HEI distributor

-
Brian Donahue

Brian Donahue

Exhaust system
Joined
Jan 28, 2017
Messages
37
Reaction score
3
Location
Ohio
Has anyone had success installing the GM style HEI distributor that doesn't require coil or resistor panel. The distributor would have to be long enough to get past the valve cover. I don't understand why the Chrysler ignition system requires all the extra resistors and coil or boxes. Are these some type of performance asset I just don't understand yet?
 
kiss said:
Slant Six Forum, :: View topic - HEI Electronic Ignition Retrofit How-To
Click to expand...
Thanks, I know HEI is better I just can't grasp the Chrysler method still utilizing the fail point of the ballast resistor. It is going to take me a while to study your information and retrace what wiring the previous owner has in the car now. It is all encased. They do have a Chrysler version HeI distributor in place, but it is running via the blast panel with the remote 5 pin panel. We have been struggling to get this engine (440) to run smoothly without the surges. We either sacrifice idle or high speed to smooth out the engine. Vacuum advance may be one issue as well as transmission (727) set up and/or carburetor (Edelbrock Performer series 750cfm). The cam is 484/84. Sounds like I may be able to make these additions at or near the distributor. I have seen GM type distributors with no external coil offered for the 440, but they have to have the shaft extend beyond the heads to fit in place as the distributor top is 5.5" diameter for the big block application. I'll have to check a lot of their wiring to see if they may have some of what you describe in place now. We do have a tach, in dash that operates erratically and inaccurately or sometimes not at all. All of this is leading me toward an inspection of what is in place, but maybe more simply removal of it all and start new. I appreciate your info and welcome additional comments, I am getting my Mopar education on the fly.
 
If you still have a ballast in place, and the mopar ecu box is clearly wired to the distributor...you don't have a "Chrysler version HeI distributor in place" I don't know what you mean by that, but Mopars don't have HEI from the factory.

easiest thing to do in my opinion, is to install one of these inexpensive REAL HEI units...that just require a simple switched 12V to run, and they have a tach lead.

Then your engine would run independent of all the hacked up wiring in the car, and you can start removing the previous mechanics hack jobs.

you said you have a 440...so this would be your easy fix, for the novice mechanic.
TSP-JM6714BL Mopar BB Ready to Run Electronic Distributor. Blue Cap

upload_2017-4-17_11-57-28.png


you don't mention where your timing is at, and for all we know the carb is worn out, but i'd start here....get it timed mechanically. not even mess with the vac advance, and then start diagnosing carb tuning, and go from there.
 
I remember big blocks require grinding off the corner of the head to fit the large cap OEM HEI distributors.
We have to remember, this stuff is 40 or so years old and I know for a fact there are better more powerful components for the ignition system without breaking the bank.
The ballast resistor is basically to drop the voltage to the coil so it doesn't overheat and on some the ignition module, and in my opinion a dumb thing to do just because of coil ohm specs.
For a budget major improvement you might consider an OEM electronic distributor firing an HEI module and a good Ecore low ohm coil.
Not only will this bump your spark energy to around 55k volts, but it eliminates the ballast resistor and the OEM ignition box.

The FBO system is nice also www.4secondsflat.com and it comes with an adjustable rev limiter, plugs in to the factory harness and eliminates the ballast resistor.
Call Don and talk with him about it (he's a real nice and informative guy)
Not to mention he uses his American made ignition and wins major races with it.

Otherwise you might as well just pick a popular system and spend hundreds.
Those ready to run distributors are a good option as well.
 
Last edited:
Johnny Pace said:
If you still have a ballast in place, and the mopar ecu box is clearly wired to the distributor...you don't have a "Chrysler version HeI distributor in place" I don't know what you mean by that, but Mopars don't have HEI from the factory.

easiest thing to do in my opinion, is to install one of these inexpensive REAL HEI units...that just require a simple switched 12V to run, and they have a tach lead.

Then your engine would run independent of all the hacked up wiring in the car, and you can start removing the previous mechanics hack jobs.

you said you have a 440...so this would be your easy fix, for the novice mechanic.
TSP-JM6714BL Mopar BB Ready to Run Electronic Distributor. Blue Cap

View attachment 1715039536

you don't mention where your timing is at, and for all we know the carb is worn out, but i'd start here....get it timed mechanically. not even mess with the vac advance, and then start diagnosing carb tuning, and go from there.
Click to expand...
 
