HEI distributor questions
Thread Starter
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Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
HEI distributor questions
Ok, I am interested in switching to an HEI. My primary reasons:
1) ditching EGR and emissions and heard bad things about stock timing curves.
2) Really like the simple wiring and not needing an external box or coil.
Obviously I looked first to davies unified ignition, heard good things, but once I saw the price I was done... I can't spend close to $400 on a distributor unless it makes me pancakes on weekends because the wife would be kicking me out after that.
So I noticed summit has these gems:
Summit Racing® Blueprinted HEI Distributors SUM-850025 - SummitRacing.com
timing is adjustable (vaccuum/mechanical), they use the same one wire hookup as the davies, pretty much look like a cheaper version.
Any reason not to go this route? I also wonder if, down the road, the davies HEI caps would fit the summit distributor. They have a clear one thats kinda cool.
1) ditching EGR and emissions and heard bad things about stock timing curves.
2) Really like the simple wiring and not needing an external box or coil.
Obviously I looked first to davies unified ignition, heard good things, but once I saw the price I was done... I can't spend close to $400 on a distributor unless it makes me pancakes on weekends because the wife would be kicking me out after that.
So I noticed summit has these gems:
Summit Racing® Blueprinted HEI Distributors SUM-850025 - SummitRacing.com
timing is adjustable (vaccuum/mechanical), they use the same one wire hookup as the davies, pretty much look like a cheaper version.
Any reason not to go this route? I also wonder if, down the road, the davies HEI caps would fit the summit distributor. They have a clear one thats kinda cool.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 1
From: Suburbs of Chicago
I have an HEI dizzy on my truck, and I am VERY happy with it.
I basically went down the same path you did. Put a 4bbl on my truck, EGR went bu-bye. I too looked at the DUI units, they were WAYYYY out of my price range.
So I started doing my research on HEI units. DUI is far and above the best, that's why they're so pricey. LOL about the pancakes
The Summit and Jeg's HEI units aren't very high quality units. Most of em are built in Australia (nothing against them!) with Chinese parts (a lot against them). The price is really good, that's why a lot of people pick em up.
I found the middle of the road in a Proform distributor. They use ISO 9001 spec shops, have bearings instead of bushings, etc, etc.
Install was super easy, one wire hookup. Unless you want a tach, then its 2 wires.
There was one hiccup, no adjustable vacuum advance. Easy fix though, I made a limiter until my adjustable vacuum canister for distributor advance came in.
Mechanical advance was pretty close. I can't remember exactly what it was, but it was close enough where I said "good enough".
As far as interchangeability, ANY HEI unit part is interchangeable as long as it is based on the GM design. Coils, modules, caps, rotors, etc.
I basically went down the same path you did. Put a 4bbl on my truck, EGR went bu-bye. I too looked at the DUI units, they were WAYYYY out of my price range.
So I started doing my research on HEI units. DUI is far and above the best, that's why they're so pricey. LOL about the pancakes
The Summit and Jeg's HEI units aren't very high quality units. Most of em are built in Australia (nothing against them!) with Chinese parts (a lot against them). The price is really good, that's why a lot of people pick em up.
I found the middle of the road in a Proform distributor. They use ISO 9001 spec shops, have bearings instead of bushings, etc, etc.
Install was super easy, one wire hookup. Unless you want a tach, then its 2 wires.
There was one hiccup, no adjustable vacuum advance. Easy fix though, I made a limiter until my adjustable vacuum canister for distributor advance came in.
Mechanical advance was pretty close. I can't remember exactly what it was, but it was close enough where I said "good enough".
As far as interchangeability, ANY HEI unit part is interchangeable as long as it is based on the GM design. Coils, modules, caps, rotors, etc.
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 636
Likes: 5
From: down a red dirt road
duraspark II isnt all that bad, i like my factory dizzys, i just add MSD. i would rather get a 40 dollar reman that i know is dependable than a 140 dollar retrofit thats questionable. i like summit brand stuff but i hesitated on that idea.
i think the msd ready-to-run dizzys are cheaper than the d.u.i.'s too. theyre self contained, too. still gonna need a pancake attachment tho!
i think the msd ready-to-run dizzys are cheaper than the d.u.i.'s too. theyre self contained, too. still gonna need a pancake attachment tho!
Thread Starter
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Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
the summit one is adjustable by opening and closing the vaccum orifice using a hex key through the vacuum port.
is this the one you went with?
Proform Ford HEI Distributors 66965 - SummitRacing.com
they have a few different proform models but thats the cheapest, the others are "street/strip" models, whatever that means.
is this the one you went with?
Proform Ford HEI Distributors 66965 - SummitRacing.com
they have a few different proform models but thats the cheapest, the others are "street/strip" models, whatever that means.
Thread Starter
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Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
The ready to run MSD's are not self contained, they still require an external coil. They just have the electronics built in so that you don't have to run an external box to control them. I like that the HEI ones have the coil built in.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 1
From: Suburbs of Chicago
This is the one I have.
The one you have a picture of isn't a true HEI
Proform Street/Strip HEI Distributors 66980B - SummitRacing.com
The one you have a picture of isn't a true HEI
Proform Street/Strip HEI Distributors 66980B - SummitRacing.com
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Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,261
Likes: 15
From: Big Sky Country
HEI really isn't an "upgrade" from DSII, unless you're spinning over 5,000 rpm.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 3
I use hei dist on all my 460s simple reliable what I found is what ever brand you use take a good look at the rotor if the metal arm is snapped into place replace it with a original g.m. unit that is epoxied in mine snapped off leaving me on the side of the road also make sure you tighten all the screws
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,217
Likes: 506
From: Pa.
I'm using this one .. ACCEL Performance Replacement Distributors 59205 - SummitRacing.comIt only makes waffles but the wife stayed 
.. Having someone rebuild the OEM distributor with good parts (including adj. vaccum advance) and recurve, at the end of the day will save you about $125.00 give or take ..
.. Having someone rebuild the OEM distributor with good parts (including adj. vaccum advance) and recurve, at the end of the day will save you about $125.00 give or take ..
Thread Starter
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Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
well I'm planning on my redline being around 5300 rpm with this engine. I've got an edelbrock performer rpm intake, leaving healthy bottom end stock, and probably gonna be using the HEI distributor and a cam. still researching my cam choice. The edelbrock performer RPM cam shifts power band to 1500-5500 but I think thats a little north of where I want it to be. The edelbrock performer is from idle to 5000, irc, but isn't as well suited to the intake. I'll do some mild porting on the heads, change the lifters, and check out the valves, springs, and retainers and replace only if necessary. Summit has an in house cam that splits the difference between the performer and performer rpm and I'm leaning in that direction. Its low price is also an influence.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,217
Likes: 506
From: Pa.
If you are running stock valve springs your choice of cam is limited unless you change them .. Read all you can on this .. It is better to stock pile the parts as you can afford it and then do the top end rebuild than to rush it because if parts are poorly chosen or undersized or you don't get the complete package the end net result will be no performance gains and a motor that may fail prematurely ..
