Guest Anonymous Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 I want to upgrade my points ignition to HEI. Is it worth the extra money to go to a performance (MSD, Jacobs etc..) over a stock distributor? What models are a good price for performance? It's going into an old hipo 350. All I need to buy is the distributor and a coil if it's not in the cap right? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greimann Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 Unless you are spinning way more than 6000 rpm, stick with the stock distributor. I would get a rebuild from the local parts store as the cheapest option. Also make sure the unit comes with a module, I think most do. If you want to upgrade the guts, Pertronix makes a nice coil, module, cap and rotor kit. You can get it from Summit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 HEI dizzys are a dime a dozen at the junk yards. Buy a used one and spend your money on an aftermarket module and coil. Also, when you put it in your engine, make sure you check the clearance. When I upgraded my truck's dizzy I had to shim it quite a bit because it was jamming the rotor into the cap. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 Good advice, I agree. Once mod'ed with a new module and coil its a solid unit to over 6k rpms and its dirt cheap to find replacement parts. I'd much rather be in Razzlepoop USA somewhere looking for a HEI part than a MSD part at like a speed shop. Just an opinion, but you'll save money, find a junkyard one in good condition and put in a new module and coil cap etc and it'll work great for you, easy hookup, its arguably the best low cost way of sparking a SBC. Get a high performance module and coil and you'll be lovin it. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 Too bad our Junkyards suck ass.... They wanted $100 for an HEI distributor. This is the same place that wants $350 for a TH-350. I'm gonna try the other one, but I don't have too much faith in that. I do have a discount at NAPA though. It shouldn't cost me too much to replace it (mine is broken). Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 make sure you get the hei that has a vacum advance on it, not electric advance. i made the mistake and pulled one out a jy for 35.00 but it was elec adv., but now i may be going efi, so im happy again. hei does make a difference in spark, put a hot coil on it and its more jumpier than the pertronx point delete i was running, revs scream past 5500 now, before it would lag out at that range, may have had a tired coild as well in that old setup though, im bolting up my weiand stealth manifold as we speak, lets see if ican get power to 6k!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 27, 2002 Share Posted April 27, 2002 Bummer, I think I may have given 25.00 for mine and I could have gotten it a bit cheaper at like a pick and pull or something I think, although after they add tax and core sometimes even they aren't that cheap. Yeah I didn't think about it, but I suppose a wrecking yard is rather a tricky business in alaska. Still, many auto wreckers now will sell over the web, just let them know what year its off and wait for it to arrive. (pre 1980 will probably have two wires, where as dist after I think 82 will have some form of control over the dist and will have more wires, thats how you can tell if its a computer controlled distrib or a older style statically timed HEI.) Good luck, you'll find one easy enough if you dig. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 8, 2002 Share Posted May 8, 2002 Well, I went to the local parts store and priced stuff out. For around $160 I can get an Accel coil, cap, rotor and wires. Only problem is, I don't think the cap will fit in my car, especially with that big ass coil on top. My engine is in the scarab position. I'm guessing i need one of those low-profile caps with external coils. Any suggestions of what to look for? I found an HEI distributor for $55 shipped from an online JY. I will probably be buying that. Otherwise, I'll get something off of ebay. Thank for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted May 8, 2002 Share Posted May 8, 2002 im a scarab as well, and the big cap will fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted May 8, 2002 Share Posted May 8, 2002 Many junkyard HEIs will have damaged or locked up advance mechanisms. For my pickup truck I bought a Proform HEI from Jegs for $159. It comes with a high ouput coil, increased dwell module, brass terminal cap & rotor, adjustable vac advance, a brand new polished aluminum housing and hardened shaft as well as a 1 year warranty. My only complaint was a module that crapped out after the warranty was up, but $23 from the parts store fixed that. I would buy another. For my Jimmy (which is 4x4 and they move the motor back about 8" relative to a 2x) I bought an MSD ready to run distributor which uses the GM points cap to increase clearance. They run about $239 but come with MSD's easily adjustable mechanical advance curve and adjustable vac pod. They also have cap and rotor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jwelch Posted May 9, 2002 Share Posted May 9, 2002 I'm running in the scarab position too. No clearance problems. My intake and air filter are taller than the HEI. Good Luck Regards, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peternell Posted May 9, 2002 Share Posted May 9, 2002 If it's FREE it's me. I've got an HEI I just pulled out of my full size 85' Blazer that you can have for the cost of shipping. Vacuum advance but the extra wires to a ESM (goofy computer). Will work just fine w/o the connection. Right guys?? Working fine when the whipped 350 w/rebuilt 305 heads (I bought the truck with this engine and never really liked it) was replace about a month ago with a 50K mile 400. I'm in Washington State so the shipping may not be too bad. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 2, 2002 Share Posted June 2, 2002 1986 or so I started to build 260z with 350 chev tried mallory elect eye, no luck, paid $350 for HEI from Memphis Tenn for 9000 rpm HEI, started the first time every time. After hundreds of runs the plugs are as white as out of the box. Car runs 10.56 at 124 mph. Sorry never did the body work so no picts. Zank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 2, 2002 Share Posted June 2, 2002 Summit blueprint HEI distributor with bronze bushings, 48K coil and two sets advance springs pn# SUM-850001R $149.99 www.summitracing.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utvolman99 Posted June 6, 2002 Share Posted June 6, 2002 There is a guy on ebay who sells reman units for around $75. I think I may go with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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