I didn't even see you're in Ohio! where bouts? also you didn't reply to the above, just re quoted the post. If you meant to. @Brian Donahue
 
Thanks, I know they weren't HEI originally. They have something inlace similar to a Mallory system, but it is still running through the ballast which is totally weird as HEI's eliminate that. Thanks very much on the distributor source as I have been trying to find one like this. The carb is probably messed up as There had been a fire in the air cleaner probably from a backfire. The whole thing was full of carbon and paint burned on the air cleaner body. One piece at a time, I'll get it.
Johnny Pace said:
I didn't even see you're in Ohio! where bouts? also you didn't reply to the above, just re quoted the post. If you meant to. @Brian Donahue
Click to expand...
Johnny,
Thanks for the update. I am in Northwest Ohio, Whitehouse, Ohio. I pulled this Duster from its original owner in Florida. He took amazing care of the car, but all the work was done at shops. I think he got too old to keep up with the car. It sat in Florida outdoors under a cover for about 9 months. That alone can do in an electrical system. Also, other peoples hands started making "adjustments" Cap runs very well, it just needs some smoothing out and there is a gremlin somewhere in the exhaust/carb/intake/ignition. The real owner has great knowledge and some great documentation of fixes that were performed. He is just a bit out of sequence on some dates, and some of the data is a little off. It's a good news bad news story. Good news is the car is complete and running, bad news is the car is complete and running, but I don't know how it was put together. You always know what the funny noise is on a car you built, but you might look for 6 weeks on the car someone else built.
 
Brian Donahue said:
Thanks, I know they weren't HEI originally. They have something inlace similar to a Mallory system, but it is still running through the ballast which is totally weird as HEI's eliminate that. Thanks very much on the distributor source as I have been trying to find one like this. The carb is probably messed up as There had been a fire in the air cleaner probably from a backfire. The whole thing was full of carbon and paint burned on the air cleaner body. One piece at a time, I'll get it.

Johnny,
Thanks for the update. I am in Northwest Ohio, Whitehouse, Ohio. I pulled this Duster from its original owner in Florida. He took amazing care of the car, but all the work was done at shops. I think he got too old to keep up with the car. It sat in Florida outdoors under a cover for about 9 months. That alone can do in an electrical system. Also, other peoples hands started making "adjustments" Cap runs very well, it just needs some smoothing out and there is a gremlin somewhere in the exhaust/carb/intake/ignition. The real owner has great knowledge and some great documentation of fixes that were performed. He is just a bit out of sequence on some dates, and some of the data is a little off. It's a good news bad news story. Good news is the car is complete and running, bad news is the car is complete and running, but I don't know how it was put together. You always know what the funny noise is on a car you built, but you might look for 6 weeks on the car someone else built.
Click to expand...
Yeah...Sounds like you need to get back to "blank slate" status. If one thing is out of whack, you may change 3-4 other things before you ever hit it.

Sounds like the ignition is garbage regardless.... I'd start with the distributor i posted, and then borrow a carb you know works well...and take it from there.
 
To answer your "don't understand" general question, Mopar was the first w/ electronic ignition ~1971. Transistors and electronics were primitive then and 2 ballast resistors were needed to control primary current and ECU source. When GM's HEI system came out later, they had "electronic dwell control", which eliminated the need for a ballast. That was more efficient and gave a stronger spark, which people then worried might even stop your heart. Mopar did similar, but inside their 1980's "spark computer" (lean burn) box which had problems w/ connectors and cooling so nobody goes there today. Ford's similar system was "TFI", I recall. Thus, your term "Mopar HEI" is incorrect.

For your case, post #6 shows you how to get true HEI cheap and easy. You also need the cute blue e-core coil shown, or an equivalent (Mopar Magnum engines, MSD, Accel, ...). Also, open up your spark gap to ~50 mil to get full advantage, and be careful touching things since the heart-stop fear could have some truth. Some here claim points distributors are just as good, but nobody jumped 6 ft from those sparks. View youtube's to compare spark pops from each.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top