coil to hei

**WildKitty** · 08-01-2010, 12:38 PM

Startup and Tuning

The next step is to double-check everything and then fire up the motor. If you did it right, it should fire up right away. If it doesn't start, follow the usual list of suspects - is there power to the distributor? Did you install the distributor correctly? Is it timed close enough for the motor to start and run? Did you get </I>all</I> of the plug wires on the distributor in the correct firing order? If you've never removed and replaced a distributor before, expect to mess around with it a bit - it's tricky to get it right the first time unless you're just that good or that lucky. Don't despair - it happens to the best of us. Take your time, and troubleshoot it logically. It's usually something small and stupid that gets forgotten. Once the motor is running, let it warm up and then give it a basic tune-up. Expect to need to re-tune the carb a bit - the better spark allows you to run a leaner mixture because more of the fuel you put into the motor is actually being used - this is part of where you get the mileage gains from this conversion. You'll also want to re-set the timing - a bit more initial timing is recommended - and re-set your idle speed to whatever you desire. The car may very well idle very nicely at a lower rpm than it did previously, thus allowing you to drop the idle a bit for better mileage and less noise at idle. I typically use something like 650rpm in drive; you should use what you think is appropriate and makes you happy. You'll also need to make sure the idle mixture is correct. The idle mixture is critical. After you get it set right you should double check the idle settings and the timing settings and go through a couple of rounds of tweaking each one for the final settings that work best for you. Keep careful notes of whatever your final settings are for later use, though - the factory manuals will not be accurate for you anymore. To set the idle mixture you should use a vacuum gauge and adjust them to get the highest vacuum at idle (in gear for automatic equipped cars) on a quality vacuum gauge. (The mixture screws should be turned out roughly the same amount to ensure both sides of the carb are running equally.) Once you get this setting, you should then adjust them to lean out the mixture (usually by turning them in/clockwise) enough to get about a 30-50rpm drop in the idle speed. This is a good estimate of what Edelbrock carb tuning books refer to as "Lean Best Idle" and helps drivability, mileage, and keeps the plugs clean. You can tune the vacuum advance later as you have time and inclination - I think the instructions that came with mine recommended setting it for the slowest possible advance until everything else is sorted out. Then you should set it to a bit more advance and drive the car for a few days to see how it works. Repeat this until you have found the setting that works best for you. As I mentioned already, expect to play with the timing and idle mixture/speed settings a bit to get it all right - you've changed out a major piece of the motor and made it much, much more efficient. After getting most everything else right, you may also want to vary the plug gap up or down to see if it has any net effect on the motor. In addition to subtle changes in power and mileage, this also affects details like length of time between tune-ups. Due to the long-term changes you need to note here, it's best to mess with this once everything else is happy and set reasonably well. Take notes and keep an eye on the plugs over several tune-ups. Basically, if the rest of the motor is working up to par, then everything works that much better and the "optimal" settings can take some time to discover. You may also find that you have other little things in need of a tune-up because of this - perhaps your carb is in need of an overhaul, or you have a vacuum leak that needs to be tracked down and fixed. In the end, this is a good thing. It takes time to find and fix the little stuff, but a much better running car will be the result. It's much more fun to drive a car that works right - not to mention that it costs less to drive it. That means more cash to cruise more, or to sink into more parts for your car. Either way, you win. :-)
The net increase should be a few more mpg (depends on your driving habits :-), easier starting, smoother idling, and a generally better running engine. That, and you'll never have to worry about changing points ever again and your plugs should last longer. Your ignition system should be all set for at least 50,000 trouble free miles - I've heard of people going 70,000+ miles without touching anything once an HEI system is set up right - without any decrease in performance or mileage during that time. Compare that with a points system that needs fiddling with every 8000-10,000 miles or so - in short, HEI rocks. Yeah, your mileage (literally) may vary, but once you get it set up right, your car will be better than before you made this change.

Parts List to be continued

**WildKitty** · 08-01-2010, 12:43 PM

I hope nobody minded that I took up so much space, I just thought this information needed to be posted.

I printed it out for when I do the 300, Ill have it right in front of me
Butch
Pair of 64s

Parts List

Core HEI distributor
HEI cap and rotor
HEI pickup
HEI "performance" module
HEI "performance" coil
HEI "performance" advance re-curve kit
HEI adjustable vacuum advance
HEI style plug wires
HEI gapped spark plugs
HEI ignition and tach wiring connectors
Wiring terminals (male and female)
Wire to hookup ignition and tach
Electrical tape/small piece of "split" wire loom
Moly engine lube
Some spare time to work on your car :-)

**crazybuick** · 08-01-2010, 02:34 PM

curiousity killed the kitty lol

yes they are and i read that and did what it said .but the only way to start it is to hook back up the s termanal that i schould not need any more

.but cant do nothing untill get the head gasgets on and put back together

some day ill get it all done lol so did u decide about lokar there really nice easy to install toim gald i went with them.

**WildKitty** · 08-01-2010, 08:35 PM

Yea Crazy, I was going ask; how did the Lokar workout?
how much total $ did it run you?
did you use the one that uses cable?
tks

**crazybuick** · 08-06-2010, 05:08 AM

wildkitty they work great easzy install look nice to . it was around 160 for everything thorttle cable and bracket and kickdown cable im happy i went with it