My apologies, as I know this topic has been addressed countless times. However, SOMEONE please help and give me the short, simple, non- relay answer to my question. The internet is no help. I have a 65 corvette. I am installing and HEI distributor (coil in cap). What is the most direct way to supply power in both the start and run positions? The wires in back of my ignition switch are: Red(Batt. / Constant), Purple (ignition/ starter solenoid), Brown (accessory), black/black pink (resitor/coil). There is no single start/run wire. I have unaltered factory wiring. I am looking for a one wire (with fuse, obviously) solution. Or, two correct wires (one for start, one for run) connected to my single 10 gauge wire to HEI. Thank you for your help!!!!

 

Does your starter have an "R" or "I" terminal? These will provide 12v during crank. On my 64, my interior and dash is stock, but a true digital CD ignition system under the hood. I ran a "trigger" wire from the fuse box to turn the CD-1 system on. Of course during crank, this feed is dead. Neither Tilton nor Meziere starters have the extra terminal, so I ran another wire from my starter through the anode of a diode to the ignition box. This provided 12v during crank, and the cathode side of the diode stopped any back feed from the switch when released to the run position. This kept everything completely stock looking on the interior and the diode is in my harness. (Engine side harness is custom, but loomed up to look stock.)

Brandon Unklesbay
All-In Performance, LLC

 

Thank you for helping. My starter appears to be the original (?) So, without looking, the solenoid does have 2 terminals (S&R). I believe the wires are purple and black. One for the starter to turn over the motor (S). Once that happens, to my knowledge the power is then diverted to the coil (R). So, which wire do I use (if any). I mean, they cannot be combined. Still confused.

 

The only wire you need is the one that fed the ballast resistor. 12v in from the key.

 

Okay, so I just double checked (the best I could with the shield in place). The wires are purple and black. The Black appears to go to the 'R' terminal, while the purple goes to the 'I' terminal. No 'S', as far as I could see.

 

"S" will be your cranking power, "R" will provide 12v during crank. You will still need a switched 12v source from your switch or fuse panel. If your ballast resistor is still there, one side is hot with the key on. Use it for your 12v HEI power supply. You can eliminate your ballast at this point.

Brandon

 

Pop, the plug for the ignition switch I have pictured shows 2 18 ga. (?) wires - black & black/pink tracer combined in one crimp from the factory. So, are you saying I should join with those at the plug?

 

Still confused. Which wire/wires - specifcally, should I hook my 10 gauge (with fuse) HEI power wire to?

 

Personally, I would run a 10 gauge wire from the horn relay through a hidden cutoff switch under the dash to the HEI 10 gauge wire. Put the fuse as close to the horn relay as possible.

 

The horn relay has 12v with the key off or on. A lot of potential for problems there.
Unless someone who knows HEI tells you different, I would move the wire from one end (either) to the other end of the ballast under the same screw, effectively bypassing the ballast, but leaving it in looking more stock. That would put 12v on the positive of the coil when in start AND run using stock wiring already there, so connect the HEI power there with those two wires.
All you need to accomplish from what you had stock is getting the ballast out of the circuit and the other connections remain the same. It would be the same electrical point if you connect the HEI wire to the same screw on the ballast you just connected, so you can connect the HEI either at the coil or at the ballast, your choice. Note, the black with pink stripe on your car.s starter solenoid is the same as the pink in this diagram.

 

True HEI uses a coil with a primary resistance of approx. .5 ohms. Using Ohms law, 12v/.5 has a potential amp draw of 24 amps. In my opinion an 18gu wire is too thin for this application. GM always used at least a 12gu wire directly from the ignition switch.
To the OP, I would definitely use a relay for this application.

 

Yes, I understand. Thank you, greatly! Here's the thing: The ballast resister wires are 18 ga.(?)

I do have a factory power port on the fuse block which is 12V with key on or off (There is also Acc port, but powered only when key is on). I am more inclined to run a 10 gauge wire with in-line fuse from the power port to a switch (per Factoid) discreetly under dash, then to HEI. I have done this in the past with other cars. It is just that I was hoping for a more "stock" approach. What say you all?

 

In a positive light, this approach would be completely non-invasive an independent of factory setup.

