HEI Ignition question

[Jack]

Not HEI. You can tell if it has a coil wire going to the centre of the cap.

http://www.holley.com/HiOctn/ProdLine/Products/IS/ISA/821-1.html

check it out ... Holley pn 821-1 ... enables remote coil use with plain jane HEI ... has center terminal for routing coil wire to remote mounted coil. MSD makes one also ... dunno pn ... I have both Holley & MSD remote coil conversion covers.
JACK:gap

 

[mmvette80]

I was reading this post and have a question. I have never replaced my vac advance or weights in my distributor. Is this something that is supposed to be done regularly?
Also, how come I always see 75-79 replacement parts for the distributor but not 80? The 1980 305 had the ECM not the 350? I went to the local auto parts stores and the weight kits are a different shape from 79-80.

 

[Jack]

The 1980 305 had the ECM not the 350? I went to the local auto parts stores and the weight kits are a different shape from 79-80.

No, neither vac nor mech advance need replacing on regular basis. But ... the ignition curves they govern are usually very poor for performance ... so replacing the can & springs with ones of different ratings will change that curve & usually improve both economy & power ... again I am referencing 71 thru 81 C3 ... points or HEI. I highly recommend Lars papers on this subject ... they are archived here at CACC & elsewhere. Vacuum cans often fail after many years ... their rubber diaphragms eventually leak ... yielding vacuum leak and/or little or no vac advance. Also, time & lack of lube will wear out or sieze mech advance.

I cannot answer with certainty exactly which HEI 80 thru 82 C3 has ... 305 or 350. Maybe there's so many variances it's impossible to package a kit that fits all GM V8 HEI. However, if you have a vac can ... check out the Lars papers & choose an appropriate can. Also, if you have a mech advance (that has two small coiled springs under rotor) ... then check out Lars papers and choose an appropriate mech kit ... maybe use ONLY the springs ... lighter springs will bring in the mech advance sooner (usually a good thing).

This is my general understanding of C3 HEI ... it’s probably NOT exactly right, corrections welcomed!
75-79 C3 ALL had HEI w/ both vac & mech advance.
80 C3 NON-California had HEI w/ both vac & mech advance.
305 C3 California had modified HEI ... lacking mech or vac ... or both.
81 C3 NON-California had modified HEI ... lacking mech or vac ... or both.
82 C3 had computerized fuel injection and lacked both vac & mech advance.

If your 80 has both vac & mech advance ... and you want more economy & power ... and are willing to forsake emissions ... I’d change the vac can & the springs ... lighter springs from a 79 & back HEI kit SHOULD work fine. Read the Lars papers for choosing a better can. You’ll need a dial-back timing light or a regular light & fully-degreed damper (timing tape) to properly set up the curve. Or a shop that has a distributor machine ... they’ll place your distributor into their benchtop machine & set curve ... then you put distributor back into your car.

BTW, I changed the springs & can in a buddy’s 80 Suburban 350 w/ HEI having both vac & mech advance ... suburban tows a trailer & light race car. Made a very nice improvement in both power & economy. I did not change the weights.

Also, I understand Lars offers a performance kit specific for your year-engine vette that includes select, specific vac can & springs. Considering the time Lars spends researching & selecting specific parts ... at about $40/kit his kits are a bargain for most folks.
JACK:gap

 

[LEEJANDZ]

Jack -- Lars offers a performance kit specific for your year-engine vette that includes select, specific vac can & springs. Considering the time Lars spends researching & selecting specific parts ... at about $40/kit his kits are a bargain for most folks.

How can I contact this LARS?

 

[Jack]

How can I contact this LARS?

He is a CACC member "lars"... http://corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/member.php?s=&action=getinfo&userid=7022

JACK:gap

 

[LEEJANDZ]

Thank you
Thank you



JASON *** BRAND NEW MAGNECOR WIRES FOR SALE!!! *** 1979 L-82

 

[ratdog]

I read all these posts and quite honestly, it seems this person is probably so confused he bailed on you "experts". "Yes it is, no it isn't"!!!!!-------------HOLY CONFUSING!!!!!!

 

[Rob]

I read all these posts and quite honestly, it seems this person is probably so confused he bailed on you "experts". "Yes it is, no it isn't"!!!!!-------------HOLY CONFUSING!!!!!!

Well thanks for sharing your "expertise" here and helping to eliminate the confusion with your observations. Out of curiosity, do you ever have anything positive to say???

