Wich plugs for an hei distributor?

[cblock]

I have a71c10 that ive been driving arround town for a couple of months. The truck sat for 10 years and its got who knows how many miles on it. Its got a 350 and im going to replace the points dist with an hei dist that came out of an 83 van. right now its got " autolite 25''sparkplugs that have been on there for at least 11years. I went to autozone and they recommended everithing from iridium, platinum to copper, like 10 diifferent plugs. So i just wanna know if there is a difference between points an electric distributor sparkplugs, and what you guys would recommend, any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

[hugger6933]

R45TS set at .45[forty five thousands]

[chiefcfd]

X's 2

[Xeen]

Copper has a low resistance so it's perfect for a points system, the downside is they are only good for 10,000 to 20,000 miles.
Platinum has a slightly higher resistance and is perfect for an HEI system, the upside is you can get 60,000 to 100,000 miles out of them.
I would go with NGK Platinum.

[bill3rail]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

R45TS set at .45[forty five thousands]

Set the gap that wide and the engine will not start.

.045 = 45 thousandths of an inch.
.45 = almost half an inch.

Bill

[CST10]

I agree R45TS plugs set at 0.045" is correct for a 350 with HEI. As the last post said forty-five thousands of an inch 0.045" not 0.450". Big difference. It was just a typo in the first post on the gap numbers.

[slikside]

sub'd.

[cblock]

]I decided to go with the ac delcos R45TS gapped at .045, put the hei distributor with new cap & rotor,
8.8 mm sparkplug wires and set the timing. And man what a difference, I had so much power compared to before that 3 days later I blew out the transmission ! Well looks like the next item on my "turning this into a daily driver" to do list is replace the th350 with a 700r4. Thanks to all for your advice.

[kbill45@gmail.com]

I have been into FJ40 land cruisers now for the past 20 years but now back into a 69 chevy truck. It has a hei distributor and was hard to start when hot. I moved the dist. around making it ping and moving it back a little until it stopped pinging but it would cut out at high rpms. I removed number 1 plug and it was gapped at .030. Picked up new wires and R45TS plugs at Orileys and they said set the gap at .060. Now I am confused.

[kbill45@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by kbill45@gmail.com

I have been into FJ40 land cruisers now for the past 20 years but now back into a 69 chevy truck. It has a hei distributor and was hard to start when hot. I moved the dist. around making it ping and moving it back a little until it stopped pinging but it would cut out at high rpms. I removed number 1 plug and it was gapped at .030. Picked up new wires and R45TS plugs at Orileys and they said set the gap at .060. Now I am confused.

Checked again and they gave me R44TX. .060 still sounds too wide

[Stocker]

^^ .060 is too much. As noted above in multiple posts, .045 is the correct gap for copper plugs and HEI.

[TheSeeker]

For us guys with pertronix systems (stock cap and wires) What should we be using? Stock points gap and wire set up or widen the plug gap?

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by TheSeeker

For us guys with pertronix systems (stock cap and wires) What should we be using? Stock points gap and wire set up or widen the plug gap?

When I ran a PerTronix Ignitor II on my 292 L6, I gapped at HEI standard .045.

[TheSeeker]

Awesome, thank you. I have a ignitor II on my 250, clifford intake and 4 barrel carb. I need to do a tune up and that info will up. Any reccomendations for coils or should a stock replacement suffice?

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by TheSeeker

Awesome, thank you. I have a ignitor II on my 250, clifford intake and 4 barrel carb. I need to do a tune up and that info will up. Any reccomendations for coils or should a stock replacement suffice?

With the Ignitor II you should ONLY use the PerTronix FlameThrower II coil [@ 0.6 ohms].
I suppose if you could find a coil by a different manufacturor that had a primary resistance value of 0.6 Ohms -- that was also OK for electronic ignition -- that would work too, but the FlameThrower II is engineered to work with the Ignitor II module right out of the box.
JEGS has the Flamethrower II p/n 751-45011 for $41, more if you want chrome [$44] or epoxy-filled [$50].

