HEI Ignition Conversion (Pre-project)
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 789
Likes: 7
From: Durham, NC
HEI distributors eat caps. You'll find yourself pulling the cap and sanding down the contacts every few months. And after about the 4'th sanding, they are gone. Another issue is the spring under the center contact goes bad before the actual contact piece. But you buy a set, not just a spring. I converted a 302 and bought the 10 pack of distributor caps.
At least that's my experience...
At least that's my experience...
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 348
Likes: 2
From: Northern Michigan
HEI distributors eat caps. You'll find yourself pulling the cap and sanding down the contacts every few months. And after about the 4'th sanding, they are gone. Another issue is the spring under the center contact goes bad before the actual contact piece. But you buy a set, not just a spring. I converted a 302 and bought the 10 pack of distributor caps.
At least that's my experience...
At least that's my experience...
To all you guys dissing GM HEI ignition. In the 70s, when it first came on the market, the fact that you could change the spark plugs and cap every 50,000 miles and keep on trucking was a big deal. I was there. It still ain't a bad deal.
Tuned
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 269
Likes: 13
From: Shelbyville
HEI distributors eat caps. You'll find yourself pulling the cap and sanding down the contacts every few months. And after about the 4'th sanding, they are gone. Another issue is the spring under the center contact goes bad before the actual contact piece. But you buy a set, not just a spring. I converted a 302 and bought the 10 pack of distributor caps.
At least that's my experience...
At least that's my experience...
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,172
Likes: 101
From: darlington
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 269
Likes: 13
From: Shelbyville
I didn’t have to make any modifications to the hold down. I didn’t make any modifications to the water neck. I didn’t make any modifications to the upper hose.I do have an aftermarket intake and air cleaner so I don’t know about clearance issues with that.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 338
Likes: 8
From: North Idaho
Hey, thanks all for your experience and it sounds like no one has an opinion on whether the 50K unit is adequate for the old FE. Seems like I may (or may not) run into issues fitting a larger cap in the same space as the one in there now. I think I'll hold off replacing the dizzy for now, as many of you point out there is no real advantage. My original motivation was easier cold starts and potentially improve my mileage.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,362
Likes: 22
From: Florence, SC
If you have a working choke and your truck is hard to start when cold, then something isn't right.
I am running a stock DuraSpark II ignition, and my truck started right up last week at temperatures in the single digits with only a single pump of the gas. I drove away less than a minute later without any sort of stalling or hesitations whatsoever. In fact, other than giving it that shot of fuel in the morning to set the choke and kicking the fast idle cam down to the second notch a few seconds later, I can't tell a difference between my carbureted F150 and my wife's fuel-injected Mustang.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
Likes: 12
From: Black Hills of SD
"Easier cold starts?" What is your starting procedure and how is your truck starting now?
If you have a working choke and your truck is hard to start when cold, then something isn't right.
I am running a stock DuraSpark II ignition, and my truck started right up last week at temperatures in the single digits with only a single pump of the gas. I drove away less than a minute later without any sort of stalling or hesitations whatsoever. In fact, other than giving it that shot of fuel in the morning to set the choke and kicking the fast idle cam down to the second notch a few seconds later, I can't tell a difference between my carbureted F150 and my wife's fuel-injected Mustang.
If you have a working choke and your truck is hard to start when cold, then something isn't right.
I am running a stock DuraSpark II ignition, and my truck started right up last week at temperatures in the single digits with only a single pump of the gas. I drove away less than a minute later without any sort of stalling or hesitations whatsoever. In fact, other than giving it that shot of fuel in the morning to set the choke and kicking the fast idle cam down to the second notch a few seconds later, I can't tell a difference between my carbureted F150 and my wife's fuel-injected Mustang.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,362
Likes: 22
From: Florence, SC
That's incredible!
So many people seem to accept that owning a carbureted vehicle = hard cold starts. But that simply is not true. At least, it shouldn't be. As long as the choke is set up correctly and functioning, and the thermostatic air cleaner is in place and functioning, there shouldn't me *any* cold start problems or *any* problems driving in cold weather.
When they are set right, and all of the components are in place and functioning, there is very little difference between a vehicle with a carburetor compared to a vehicle with electronic fuel injection.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
Likes: 12
From: Black Hills of SD
That's incredible!
So many people seem to accept that owning a carbureted vehicle = hard cold starts. But that simply is not true. At least, it shouldn't be. As long as the choke is set up correctly and functioning, and the thermostatic air cleaner is in place and functioning, there shouldn't me *any* cold start problems or *any* problems driving in cold weather.
When they are set right, and all of the components are in place and functioning, there is very little difference between a vehicle with a carburetor compared to a vehicle with electronic fuel injection.
So many people seem to accept that owning a carbureted vehicle = hard cold starts. But that simply is not true. At least, it shouldn't be. As long as the choke is set up correctly and functioning, and the thermostatic air cleaner is in place and functioning, there shouldn't me *any* cold start problems or *any* problems driving in cold weather.
When they are set right, and all of the components are in place and functioning, there is very little difference between a vehicle with a carburetor compared to a vehicle with electronic fuel injection.
I had an old 83 Bronco with a 300-6. We had kind of quite using it but just kept it because it was so rusty it wasn't worth much and still ran good. It sat buried almost hood deep in a snow bank for a couple months. We had a spell where the high for the day didn't get above minus 52 for 3 days. I had dug out to the door and don't ask me why I even tried to start it but got in, remember is 50 below, it barely turned over but made about 2 revolutions and started up, and sat there and kept running. The power steering pump howled in protest though,lol.
So yeah, don't try to convince me efi start better that a well tuned carb engine.