Anyone know where i can buy a new high performance distributor for a 69 430? or does anyone recommend any certain distributor and wires? One last thing, what is the difference between HEI and non HEI?
You have alot of options here. You can just get an HEI big cap distributor from a 75-76 Buick 455. Look in the boneyards, or get a rebuilt from Autozone or your parts store. You will need to change the feed wire from the firewall to the distributor. Otherwise it's pretty much a drop in. You can buy a billet distributor(no vacuum advance), or a ready to run distributor from MSD.(Expensive) http://www.msdignition.com/dist_32.htm http://www.msdignition.com/dist_31.htm The best option IMHO, is to simply send a points distributor to Dave Ray, and have him convert it to GM HEI or MSD magnetic pickup. You can then run the HEI or run an MSD box, your choice. www.davessmallbodyheis.com What's the difference between HEI and non HEI? That is sometimes a matter of opinion. Suffice to say that an HEI will allow you to run bigger spark plug gaps, which can sometimes mean better performance. At minumum, it will give you faster starts, smoother idle, and better driveability. The HEI module varies dwell angle, and uses higher currents than points can handle to increase spark output. MSD boxes and other capacitative discharge (CD ignitions) use big capacitors to store higher voltage and current, and then apply it to the coil for really hot multiple sparks.
This is a distributor that I had Dave convert to MSD magnetic pickup. It plugs in to any MSD box. It is completely rebuilt, soup to nuts, recurved, adjustable vacuum advance installed, and comes with a brand new premium rotor and cap. All for about 150.00. The HEI conversion will cost more.
The dave option sounds better I will be running an MSD 6AL ignition box, with Accell 8.8 Spiral Core wires. It currently has a Mallory 40,000 volt coil. I dont plan to change the spark plug gap at all for now. so which of the two (Magnetic or HEI) is a better option to get?
"General Motors options (please add these costs to prices listed): Crane Adjustable Vacuum Advance, part number 99601-1 Full HEI conversion $10.00 MSD trigger conversion $10.00 MSD HEI wire terminal type distributor , part number 8435 Full HEI conversion $10.00 MSD trigger conversion $10.00 Aluminum distributors only billet look or polish No additional charge Cast iron distributors must be painted. The default color is black; specify another color if desired." From Daves site Which of these is good just forbetter performance/power? I think the vacuum advance for sure. How about the MSD HEI wire terminal?
If you plan to run an MSD 6AL, all you need is Dave's magnetic pickup conversion. It will plug right into the MSD box because it comes with an MSD connector. The HEI option uses the same pickup to trigger an HEI module. That would be redundant for you. You either run an HEI or the MSD, not both.
For a street car, you want vacuum advance for sure. The Crane adjustable is a good idea. The HEI wire terminal option just refers to which type of cap you want. MSD makes a small body cap that has tower type (HEI) connections for your plug wires, as opposed to the socket type connections that the stock distributor cap has. Most universal wire sets come with both types of ends, so you can pick which cap you would like to use. Do you already have your wire set?
No, but we plan to buy these ones: Accel Spark Plug Wires Which use the stock type connections Also, will it be bad if i run the spark plug wires under the alternator? Right now they run across my intake manifold and i am trying to clean it up a bit.
As long as the wires don't get crimped, or pushed up against hot exhaust, you can run them any way you like. If you get the Accel universal wire set, you can run the HEI tower connections or stock socket connections. In the universal sets, you cut the wires to length, and crimp on the distributor ends of the wire.
Ok. Which option (stock or HEI) would be better for running a 40,000 volt coil and an MSD 6AL ignition box through the 8.8 wires?
There are 3 ways to trigger an MSD box. With a magnetic pickup distributor, a points distributor, or a crank trigger. The crank trigger probably isn't an option for you, so that leaves points or magnetic pickup. Magnetic pickup is the best way. You can trigger the MSD box with an HEI, but it involves removing the module, and triggering the MSD with the HEI's magnetic pickup. I think I've answered this question before, which leads me to believe that you don't understand how these the MSD boxes work, or how a GM HEI works. The 40,000 volt coil means nothing. Coil manufacturers advertise that information, but it means very little. The coil resistance is more important, and your coil is either compatible with an MSD 6 series ignition or it isn't. What make and part # is the coil?
It is a mallory coil part no 29216 I will most likely get the msd conversion then, and if the coil doesnt work with the MSD box it will be getting replaced also
Heres the info on the coil: Coil Wire Attachment: Female/Socket Coil Style: Canister Coil Internal Construction: Oil-filled Maximum Voltage: 51,000 Turns Ratio: 99:1 Primary Resistance: 0.700 ohms Secondary Resistance: 8.9K ohms Inductance: 6.6 mH Peak Current: 180 mA Spark Duration: 400 uS Coil Shape: Round Notes: Not compatible with aftermarket high energy inductive ignition systems. Includes replacement boot for coil wire. So its 51k not 40k volts. will this coil work with the 6Al box?
None of those coil specs will make any difference in perfromance. Plugs fire at 10-20K volts. It is just a product of the dielectric properties of the air in the cylinder. Likewise so called high performance sparkplug wires make no difference in performance. Now the marketing departments of vendors suggest to you that is the case with names like high energy, hot, flamethrower etc. You will not likely see any real dyno studies to substantiate the suggestions. On the other hand when you chnage the duration and /or frequency of the impulses there may be some increase in performance. This is how MSD and similar boxes work but they use a capacitor to initally charge and store the energy before it is discharged across the coil. When you use just a coil based system regardless of whether it is called an HEI, regardless of whether the primary winding is low resistance the inherent limiting factors the time it takes to build and disapate a magnetic field in the primary is the bottleneck. A capacitor has a different charging curve relative to an inductor and based on this if used correctly can overcome the bottleneck to increased performance.
That coil is compatible with MSD 5, 6, and 7 series ignitions, so yes it will work with the 6AL. Your best option is to send Dave a points distributor, and ask him to convert it to MSD trigger. That's it, that's all you need. Spark plug wires are carbon core, and spiral core. The carbon core wires degrade as they age. Their resistance goes up. Spiral core wires are much better, and will last a long time as long as they aren't physically damaged. The Accel wires will do just fine.
tach? so as an afterthought,when i get the distributer back from dave on a full hei conversion...WILL MY FACTORY TACH WORK uzzled:
