Good-quality 4-pin modules are cheaply and widely available in every parts store on planet Earth, and probably the ones on Jupiter, too.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

i live in the middle of nowhere, 17 miles to the 'local' parts stores, one is napa which has the echlin for 25, and the other is autozone which i avoid if at all possible, seeing as i fought for these in the rain, and i already have them here at my house, i would like to use them if possible, it started first try wiring the 7 pin up like the diagram on the linked site, cut out when i accelerated, thought the wires were switched, so i switched but it only got worse, so i put them back, the way i had them at the start, then gapped the plugs to 45, then started playing with the timing, it was about 4-5 btdc when we started out, which is where we should start according to old posts that ive researched on here, then went to 10-11, and then instead of balking at acceleration, it screeched(literally ) to a halt, repeated on the second try. do you think it is the module or the timing? am i understanding where to put it(timing) at correctly? i read online that the 5 pin modules extra pin is for a knock sensor, so i think i should be able to just ignore that pin, im not sure which one is the one in question though, but i would rather use paid for parts then buy more, especially when i have very little money...maybe i should start listing that along with my specs 74 engine/elec dist, accel super stock coil, poor college kid who wants better mileage/performance that involves his dart, middle of nowhere
thanks in advance for the input!

i guess i should also note that we plugged the vacuum advance line when we were setting the timing, do i understand this right? initial timing is with that plugged, total is with it hooked up to the dist? thanks

me again, i bought a new 4 pin module and same symptoms, so im assuming dad and i dont know our timing right, he knows how to check with the light on the pulley, and turning the dist, dad said he noticed something in the dist that looked like it could be adjusted, is that a possibility? again, it idles fine, though it smells a little gassy, and cuts out when you accelerate, literally screeches to a stop...ouch...can anyone point us to the right way to do all of our timing on this? 74 engine, super six, 74 stock el dist, the 4 pin module i got at autozone from giving them the d1906 #...thanks!

update, tried researching tons more online here and anywhere else i could find, i assume that i just dont have enough advance, it gets worse when i take it down and better as it goes up, but still cuts out with low 20 degrees, btdc the dist didnt seem to want to go forward anymore, but i was working on that when i set my arm on the hei module, which was inverted in my temporary spot, i have a bullet terminal stuck in one of the holes that is grounded to the battery, so its not grounding issues, but, the hei unti was very very hot, like possibly burning hot, is this right? i i have the grease for it and an aluminum piece to mount it on, but i want to get it running first, then make it look pretty, it seems to me like that wouldnt make that much of a difference to where it would be so hot, i am going to try to reverse the two wires to the dist, then mess with the timing more once i get some input from people who know what theyre doing, thanks!
andy

You should set the timing with the vacuum hose disconnected.

I suspect the HEI module doesn't like to get hot. They are designed for mounting on a heat sink or at least on sheet metal, using heat sink grease. Letting it just sit on something without a solid bolted connection may be causing it to overheat and cut out.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

The heat sink and grease are not just to make it "look pretty;" they are a vital part of the installation. As Matt said, the module is probably getting too hot. Don't cut corners; do the installation correctly then troubleshoot.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

did that, but ill try mounting it better, that certainly cant be the whole of my problems though, it wont accelerate, when the hei unit is still cool and just starting out, then on acceleration it dies, that dist was sitting around for a while, so gonna throw in another one that we had that is in much better shape, is there another way to do mechanical timing on an el dist then turning it? i have read about springs and weights, but i dont understand, the max i can get turning the dist, total advance, with the vaccuum, is 22-23, which still isnt enough, i regretted saying that about the hei unit as soon as i had entered it, the part about looking pretty, but i figured with it adequately grounded, it would lose as much heat when it was in the open, now that i think about it, it would be better to have it on metal so that that metal can take the heat, thanks for the input, ill try mounting it better and the other dist and see where im at later today

