Stealth HEI

[Cheapsunglasses]

Hello everyone!

I’ve been looking around for a replacement for my Mallory Unilite that crapped out on me. When doing research on a replacement, I came across HEI ignition, I know it’s GM, but it’s not a bad system, and parts are easy to get, and they seem to be better quality then our mopar ignition boxes. Also it can be done pretty cheap, I know some of us are on tight budgets.

The problem is you either get an ugly HEI distributor, or people make a mounting plate under the distributor to put a 4 pin HEI module on. There’s another option that’s almost invisible.

4 pin HEI modules can be found anywhere. Local auto parts stores, Jegs, summit racing, rockauto, anywhere parts are sold. And you can get anything from a stock replacement, up to a high performance unit with a rev limiter. Chrysler ignition boxes can be found at junkyards, swap meets, eBay, or in your parts stash. You can use a points distributor or an electronic one, and those are pretty easy to find too.

1st You take an Old Chrysler, or old parts store ignition box, and gut it

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Then you take some 1/4” aluminum, it needs a heat sink and a way to mount. 2” wide is preferable, but a couple 1” strips will work too. The factory control board was held in with 2 screws, you can use those holes to mount your aluminum. I drilled and tapped for 6/32s, that’s what I had laying around. Make sure you put heat sink paste between the box and aluminum.

Then you drill and tap the aluminum for your HEI module, and put heat sink between the module and the aluminum.

Wiring is a breeze. Find a diagram for the HEI module and the Chrysler module, and connect the wires accordingly.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

For an ignition coil, you can use a 1.3 ohm canister style, but you’ll keep your ballast resistor. Or you can use a 0.3ohm HEI coil, and then you gut your ballast resistor and add a wire to jump the terminals, or remove all together. That’s the way I’m going

I had someone recommend this one
MSD 8207 MSD Ignition Coil - Blaster SS - Red

If you want to go for a pre MSD days look this is the same, but with the Mallory name
Mallory 30480 Mallory Promaster S/S Ignition Coil


I need to get everything installed, and I’ll have more pictures and information, feel free to ask any questions, thanks!

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Also, if your are running HEI, plus feel free to comment and share your knowledge, and experience. I’m not reinventing the wheel here, I’m just making it a more stealthy.

 

[diesel_lv]

I ran the one bolted under the distributor w a blaster coil w no stickers, gutted ballast w a 10ga wire inside and siliconed over. But I do like this version better. Also heps keep more heat away from it.

 

[Rusty knuckles]

Great creativity! Looks great!

 

[Bobby Goolsby]

So just use a factory mopar electronic distributor with your stealthy set up?

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Yes great option to the Mopar boxes, uses the stock Mopar electronic distributor.

 

[cal30_sniper]

I run a similar setup in my Volare. GM 4 pin module and a 96-00 Vortec truck coil.

The Vortec trucks came with a bracket for the coil that includes a very nice heat sink for the module. And they do put off some heat.

I like what you’ve done here. I might steal your idea for my 72 Satellite. On the 79 300, I plan to do the same but hide it inside a gutted lean burn module.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

So just use a factory mopar electronic distributor with your stealthy set up?

Yes you use a factory electronic distributor, everything plugs in and looks factory. I’ve heard you can even use a points distributor, but I’m not sure on the wiring

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

I run a similar setup in my Volare. GM 4 pin module and a 96-00 Vortec truck coil.

The Vortec trucks came with a bracket for the coil that includes a very nice heat sink for the module. And they do put off some heat.

I like what you’ve done here. I might steal your idea for my 72 Satellite. On the 79 300, I plan to do the same but hide it inside a gutted lean burn module.

Yeah I saw the factory gm heat sink, my goal was to make it look factory, and that wouldn’t fit in the Chrysler ignition box. This is a great idea for someone that wants a reliable ignition, that’s budget friendly, and you can run to the parts store to fix. If you have a numbers matching car, or want to retain a factory appearance, this is a great option .

I actually found the idea on the A body page, but I couldn’t find a detail build thread. So I thought I’d make one, for anyone else

 

[Carcinogen]

My only complaint is with using HEI module and mini starter is it don’t sound like a MOPAR starting.

A little gas wait a moment and it fires right up. Did have to use relay to connect battery power as original wiring (even bypassing ballast had too much voltage drop. Would start and rev ok, but under load would backfire when cylinder pressure built.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

My only complaint is with using HEI module and mini starter is it don’t sound like a MOPAR starting.

A little gas wait a moment and it fires right up. Did have to use relay to connect battery power as original wiring (even bypassing ballast had too much voltage drop. Would start and rev ok, but under load would backfire when cylinder pressure built.

Lol, I know, my lil red still has the original starter, and I’ll be sad when it goes bad. I love that sound!

I don’t have it wired up on the car yet, so I don’t know how it runs. Thanks for the information.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Stephan Hotz on FABO has been making thes also for a while for sale.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Stephan Hotz on FABO has been making thes also for a while for sale.

Thanks, I didn’t know, I don’t go on FABO much. So I can’t take the credit, thanks Stephan!

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

I have been sending him bad NORS ones for a while. He mills them out and basically does the same thing with them also. Pretty cool I like the GM HEI!

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Alright, I have everything wired up and installed. However, I can’t get it to run. I’ve read the polarity can be made up wrong, if I hook it up one way it pops and backfires, and runs like garbage. If I hook it up the other way, it pops, idles for a second, and then dies. I have no clue what my timing is, because I can’t get it to run to time it. But I installed the new distributor at tdc, so it should be close. I have the HEI module grounded fine, all my other grounds are good. What am I missing?

 

[Geoff 2]

You could have a few issues:
- p/up incorrectly connected [ 50/50 chance...]
- timing is out
- plug leads going to wrong plugs.

P/up wires: the black wire on the Ch pick up goes to the G terminal on the module.


For initial start up: set #1 cyl [ firing, both valves closed ] to 20* BTDC. Turn the dist so that the reluctor tooth is just over centre & leaving behind the mating tooth. The tower that lines up is #1 plug lead.
Have you got the full 12v to the B terminal on the module?

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I tried this years ago & had intermittent no start issues... So eventually I hooked the output of the Chrysler distributor/pickup coil & reluctor on my antique oscilloscope & found the output is about 50% of the output of a GM pickup coil.... The signal is to weak to consistently trigger the GM module... I found some modules trigger with a lower signal

I actually built a hybrid distributor with a GM pickup in a Mopar housing...

 

[Geoff 2]

The air gap will affect the amplitude of the signal generated. Air gap should be 0.007-8", no more.