I have a 400 out of a 79 F250 that just finished building ground up for my 66 F100. I replaced the stock ignition with an aftermarket GM style HEI distributor with a 1 wire hook up. I went to start it for the first time today and its not getting spark. i have 12.5 volts to the coil and 12.5 volts to the B and O terminals on the ignition module. I am only getting 1.3 volts to the other 2 terminals on the module while the engine is cranking. my thoughts are that the module is bad, its brand new but the distributor has been sitting for a couple of years while ive been piecing the motor together. Does it sound like im looking in the right place or does anyone else have any suggestions?
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I'm running a Performance Distributors DUI, I don't trust the cheap Chinese HEI set ups. Two things you have to have: 1) Full voltage from the BAT, 2) Damn good ground.

Check and make sure the power wire is getting full voltage and that there isn't a fusable link or a voltage regulator wired in-line. An HEI needs the full 13.4 volts from the BAT to kick the engine over.

Next, make sure you have a really good ground to the frame. If you think your old factory one is good enough, then it possibly isn't. Make a new ground using a 6ga wire that you bolt to the block (I use one of the unused bolt holes in a head) and then run that to the frame. Clean and chase (w/tap) the bolt hole in the head, strip down a spot on the frame and clean and chase (w/tap) the bolt hole in the frame before bolting it all up. I chased a non-fire problem on my 400 for weeks only to find that my ground wire was too small and not getting a good connection due to dirt, rust, and paint. Once I fixed the ground, the motor fired right up.

 

The truck still has the stock alternator voltage regulator but i ran a new power wire for the distributor on its own circuit with a 14 ga wire. I think you may have hit on my problem...my battery ground is attached to my aluminum intake and i dont have a ground strap between the engine and frame. i think i may go ahead and use a little bigger power wire also. thanks for the info