Stupid HEI question

[Dan Stewart]

I got the HEI installed and I wired the unit up. I put the switched source to the "+" side of the cap. I believe this to be correct, i jsut want to make sure. I am cranking the beast over and it still isnt firing It is a little frustrating.

[Murphy]

I got the HEI installed and I wired the unit up. I put the switched source to the "+" side of the cap. I believe this to be correct, i jsut want to make sure. I am cranking the beast over and it still isnt firing It is a little frustrating.

That's correct, as long as it isn't the old coil wire, it only has 9v. Make sure you pulled power from a good source, some switched power sources don't have power in the key start position. Also make sure your rotor was pointing to the same position as the old one when you did the swap. That's all I can think of off-hand.

[RAMBLINFSJ]

That's it. Did you mess with the coil on top of the cap? Is the harness from the dizzy base connected to the cap?

[skeletor]

are you using a new wire or reusing the original coil wire? if you are reusing it, that wire has a resistor in it that drops the voltage down to around 6 volts. just cut it out and rewire. also are you 180* out? find top dead center and advance it a little it should be able to start.

[azwagoneer80]

Also make sure you have 12v.. I think some of the wiring had a resistance wire which only put out like 8volts.
I could be mistaken.

[Dan Stewart]

The wire is a new 12 gauge wire that goes to the start switch, I am not sure about the start circuit being off on it. I will have to check that. I am going to hit it with some starter fluid.

[Murphy]

The wire is a new 12 gauge wire that goes to the start switch, I am not sure about the start circuit being off on it. I will have to check that. I am going to hit it with some starter fluid.

I don't know if that will work, but it's easy to check. Have someone crank on the engine while you check power with a probe or volt meter on that wire.

[Murphy]

You can put a timing light on your #1 plug and while someone cranks the engine and see if you get an occasional flash, then you know you're getting spark. The only thing that's left is spark at the right time, aka rotor position. Did you mark your old rotor position before you pulled the old dizzy and match it up with the new one? If not then you'll need to find TDC again.

[JeepMods]

Why not just use the large red wire that used to feed the ignition control module? If you're getting a full 12 volts did you set the rotor where the old one was pointing before removal? Are you getting a spark? (strong)...

[Dan Stewart]

OK... no more heart attack. I sprayed it with starting fluid and i got it to crank over. I did have to turn the distributer to get it, and i am still messing with it. I am unfortunately using a very old battery that depletes real quick so that is not a good thing. I had some interference with a steel fuel line coming up from the fuel pump and it wouldnt let me turn the hei enoguh to one side, of course the side i need to go. So i did bend it slightly but i need to replumb the fuel lines to the fuel and so on, it is a mess right now and a fire starter as i read. So i am waiting for the battery to charge for me to go crank it again.

[Murphy]

Why not just use the large red wire that used to feed the ignition control module? If you're getting a full 12 volts did you set the rotor where the old one was pointing before removal? Are you getting a spark? (strong)...

That's the way I recommend doing it also, but it's not the only way that will work.

http://www.txfsja.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=53

[Murphy]

OK... no more heart attack. I sprayed it with starting fluid and i got it to crank over. I did have to turn the distributer to get it, and i am still messing with it. I am unfortunately using a very old battery that depletes real quick so that is not a good thing. I had some interference with a steel fuel line coming up from the fuel pump and it wouldnt let me turn the hei enoguh to one side, of course the side i need to go. So i did bend it slightly but i need to replumb the fuel lines to the fuel and so on, it is a mess right now and a fire starter as i read. So i am waiting for the battery to charge for me to go crank it again.

Glad to hear you got it.

You can turn the rotor a notch to give you more clearance with your timing.

[Dan Stewart]

I am still trying to fine tune how i want the distributer clocked on the motor. I am useing Ford 460 plug wires and they all fit fine except for one that is real tight, so i am trying to figure out how to remedy it.

[timmy401]

HEI - poor battery

OK... no more heart attack. I sprayed it with starting fluid and i got it to crank over. I did have to turn the distributer to get it, and i am still messing with it. I am unfortunately using a very old battery that depletes real quick so that is not a good thing. I had some interference with a steel fuel line coming up from the fuel pump and it wouldnt let me turn the hei enoguh to one side, of course the side i need to go. So i did bend it slightly but i need to replumb the fuel lines to the fuel and so on, it is a mess right now and a fire starter as i read. So i am waiting for the battery to charge for me to go crank it again.

HEI is very picky to running on 12 volts, no less. Usually if it bearly cracks over, the distributor won't be getting the full 12 volts.

[lkmarsh]

The hot lead for your HEI can't connect to the start terminal, that lead goes dead once the switch is released. You need to connect to the IGN terminal on the switch or fuse block. HEI needs 12 volts, not 6 or 8, so resistors and resistor wires are not welcome. I wired mine right to the fuse block till I could trace and replace the original wire. Might check the wires from the magnetic sensor to the module. I had the carbon electrode weld itself to the cap once, would not connect to the rotor. That took forever to find. Also, HEIs don't like old, tired batteries. Happy Hunting!