'm running an MSD blaster SS coil. The accel part number is correct!
 
abodyjoe said:
the valiant i just bought has that set up on it.. i like having the module hidden right under the dist... i bought one a few years ago.. mounted it on the dist but haven't installed it yet..

its a nice piece. counter sunk screws nicely made.. not some hacked up thing..

$25 is too much?? well worth $25 to me.. time is money man.. and i'd have more then $25 worth of my time into it making it myself.

View attachment 1715030069

View attachment 1715030070

View attachment 1715030071
Click to expand...

That rug really ties the room together.
 
$25 is too much?? well worth $25 to me.. time is money man.. and i'd have more then $25 worth of my time into it making it myself.
Click to expand...
Not at all, My understanding was that it was a $40 piece. I will recheck. I have one that came in a pkg deal & it is a very nice piece.
 
Rapid Robert said:
Not at all, My understanding was that it was a $40 piece. I will recheck. I have one that came in a pkg deal & it is a very nice piece.
Click to expand...

It's $22 and $4 shipping, and whether it works or not for my application, the fit and finish is definitely worth the price of admission.

-Kurt
 
I have a couple of the design to drive brackets, they are really nice.
One thing though, if the hei module ever goes bad, you would have to pull the distributor to change it.
Also if you go with the hei, pentronix sells a sweet module that has a adjustable rev limiter for $70.
 
sireland67 said:
I have a couple of the design to drive brackets, they are really nice.
One thing though, if the hei module ever goes bad, you would have to pull the distributor to change it.
Also if you go with the hei, pentronix sells a sweet module that has a adjustable rev limiter for $70.
Click to expand...

That's the one thing I definitely dislike about the adapter, regardless of how well it works.

I wish the installation fittings were wingbolts. It'd make swapping modules a cinch. In fact, if I can get a really tiny screwdriver in there, I'll get some wingbolts of the same threading and keep my timing intact :p

You know...I wonder if the screw facings have oxidized, and thus caused a gap in the ground? That'd stop any HEI module in its tracks.

-Kurt
 
cudak888 said:
That's the one thing I definitely dislike about the adapter, regardless of how well it works.

I wish the installation fittings were wingbolts. It'd make swapping modules a cinch. In fact, if I can get a really tiny screwdriver in there, I'll get some wingbolts of the same threading and keep my timing intact :p

You know...I wonder if the screw facings have oxidized, and thus caused a gap in the ground? That'd stop any HEI module in its tracks.

-Kurt
Click to expand...

I have not lost a module yet.
As far as oxidization, just put a dab of dielectric grease on the heads of the screws.
 
cudak888 said:
I'm starting to suspect that either the Designed2Drive plate as it is now isn't an ample enough heatsink - or the placement outside the distributor behind the block accelerates the failure
-Kurt
Click to expand...

I doubt heat sink is the issue. Actually CHECK your running voltage and see what it is for starters. It's possible the coil has a problem, but works well enough to still run. I didn't even USE a heat sink. On my 67, I mounted the thing (as an experiment) on a flat area of the firewall above the dist. below the wiper motor. Someone had drilled a hole there so I just drilled one more and screwed it on there. Separate ground wire. Make sure your modules are mounting good and flat on the plate, and does it have the hole for the "peg" sticking out?
 
67Dart273 said:
I doubt heat sink is the issue. Actually CHECK your running voltage and see what it is for starters. It's possible the coil has a problem, but works well enough to still run. I didn't even USE a heat sink. On my 67, I mounted the thing (as an experiment) on a flat area of the firewall above the dist. below the wiper motor. Someone had drilled a hole there so I just drilled one more and screwed it on there. Separate ground wire. Make sure your modules are mounting good and flat on the plate, and does it have the hole for the "peg" sticking out?
Click to expand...

Should be interesting to check running voltage when I'm not getting spark and can't even get it to sputter :lol:

Jokes aside, I'll do so once I have a module in here that works. I might pull out a spare low-resistance canister coil from my pile of parts to see if - by chance - it fires up with it.

You'll have to explain to me what you mean by the "peg" - it's been a while, plus I've been inside GM dizzys very, very infrequently. The modules in these photos are the ones I've had in the car; the GM-marked one is the one in the car right now:

9a177a6a-3539-4bab-9d0c-cccb56a9d431-jpeg.jpg
0f7237d1-ecc7-4c26-a421-85299950de0f-jpeg.jpg
00fe55a4-5cb6-4b4d-8aa3-56baaf7797d7-jpeg.jpg


-Kurt
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top