[GASoline71]

Anytime you have a hotter spark ignition system you need to widen the gap on your plugs.

I run an MSD Pro-Billet HEI and a Digital 6AL box... I have my gap set at .055 as per recommendation from MSD.

Gary

[C1ph3r]

Resurrecting this old thread as it's exactly the next task I am trying to work out.

So I think I'm going wit a PerTronix 1 module and a new coil and wires. From everything I have read I'll get the R45TS plug. I assume that's the AC Delco part number?

My question is regarding gap. How do you know if the gap needs to be bigger or not?

[piecesparts]

It is a fact: The hotter the spark, the larger the gap is desired. This is how the later model vehicles are set up to get a cleaner burn of the lower grade fuels. On my 383 stroker engine, I run a Carb Shop built HEI with 8 MM wilres and Accel plugs (to get the shorter porcelein body for my headers(, the ones that I use are the same heat range as the AC R45TS plugs. I set my gap at .045 and have had no issues with the engine. I do run my timing at a higher setting than most, but I get decent mileage and good horsepower.
If you want to think a littler further outside the box. Consider setting up a MSD 6AL multi-spark unit and get a more complete burn on your fuel and ilk out every ounce of energy out of each gallon of gas.

[C1ph3r]

Got it. Thanks. My question is a little less technical I think. How do you know if the gap needs to be bigger or not? Is there a noticeable sound difference in the engine? Like more or less pinging when set up right?

[Rich72C10]

So about Acdelco R44T vs R45TS, also using Ignitor II, wires and coil. Stock 350 (mild cam) in 72 C10.

Napa, Autozone, O'Riley's and Amazon all say the R45TS isn't for my 72 C10 350 but the R44T is.

So, I tend to believe you guys more but gee, nothing online says to use the R45TS (everywhere says R44T). So what is up with that? Do I really go with the R45TS?

So I get (I think) the 45 is a hotter plug (good for GM HEI / PerTronix Ignitor with 0.045 gap) and the the TS vs the T is tapered?? Sorry, just want to be sure I'm getting what most actually have put into their 350s and are happy with them.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I have a '71 GMC w/350 V8 and HEI. My mechanic says 45s are too hot for me and to stick with the 44s.
But I quit using AC-Delco plugs when they stopped making them in Michigan. I think they're made in Michoacan now.
I went to Denso.

[lil hoodlum]

Originally Posted by Rich72C10

So about Acdelco R44T vs R45TS, also using Ignitor II, wires and coil. Stock 350 (mild cam) in 72 C10.

Napa, Autozone, O'Riley's and Amazon all say the R45TS isn't for my 72 C10 350 but the R44T is.

So, I tend to believe you guys more but gee, nothing online says to use the R45TS (everywhere says R44T). So what is up with that? Do I really go with the R45TS?

So I get (I think) the 45 is a hotter plug (good for GM HEI / PerTronix Ignitor with 0.045 gap) and the the TS vs the T is tapered?? Sorry, just want to be sure I'm getting what most actually have put into their 350s and are happy with them.

What type of heads are you running? I was running stock spark plugs on my 327 C10 but I failed to realize that the aftermarket aluminum heads called for a "longer" spark plug. What I'm getting at is what type of heads you are using dictates what type of spark plugs to use.

[Rich72C10]

stock, only non-stock is the the Ignitor II mild cam.

[Rich72C10]

I guess R45TS fit okay, this is what my brother installed. They look okay and recovered form their oily mess after I had to get my valve seals replaced (long story of brother f'n up). They appear to match the color charts for spark plugs that I have seen on the web.

Though, I can't tell it R44TS (cooler?) would be better next time.

[Stocker]

Went through some of my notes and I'm not sure where I came up with the info years ago.
FWIW, I am running R44TS which is an extended tip plug. Basically stock 350 with HEI.