You should start with 5-10* BTDC then with the centrifugal advance ( the weights and springs inside the distributor ) and the vacuum advance you should have somewhere around 30-35* total when it's all in. If you're not getting that then you eiter have something wrong with the distributor or the vacuum pot is blown - or both.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

thanks all for putting up with me, it was a combination of things:
1. had the 4 pin module wires to the dist backwards, and it seemed better backwards, probably due in part to:
2. being off a tooth on the dist
3. #6 plug came unplugged somehow running about 30* btdc, i didnt notice a huge boost in performance, but the plugs are gapped to 45, and it was idling a lot higher afterward, so my guess is that its being more efficient, therefore running higher at the same idle setting on the carb, with the plugs gapped bigger, is that how this works? tomorrow running to the hardware store to find nuts to fit the bolts im using to mount the hei module on the fender, i ground an alum plate to fit the metal on the back of the hei unit it already had four holes, two lined up with the module and they also line up with the holes i already had one my fender when i got the car, is it best to put some heat sink grease on both sides of the alum plate? thanks!more efficient, therefore running higher at the same setting on the carb
now well know how when we do dads truck, its already got the dist in and it the right spot since it came with an el dist and it hasnt been taken out, so no worries there...thanks again!

Folks I am Trying to get a few more tenths out of my race car -
Here's the Idea - Please chime in and tell me if you think it will work or not?

I plan to try this in my 69 dart race car - It is a points car That I have swapped over to pertronix to replace the points.

I use a msd Blaster 2 Coil with the Ballast resistor Jumpered out. Everything else electrical is stock 1969; Alterntator, Voltage Regulator, etc.

Instead of using the Mopar Eletronic Dist - 1972 - 87 style, I plan to use my pertronix Retrofit to wired into the Right side of the module and then wire the rest up according to page 1 of this post??

any objections??

Thanks all you smart Wrenchers!

Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Just one: It won't work. The Pertronix unit is a Hall Effect pickup that puts out a grounded/open signal, which the HEI module won't know what to do with. It's looking for a magnetic pickup signal, which is a spike on the line. You could build a 5v power supply like this one, and put the input across your Pertronix and the output across your HEI module. The problem with this as written is that it fires the coil when the points close instead of open (and this applies to breakerless conversions like the Pertronix, Crane, Lumenition, etc.). You can't just reset the timing using a distributor (unlike on a motorcycle application) because you end up with the rotor not pointing to a terminal on the cap when the coil fires. For some strange reason, this guy used a 7-pin HEI for his motorcycle application. The 4-pin HEI uses a negative-to-positive event to fire, while the 7-pin uses a positive-to-negative event. That's why the polarity of the reluctor signal wires is crucial to getting the engine to run well when doing the ordinary HEI conversion with electronic distributor, but it also means this Ducati guy's gymnastics to re-time the trigger event become unnecessary if you just use a 4-pin HEI.

But I think it's going to be simpler and more reliable to just go ahead and use an electronic distributor to trigger your HEI.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Then that solves that one and quick,

I will then try to put the Eletronic Pickup plate and 6 point reluctor into my Existing distrubitor and USe that - To trigger it.


I also am trying to keep it all stealty and stock looking, so I might Hide the Module up under the fender - I will probably build an aluminum bracket off the Bumper bolt and mout the module there, and run the wires along a spot where there is a brak in the frame to pass them through.


Thanks, Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

I did the conversion, omitting the heat sink under the ignition module, and it worked fine.

A mechanic friend of mine saw it and immediately said that the module likes to be kept cool, so he cut me a slice of discarded Subaru A/C evaporator. Mounted it with a dab of heat sink compound and the cooling fins pointed into the fan's airstream. I thought it was a "cool" idea worth sharing.






Steve

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1966 Dodge Dart GT

i'm converting my truck from the computer controlled ignition to HEI, do i need to connect the black wire that was going to the negative connection on the old coil, to the new coil?