Slant Six Forum :: HEI electronic ignition discussion

I'd like some troubleshooting help with my HEI conversion please.

I though I should be able to do a 'quick and dirty' test of the coil by running power to the positive terminal on the coil and then taking a jumper from the negative terminal and tapping it on and off quickly to ground. An old points type coil will make sparks if you do this. Anyway, no joy with the coil in the car or with the the new spare I have. Both coils test out OK with an ohmmeter.

Am I missing something?

ProCycle wrote:

A condenser. Without it the magnetic field collapses much slower reducing the output.

Most all accessory power is cut during cranking. If you don't believe me then feel free to disconnect the big starter cable at the starter, turn the key to start and observe the effects. The easiest way to trigger an HEI relay is to connect both IGN 1 and IGN 2 together (already done on coil side of ballast resistor) and trigger the relay from that.

ProCycle wrote:

A condenser. Without it the magnetic field collapses much slower reducing the output.

Author:	Joshie225 [ Wed Apr 01, 2020 10:48 am ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
ProCycle wrote: I'd like some troubleshooting help with my HEI conversion please. I though I should be able to do a 'quick and dirty' test of the coil by running power to the positive terminal on the coil and then taking a jumper from the negative terminal and tapping it on and off quickly to ground. An old points type coil will make sparks if you do this. Anyway, no joy with the coil in the car or with the the new spare I have. Both coils test out OK with an ohmmeter. Am I missing something? A condenser. Without it the magnetic field collapses much slower reducing the output.

Author:	ProCycle [ Wed Apr 01, 2020 11:07 am ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
Joshie225 wrote: ProCycle wrote: I'd like some troubleshooting help with my HEI conversion please. I though I should be able to do a 'quick and dirty' test of the coil by running power to the positive terminal on the coil and then taking a jumper from the negative terminal and tapping it on and off quickly to ground. An old points type coil will make sparks if you do this. Anyway, no joy with the coil in the car or with the the new spare I have. Both coils test out OK with an ohmmeter. Am I missing something? A condenser. Without it the magnetic field collapses much slower reducing the output. There's no condenser in the HEI conversion so I don't really understand how this applies. I did just punt and replaced the coil with a spare I had. All good and the car is now sold.

Author:	Joshie225 [ Wed Apr 01, 2020 1:53 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
The HEI doesn't need a condenser as the switching transistor can positively stop the current flow without one. With a mechanical switch like points or your loose wire the inductive arcing makes for a relatively slow collapse of the magnetic field. And the part of the energy in the magnetic field which arcs across the switch is energy not transferred to the secondary.

Author:	armyofchuckness [ Thu Apr 02, 2020 9:53 am ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
Joshie225 wrote: Most all accessory power is cut during cranking. If you don't believe me then feel free to disconnect the big starter cable at the starter, turn the key to start and observe the effects. The easiest way to trigger an HEI relay is to connect both IGN 1 and IGN 2 together (already done on coil side of ballast resistor) and trigger the relay from that. Ok. Good to know. Thanks! That's easy enough to rewire.

Author:	FrankRaso [ Thu Apr 02, 2020 10:28 am ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
I kept the IGN1 and IGN2 separate with 2 relays because I am running an electric fuel pump and need IGN1 to go through the oil pressure switch. If you need relays, SlantSixDan can fix you up.

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HEI electronic ignition discussion https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=28732	Page 33 of 34

Author:	welj31 [ Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:09 am ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
Did this on a 83 D150 last year. Ran great for about a year. Backed up a small hill....heard a pop noise and truck stalled. Now wont restart. Does anyone have the exact testing procedures for the dizz, ICM, Coil? Thanks

Author:	tattoosteve99 [ Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:00 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
Not sure why but blew a module the other day. I was testing speak plugs and wires, while running, and out of nowhere it just stopped. Swapped to a new module (had a spare!!) and it fired right up. Any ideas?

