Hei or points??

[RonWT]

Folks, I am wondeing how many of you are still running the old points style ignition or if you have converted to HEI? if you converted, what style of HEI have you went to?

Thanks,

RonWT

[CastIron]

After watching the timing bounce all over at idle, I decided to replace my original distributor with a MSD street fire HEI distributor. It runs much better, but that might also be because I replaced a tired 307 with a crate 350 at the same time.

[Wikid61]

HEI that is tight may step up the spark a lot. Especially using quality cap/rotor/wires/ect. Another option is this: https://pertronixbrands.com/ I've ran them & the stock cap tales up less space.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I found a definite performance improvement when converting to HEI. I've done it on V8s as well as my L6.
I ran PerTronix for about 7 years, but it burned out on me.
GM Delco-Remy style HEI is the best, and parts are universally available in the US.

[don t. - 72gmc]

I converted to a Skip White HEI dizzy years ago. The original dizzy, bad bushings made it wobble. At that time, $'s were tight, wanted something quick and easy.

Getting the truck back on the road this summer, wanted to R&R the cap and rotor. Skip White does not sell parts, but would sell me a new dizzy. Local auto parts guy I trust thinks he may have found an Excel cap & rotor. Parts arrive on Tuesday.

Good luck...Don

[truckster]

I had a factory HEI for years. I decided to upgrade to a Progression Ignition distributor a few months ago and I couldn't be happier. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth and allows you to custom program timing maps on the fly. It also has a lockout function that will keep your vehicle from starting if you lock it on the app.

[yuccales]

Member of the "Points Forever" club here. Both my old dogs still run em. I just can't part with the old Penske.

[697498chevy]

My '69 C 10 also has O.E. distributor . Seems to run fine . Thanks

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by yuccales

Member of the "Points Forever" club here. Both my old dogs still run em. I just can't part with the old Penske.

I still have the Penske my Daddy used and that I was trained on.

[Stocker]

I converted to a used late-Seventies GM HEI back in the early 1980s and couldn't be happier with it.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

I have kept the points & cond. because I want to keep everything original on my low mileage 72 Super. I have a GM HEI unit that I have o-hauled that I could put on it but it runs & starts perfectly.

George

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by Stocker

I converted to a used late-Seventies GM HEI back in the early 1980s and couldn't be happier with it.

That's what i have on my 70. I think only issue in last 25 years was 2 module died. Super dependable.

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Still running points. When the original dizzy wears out, I'll think about HEI

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Originally Posted by CastIron

After watching the timing bounce all over at idle, I decided to replace my original distributor with a MSD street fire HEI distributor. It runs much better, but that might also be because I replaced a tired 307 with a crate 350 at the same time.

You're a pretty hardcore "Belt and suspenders" guy ;-)

[dmjlambert]

I have a used 1976 to 1980 GM HEI in mine and I like it.

[body bolt]

I added HEI 25 years ago and haven't touched the distributor since.

[54blackhornet]

Not being able to find an original GM HEI I bought a clone off eBay from a firm named BraveX. Billet aluminum housing and good quality oil impregnated drive gear. Cap looks good too. BUT everything electrical is very low quality. The first one lasted about a year before the module died. BraveX replaced it with no questions. Second one lasted about two months. BraveX again replaced it. Third one is in and running great. Let’s see how it goes ? Another problem I have determined is you can’t buy anything under the cap that’s made in the USA any longer.

[72c20customcamper]

Two with factory GM HEI and two still with points they all run well

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

Im another one for points. My C10 had a HEI when I bought it and tossed that quickly and went back to points. Pretty much all of my old cars run points. Never have had a issue with them, have had more issues with conversion kits and electronic billet distributors than with points. I check the dwell about once a year, but usually they are still right on where I want them, so pretty hassle free.

[kwmech]

Changed all my trucks over the HEI, hell I've even got one on my toyota. I got tires of stretching all way back to the fire wall to get a little screw out that eventually falls never to be found again. Got the meter and the special adj tool. I still keep the point systems and have them filed away in a box to convert back if needed with brand new parts also, including the resister wire.

[RonWT]

Man, what a great response from you guys, I am running points now, and no problems at all, I just started thinking that a HEI system may be better. Thanks folks for replying to my questions.

[mr48chev]

When I still had the 350 in my 71 with points it was getting hard to start and just flat wasn't running all that good even with careful tuning. I bought a Skip White Distributor simply because I could buy the complete new unit mailed to the house for less than I could get a cap, rotor and module for one of the Hei's I have hanging in the garage and I have several. If you saw what I deleated, the 10 week old kitten was walking across the keyboard.

The change was immediate, far easier starting and 2+ mpg gain in mileage.

There is only one advantage to points, If they burn and you stall out you can get out an emory board or piece of sandpaper or point file (who carries one of those) and clean off the contacts and eyeball set the points and go again. The bad is that you normally change them every10K miles if you actually drive the truck. Years ago that wasn't bad when you could get good points and a condensor for under 10 dollars and change and go again.

With an Hei it isn't unusual to go well over 50 K before you decide that maybe you need to look at the cap and rotor and the plugs that are available now are often good for up to 100K rather then ten or 20K.

I totally respect keeping it "original" but the guys who have fully restored "original" down to the tread design of the tires usually don't put many miles on their trucks and often guys with modifiied or slightly modified trucks are racking up serious miles simply because the truck is fun to drive.

[1970 CST Short Wide]

No points, no distributor, no carburetors, LS and loving it

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Originally Posted by yuccales

Member of the "Points Forever" club here. Both my old dogs still run em. I just can't part with the old Penske.

Does that thing do other tricks besides dwell?

[yuccales]

Originally Posted by Rust_never_sleeps

Does that thing do other tricks besides dwell?

Volts, ohms, rpm. For my early years that was my only "real" tester. Nowadays it just is my dwell meter.