 

[LEEJANDZ]

:L :L :L

 

[Bob Chadwick]

...do you ever have anything positive to say???

My thoughts exactly.

 

[ratdog]

For your info "Rob", it would be more beneficial for someone to go visit a mechanic or talk to someone at a speedshop and get a more direct answer than all the "heehawing" that goes on in these forums. I was merely pointing out that he posed a question and after a dozen or so responses there was no definite answer. If it did anything to this person it confused him further, "yes it's HEI, no it's points, yes/no does it have a coil in the cap"!!! You can partially blame it on the person who asks the question, but most goes to the people answering. I spent years hanging out at a garage and trying to maintain a 69 Nova SS to learn what little I know, you can't expect someone to pick up what kind of distributor he has when he alone doesn't even know what the engine builder did. He has to have a basic knowledge, or "your" bombardment of contradictory advice will totally "F" him up. Seems like people on this board need to lighten up and get the"I hope I have the right marks on my bolt heads" attitude out of their head..................................................DICKHEAD

 

[Bob Chadwick]

..................................................DICKHEAD

I thought his name was ratdog?

Seems like DICKHEAD's days on this board are numbered.

 

[ratdog]

Like I said "Bobchad", if it doesn't agree with "THEIR" opinion, you are ostracized. If anyone censors me, it will be myself. Like Howard Stern said "people censor when they can't control their own feelings"

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Like I said "Bobchad", if it doesn't agree with "THEIR" opinion, you are ostracized. If anyone censors me, it will be myself. Like Howard Stern said "people censor when they can't control their own feelings"

Nobody is sensoring your opinion. We value opinions here. We just wonder why yours are always negative and don't help anyone, except perhaps your own need to criticize.

I remember the first post of yours that I saw. The guy was trying to get some kind of help and in your opinion had misspelled a word (turns out as I recall that the spelling was correct for the country this individual was from). Rather than give any kind of positive feedback and assistance, you criticized him for his spelling.

That may be the kind of "assistance" you are used to at the other boards you have participated on, but it is not acceptable here. As I recall, you were flamed at that time, just like you were here.

Rob and the other moderators want a certain kind of individual here for a positive experience. Others with less than helpful attitudes have found that the members here support that goal and have eventually left to go elsewhere as it became apparent that their idea of help was not supported by this community.

Bob

 

[ratdog]

Some people help, some are critics. I see what I see................................................Tried to unsubscribe from this board and can't find that option anywhere. Does that mean I'm stuck here?!?

 

[Bob Chadwick]

No. I have sent Rob an email with your request.

 

[Rob]

Some people help, some are critics. I see what I see................................................Tried to unsubscribe from this board and can't find that option anywhere. Does that mean I'm stuck here?!?

Nope. Consider yourself removed.

 

[Eagle85C4]

Thank God for small favors....Good Riddance

 

[Stingray6974]

In response to Ratdog's statement about taking his car to a mechanic or speedshop. This forum has members that are the most experienced mechanics in the Corvette world. I myself have been a mechanic for 28 years,ASE Mastertech and L1 certified. I also have a shop that I restore/repair Corvettes and maintain a large number of vettes in the D/FW area. Such members as C4C5specailist, Chick, and many others have devoted their careers to these cars. JohnZ with his infinite knowledge has been a tremendous help for members doing restorations and our own site administrator Rob with his uncanny knowledge of ZR-1's.
We have the full range of members from obsessed to teenagers looking for their first Corvette. There's no such thing as a dumb question here and no one will be criticized for asking. If you are having trouble identifying a part try posting a pic or email a pic to the moderator/ administrator of that particular forum. Someone will be able to help you. I can't read and answer every post but anyone is welcome to email me if they have a problem or question. Just in case I don't reply to their post right away.

Mike

 

[GerryLP]

Well said, Mike!

I know that you have helped me inmensely here, there, and everywhere. And that goes along with most everyone here. When I have had a question, there has been, at the least, an answer.

Yes! Sometimes one may say "what's the name of the 'digameajigger' part that is right there, there next to the fuel 'juryrigged' thingy", but by and large, most imputs are helpful and well meaning. Definetely, posting a picture helps, but darn it! -people here tries to help one even without a picture, and that speaks volumes about this web community! Thanks everyone!

Ratdog got zapped faster than a Medina Division tank!