Hey folks, I'm in the middle of the HEI upgrade and I think Im missing something. I thought I had everything connected right, minus a power relay ( that I'll put in later ). But I'm getting nothing, the cars ignition is engaging but that's all, it's not starting, like there's no spark. My dad tested out the new E-coil w/ the multimeter and it was not giving any indication of getting any power w/ ignition on or otherwise, and we tested for a spark (spark plug wires etc..) and there wasn't one, when trying to crank. I know we're just being dummies and forgeting somthing that's probably simple. I have some pics to show you my situation. first pic is overview
<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8206/8225896206_4e10fb8cfd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="HEI overview">
2nd pic shows connection to distributor wire
<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8070/8225896246_0bc639ac6c_z.jpg" width="640" height="395" alt="distributor connect">
3rd pic shows the E-coil connector which has 3 wires comming from it; one red and 2 green. This coil has no markings for positive or negative sides, so we figured red means hot, so hot is positive, in terms of the greenies they both go to the same spade on the coil so one must be negative and not sure about the other ..of course we could wrong about it all, somebody let us know..
<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8208/8224822411_d1b2f59b80_z.jpg" width="515" height="640" alt="Coil wires">
Fouth pic shows the old wiring used for the old ignition box set-up w/ plug in my hand and in my other hand I'm holding the wires that used to run to the positive and negative posts on my old cannister coil. What I wonder about this is, I read another article about installing an HEI and they were connecting the coil to the HEI module but they were also connecting the old positive wire ( like the blue wire I'm holding in my hand ) to the coil too. So should I connect the blue positive side wire that was on my old coil to the positive side of my new E-coil? If I do how or where do I connect it? Seems to me the new E-coil needs to get power and right now it's not and perhaps this is a way to do it? Anybody?
<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8063/8225896738_283f279f21_z.jpg" width="640" height="448" alt="Old wires">
This last pic just shows how we connected the ballast resistor wires together. We cut off the black female connector on one wire and put a male spade connector on it, then simply plugged it into the other.
<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8342/8224822441_f2147f2175_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="ballast resist wires">

Please look this over and then let the opinions fly, I need my car up and going fast ..it's my only driver ( D Dart 1968 225 slant six)

The other green wire is probably for a tach. Just tape it up good.

I don't see a power wire feeding the coil and the HEI module. The red coil wire should go to the positive coil wire from the old coil, and the HEI module positive too.

I just saw your question. Answer: Yes. That is how it gets power. Your system has no power going to it. Connect the blue positive coil wire from the old ignition system to the red wire between the coil and the HEI module.

Ya Blue wire in the right hand thats sraying to the left goes to the red wire feeding the coil. the "extra" green wire can be used for a tach, or taped either way.

Check to make sure you are getting a full 12v at the blue wire.

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MRO....

Cheap, Fast, Reliable.... Pick 2...

Thanks for the reply fellows..

So before I start to tap into the red wire, are we sure then that the red wire from the E-coil connector is in fact the positive power side of the coil? And either one of the green wires is negative ( and the remaining green for a tach )? Perhaps I'm too cautious, but just confirm that this is right, and then I'll go to work making the suggested changes.

Thanks

Well I went ahead anyway assuming that the wiring was right. As I started to connect in the power relay, I realized that by doing this I would be delivering power via the relay to the coil and module. So I guess if I had done this from the beginning I wouldn't have had concerns about how to power everything.
Now I have full battery equivalent power at the + side of the coil and module, and we are getting a spark. But no success in starting the car. It struggles to turn over but it did a few times, and it makes a funny sound when the motors running ( it ran only briefly 20 sec maybe each time). It sounded to me like a motor boat running real fast, definitely not the sound that my engine usually makes. But the main problem is that it still really struggles to turn over and start, and when it does something sounds wrong. I'll try to get some more pics of how I have the HEI system w/ relay hooked up, maybe someone will spot something.

(1) Try swapping the leads on the HEI module that go to the distributor pickup on the distributor. If it gets better, yay. If not, put them back.
(2) Try adjusting the timing while the motor is cranking. You have spark, fuel, and compression, all that is left is to get the plugs to fire at the right time.

Hi Scottdart, you may find some help in this thread:

Gm Hei Module Conversion Troubles

Olaf

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Aspenized

Here's a picture of the set up w/ a power relay. I come from the B output on the Alt for my power to the relay which powers the coil and module. My trigger feed on the relay comes from the original blue wire that used to run from the B resistor to my old canister style coil.
A friend told me that changing to this new ignition will throw all my old setting/timing off and that everything will need to be set for the new ignition, including the carb. If he's right I wish I knew that the HEI was gonna throw everything out-a-whack, maybe I wouldn't have done it ..too late now.
<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8067/8228862388_c663696cef_c.jpg" width="800" height="577" alt="HEI connected">

It will not throw timing off significantly. If your super unlucky you may have to move the rotor a tooth, but most likely you can just make a fine adjustment at the dist itself. Your timing light will tell you with certainty but I couldn't imagine it being off more then a handful of degrees.

Unless your old ignition was on the ragged edge of being able to do its job and your carb was adjusted to compensate, it will be fine as is.

Please ensure you fuse your battery lead as close to the alternator as possible. A nice water proof inline fuse holder and a 30 amp fuse should work fine. We would hate to see your car go down in flames.

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Mattelderca
78 NYB (gone now), two S series, three old Snow Cruisers and a Doo.

Did you have your distributor out during this build? I assume you did. Have you checked to see that it was timed correctly when you put it back in?

Yes I did install this as you say, so hopefully no burning car.

No, everything was in place. All I have done here is put in a new wiring harness for the engine ( kept the wires for the wiper, headlights, they were fine) because I had some badly spliced up wires that just looked awful and some were starting to give me shortage problems too. I also put in a new bulkhead connector. I have double checked the wires to make sure they went back in correctly and everything is lined up and checks out as it should.

Then I started on doing the HEI upgrade. Which has brought me to this point. Now I will say before doing any of this, although I did have some issues w/ my electrical which were getting worse, my car was tuned and timed up perfectly ( in fact this was checked in the Spring). It would crank right up, and I drove it daily.

The last time I drove was it was 21st last week and the timing was still fine. Friday the 23rd is when I began to change to the new wiring harness and new bulkhead connector. Spent the last 3 days w/ the HEI problems.

By the way, what color should the spark that we're getting be? I want to check that.
Also if we are getting a hotter spark with the HEI, is a must to get beefier spark plug wires? What happens if the wires here are inadequate? Will it still work, but just not be able to carry the hotter spark? How can I test to see if my wires are okay?