Author:	Eeyore(D150) [ Thu Jul 01, 2021 10:20 am ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
Hello, all. I'm working on a 1984 Dodge D150 and I may have missed while combing through this lengthy discussion, however, after reading, I'm planning on converting from the Lean burn to the HEI here soon, and I have seen some reference to needing a earlier style carburetor due to the current set up not having a vacuum hook up for the distributor. Can anyone recommend a carb to use?

Author:	Reed [ Thu Jul 01, 2021 10:55 am ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
I recommend a late 70s Holley 1945. It will be the closest to the stock carb for your truck and will be the most likely to be a direct fit for your old carb.

Author:	Eeyore(D150) [ Thu Jul 01, 2021 11:15 am ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
Thank you for the tip Reed

Author:	Moffetkustoms [ Tue May 03, 2022 6:26 am ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
OK gang. Did this conversion on the 73 Scamp. All new parts, hooked coil feed to hot switched wire from ballast. Not getting any spark through the coil. nothing at all. thinking that I have a bad (new) coil. everything ran through a new relay as designed in the narative. any ideas?

Author:	conrad503 [ Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
Joshie225 wrote: ProCycle wrote: I'd like some troubleshooting help with my HEI conversion please. I though I should be able to do a 'quick and dirty' test of the coil by running power to the positive terminal on the coil and then taking a jumper from the negative terminal and tapping it on and off quickly to ground. An old points type coil will make sparks if you do this. Anyway, no joy with the coil in the car or with the the new spare I have. Both coils test out OK with an ohmmeter. Am I missing something? A condenser. Without it the magnetic field collapses much slower reducing the output. Actually the field would collapse much faster without a condenser. The condenser is there to prevent the points from getting fried by the arcing that would occur as the points began to open. Too large a condenser prevents arcing, but slows the field collapse too much reducing coil output. The smallest condenser value that prevents arcing produces the highest output.

Author:	DKAMP [ Sun Jan 22, 2023 12:04 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
I am hoping to get a push into the right direction. 86 318 using E-core from S10 Blazer and 4 pin LX301 plgs gapped at 40. Ran great before change. To get it to run After the HEI I had to reverse the Distributor Pickup wires. It Idles great, revs great. when I drive mildly it also runs great. When I drive with WOT it studders every 3-5 seconds but accelerates "ok". Why the stutter? Timing? I verified all the Grounds where good. 13.4v at fast idle at coil. DKamp

Author:	volaredon [ Sun Jan 22, 2023 1:25 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
I've replaced my wiring harness on my truck with a much better junkyard version, due to the original having had so much prior owner butchery. The best harness I had to pick from, was out of a next year older, 1 ton with a 360 and what they called "heavy duty" emissions// which at the time basically meant "minimal" emissions doodads. It plugged right in, just had to extend a few wires due to the difference in location of the distributor and oil sending unit between a small block and a /6. I lost lean burn in the process as the 84 360 that was in the donor truck had the regular Mopar ECU from the factory. Aww damn...... I don't miss lean burn anyhow. But I also have a 78 fury (not a /6 sorry) that does still have it's lean burn that needs to be converted/, and between this truck (85 D150) and the fury, I'm determined to try an HEI on at least one of them just because I hear so much about it, want to see for myself if it's worth all the hype.

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Author:	klasens [ Wed Nov 29, 2023 1:20 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: HEI electronic ignition discussion
Hi Guys, I was looking to swap my lean burn to HEI, using the LX301 module, FD478 Coil, and Standard № S539 Connector, as mentioned in the "how-to" guide. However, I have some questions regarding the wiring. The Standard № S539 Connector has 3 wires. (2 negative & 1 positive) If i'm correct: -1 negative from the coil can be used for the tach -1 negative goes from the coil to the Module -1 positive goes from the coil to the Module -1 positive goes from the the relay (87) Is this correct ? And how do people add the extra positive wire to the Standard № S539 Connector?