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Old 06-23-2011, 03:39 PM   #7
ChevLoRay
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas"
Posts: 10,880
Re: HEI VS Pertronix

Used/junkyard HEI's are not expensive. But, they may come with a problem or two. My '69 had an HEI when I bought it. It was okay for a few years...okay 2 years...and then I began to have trouble. I'd let off on the gas and it would die. I could throw the gear selector into neutral and it would fire back up, then I'd drop it in gear and keep driving. I had already replaced the ignition module and I'd also put a different vacuum advance on it. The cap, rotor and wires as well as plugs were all good. I had already put the Edelbrock Q-jet on it, as well as a new fuel filter. So, I was just biding time....until one New Year's Day. It died at a traffic light and wouldn't restart. I had it hauled home and decided that it was time for another distributor. I shopped around for a short time and decided that an Accel HEI (actually a reman unit by Accel) was what I wanted. After it was installed, no more problems.

The HEI that came out is still in the box that the Accel came it. I found that the wire to the reluctor had a break in it. When you let off of the gas, the vacuum advance would move the breaker plate and temporarily break the connection and that's why it would die. It can be fixed, so I'm hanging onto it.

Thought I'd share this in case anyone else has ever had a question.
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'96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed.

'69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo

The older I get, the better I was.
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