HEI conversion distributors?

Posted By: funkyjbp

HEI conversion distributors? - 05/29/12 03:20 PM

Anyone have experience with the Ebay HEI conversion distributors? I just bought a 50 Studebaker truck with a 360 in it. the wiring is nightmare and cannot get spark now. I have a new 5 pin harness and ballast fabbed up so i can run engine separate of the main wiring harness. Still no luck. the ebay distributors are cheap enough and would eliminate some wiring and bulk under the hood. the truck has new paint and interior and runs great when it is actually running. There are two styles, one with a traditional HEI cap but it's huge and i don't think it will clear my firewall. the second type uses an MSD-looking male terminal cap that clips on like an OEM Mopar cap. any advice? I know they are cheaply made and not Mopar parts but do they work well enough is what i asking. thanks, JP in the land of Oz.

Posted By: POS Dakota

Re: HEI conversion distributors? - 05/29/12 05:06 PM

Quote:

Anyone have experience with the Ebay HEI conversion distributors? I just bought a 50 Studebaker truck with a 360 in it. the wiring is nightmare and cannot get spark now. I have a new 5 pin harness and ballast fabbed up so i can run engine separate of the main wiring harness. Still no luck. the ebay distributors are cheap enough and would eliminate some wiring and bulk under the hood. the truck has new paint and interior and runs great when it is actually running. There are two styles, one with a traditional HEI cap but it's huge and i don't think it will clear my firewall. the second type uses an MSD-looking male terminal cap that clips on like an OEM Mopar cap. any advice? I know they are cheaply made and not Mopar parts but do they work well enough is what i asking. thanks, JP in the land of Oz.

You dont need the ballast with HEI.

Both units are fine. The smaller one needs an external coil, the larger one has the coil inside, yet eliminates need or a coil wire.

All you need is one keyed on connection to run the large one and the other one you need one power wire and the coil.

A lot of people are using these with success and a small percentage report problems mainly with bushings, though I hve never seen any evidence myself.

Posted By: funkyjbp

Re: HEI conversion distributors? - 05/29/12 05:13 PM

POS, I've seen your username out there relative to this issue. If i can clear the firewall, i would rather use the standard HEI cap design for simplicity. i am doing a mock-up measurement tonight to see if the cap will clear. i am setting an HEI cap down over the stock distributor with spacers on each side to center it as best i can. i have about an inch and half from the current cap to the firewall now and i will need about 1 inch additional space to the rear. thanks for info. JP in the land of Oz.

Posted By: POS Dakota

Re: HEI conversion distributors? - 05/29/12 06:25 PM

Quote:

POS, I've seen your username out there relative to this issue. If i can clear the firewall, i would rather use the standard HEI cap design for simplicity. i am doing a mock-up measurement tonight to see if the cap will clear. i am setting an HEI cap down over the stock distributor with spacers on each side to center it as best i can. i have about an inch and half from the current cap to the firewall now and i will need about 1 inch additional space to the rear. thanks for info. JP in the land of Oz.

You're welcome.

I like the large cap unit because everything is in it and they've always worked well for me. if it will fit, that's definitely the one I would use. Clean with only 1 wire hookup and they give a nice strong reliable spark.

Posted By: DaytonaTurbo

Re: HEI conversion distributors? - 05/29/12 07:14 PM

I have used one of each and they both worked flawlessly for me. You can tune the mechanical advance with any typical GM hei advance kit.

Posted By: funkyjbp

Re: HEI conversion distributors? - 05/30/12 03:31 PM

well i broke down and ordered a new Proform unit with the traditional HEI cap and coil combination. it's a one wire hook-up which will be a clean installation on my truck. I got a new polished billet distributor, new federal mogul 8.8 HEI wires ready to install and autolite plugs delivered for 140$. that's cheaper than buying all new mopar ignition parts (coil, distributor, cap, rotor, wires, plugs, ecu, ballast and wiring). If it clears firewall in my Studebaker, I'm good. thanks for advice. JP in the land of Oz.