 

I would not want a switch that I had to turn off and on every time I wanted to drive or park. But it's not my car and your choice. I also would not use HEI, but that wasn't in the question. You asked a couple of times where you could connect the wire to get 12v in both run and start, and I was attempting to find one. A lot of people have run HEI without relays and switches and using stock wiring for a long time, but I have not. That's why I said "if anyone who knows HEI tells you different", in case my idea wouldn't be a good one.

 

Thank you everyone for all your input and help. I greatly value this forum and all of you!

Here is what I discovered...accidently. It was actually in an unrelated post regarding ac and electric fans - lol!
The short answer to my original HEI question is this: On my 65 - or yours , the factory wiring from the ignition switch for both start and run are the 2 black and black/pink(purple?) 18 gauge wires factory crimped together. They might also be solid pink. Per factory, mine were not. They ultimately end up at the ballast resister and go from there. THIS is where you plug in your 10 gauge wire (with in-line fuse) to the Battery terminal of your HEI. OR, you could go the fuse block/switch route, which I previously mentioned. So, unless someone else knows better, I thank you all and will go from here. Cheers!

 

Thank you Pop! Your answer proved to be the correct one. But, more specifically, it's two wires in from the key. Both 18 gauge. So, you would need to go directly to the plug source with 10 gauge

 

The schematic I have for a 65 shows a #12 ga. red wire to the ignition switch - not fused. You could replace the existing pink wire from the ignition switch to the ballast resistor (or to the HEI) with a #12 ga. pink wire to look original. You could add a fuse in this wire or come from the IGN terminal if there is one (not shown).
The purple wire goes to the S terminal of the Delco Remy solenoid to activate the solenoid and starter. Don't change it.
The wire from the R terminal is shown as pink on the schematic I have, but may be black with a pink stripe. It provides power to the ignition coil while cranking only.
The purple wire on the S terminal is activated by the ignition switch to power the coil in the solenoid and push the copper washer to the BATT contact to power the R terminal and the contact for the starter motor at the bottom. There is no power on the R terminal nor the starter motor terminal until the solenoid moves the washer into contact with the BATT terminal at the top even though the R terminal contact rides on the washer all of the time as the washer is only energized when it contacts the BATT terminal.


Inside of the cap R terminal on the right but on the left when installed on the solenoid.
Thus, the wire from the R terminal should be connected to the ignition coil of the HEI to power the HEI during cranking. Although it is only a 18 ga. wire, it is only powered during cranking. It may be adequate for that short period of time.
I would hook the pink wire (original or #12 ga new) and the wire from the R terminal (pink or black w/ pink stripe) to the HEI BATT terminal for the integral ignition coil or both to the ballast resistor and then a new wire to the HEI. I don't believe a diode is needed unless I am not seeing something, but it wouldn't hurt anything.
You may wish to replace the wire from the R terminal with a #12 wire also, if you feel it necessary.
My best guess. Please let Jack and Brandon and the other gentlemen review and correct this explanation as I am not an electrical engineer. Plus I do make mistakes once in a while.
Ron

 

Edit: Read my post below, discussing the two black/pink wires. I see that R66 also posted about this while I was typing.

 

Per your schematic, one black w/Pink wire from the ignition switch ON or IGN terminal feeds the top fuse (gauges and BU) in the fuse box and the other feeds the ballast resistor.
CAUTION: your black w/ pink stripe wire from the R terminal of the starter will still be hot when you go to the start position of the key unless you eliminate it at the starter, assuming you are not using it, or just insulate the lug that did attach to the ignition coil.

 

The pink/black wire on the starter solenoid gets it voltage during start from the contacts in the solenoid, not from the ignition switch. Once the key is released from start to run, that terminal with the black/pink wire no longer gets the 12v from the solenoid contacts and the voltage on the coil + now comes from the pink wire on the ballast. There are two pink wires on the ignition switch, but where they connect they feed the ballast resistor and the top fuse for the gauges and b/u light switch. The purple wire on the ignition switch only has 12v in start and goes to the starter terminal to activate the solenoid which pulls the contacts internally and feed the 12v from the BATTERY positive to the the pink/black wire that goes up to the coil. The 12v in start position does not come from the ignition switch, it comes from the battery via the contacts inside the solenoid. The simplest way to connect your HEI is following the rudimentary diagram I drew. You can increase the wire size if you wish.