I noticed the HEI distributors on ebay and elsewhere seem to start at 1975 and up years. will they still work in my 1971 sbc ? Also- are they less troublesome than points? I really don't climb on engines well anymore to set points so looking to upgrade. I also see some off brand on net with distributor and wires for $120.. is this less quality than a Delco-Remy one?

 

HEI is fine, and it will retrofit on just about any sbc, but there's nothing wrong with points, especially on a GM distributor where you can set the dwell with the engine running. And you can always install a Pertronic on non HEI distributors if you're allergic to points.

 

Keep in mind that most of the 75 and up HEI doesn't have the mechanical tach drive provision
You either need to buy one with it or change to an electric tach (or have yours converted etc)

 

when both are 100% in working order you wont notice a difference while doing every day driving. but when points start to fail your car will still run and let you know you need to fix it and you can limp home. when HEI fails your dead in the water and will need a tow

 

If the condenser fails you're also dead in the water, been there done that.

 

Yes. You'll either need to source an aftermarket HEI with mechanical tach drive or convert your tach to electronic. Both easily done. You'll also need to bypass the resistor wire that is connected to the points style distributor and run a new pink ignition wire to the new distributor. The HEI distributor won't get proper voltage if you fail to do this.

The large cap HEI distributors with coil in the cap are very large and end up close to the firewall. Not an issue until you get ready to remove the engine. At a minimum, you have to remove the cap to keep from breaking it when the engine it tilted for removal. Worst case, you just remove the distributor before removing the engine.



I've never had an HEI distributor fail. When they do fail, it's almost always the ignition module. It's so easy to carry a spare module. There is a reason engineers replaced points style distributors with HEI.

DC

 

i had them fail. Had points fail too. But when my points where bad I could drive home. They went to HEI because of tighter emission standards not because points where no good. Plus owners of new cars where driving more and needed less maintenance. The problem with points is every 6 miles or so you need to adjust. For a pleasure car I see no real advantage of spending a lot of money to gain very little. But his car and money for the money need to convert either to a widget to replace points in a stock dist or a new HEI one I can buy a lot of points sets and adjust them every 6k miles

 

I also have a 71

With HEI you'll probably note starting, idle and mid range is a bit crisper.... nothing big, just little crisper.

Nothing wrong w/ points and they're slightly more robust/reliable than HEI, but HEI virtually bulletproof as well. Points requires a teeny bit of maintenance.

Aside from occasionally changing out cap & rotor, HEI are virtually maintenance-free, So, a little less troublesome.

None of the OE HEI ever had a mechanical tach drive to operate your 71 mech tach; only an Aftermarket HEI WITH tach drive can do that.

HEI use entirely different sp wires than points and No coil wire like points uses. HEI caps have standing male terminals similar to a spark plug.

Points caps have a female socket. If you use an inexpensive dwell meter & access adjustment thru the cap window, most are quick & easy to set.

Local circletrack racers can run any type distributor; None use points and most use a GM type HEI. Primarily because motors w/ HEI run a little crisper.

Years ago, when the tach drive HEI first came out and most were $250-$350, I got in on it and I was peddling them as fast as I could at around $200. But like other innovations, the market becomes saturated and there's only so many old vettes that could use that type of distributor. Prices have since dropped precipitously. That dist that once was selling for $300 can now be had on fleabay for under $100; of course, all near that price point are asian.

-add-
in case you're unaware. Points rubbing block wears causing gap to close up. And, they're designed to be lubed. I have a small old tube of Harley hi temp points CAM lube ... A thin smear on dist cam is plenty ... Had that same tube for over 40 years ... Dunno an exact replacement but perhaps Standard Motor Products pn SL-2 about $3 @ rockauto

 

I would think that HEI us most commonly found at any local junk yard. they where last used until the early 90's compared to points

 

Those with 4-pin module (up until about 79) are great to refurb ... But ... good luck finding one in a yard nowadays ... most of those long gone.

Have an old one that's been tweaked for racing complete w/ Scott wires ... it's a spare. NFS
Also have a never-run new one that was a ZZ4 takeout about 10-15 years ago when it was outfitted for FI: got from TPIS clearance. NFS
GM-ACDELCO still has new ones but even those are offshore ... although well made.

 

Can anyone recommend a HEI system for a '69 that has a tach drive and will fit under the '75 ignition shield?

 

Ya know, you CAN retrofit a later tach into your dash or later guts into your tach.
This NOT a recommendation; simply a sample of what's available. Conventional coil-in-cap HEI WITH Tach drive. Both should fit within a 75 shield
I don't have a dog in the hunt.
For $60 ya KNOW it's asian and at that price it may or may not be a keeper
For $319 it may or may not have asian components but the DUI company has a long, good reputation.

$319 great quality
https://performancedistributors.com/...reetstrip-dui/

$60 certainly asian
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevy-V8-HE...AAAOSwe0NZzRJs

 

I recommend the DUI tach drive distributor. Made in America. I have had mine for many years now in my ZZ4. Lou.

 

Be aware that Pertronix can burn out as well. Never ever ever ever just leave the key in the ON position for any extended period of time.
I have had at least 2 Pertronix units fail on me. Just wanted to throw this in to the mix. And I am sure some have had Pertronix that
have had no issues at all. Some are lucky in love, and others.........well........

 

I bought one of these many years ago and it worked great!!! It was a tight fit under shield but it worked!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Dragon-...UAAOSw13heYdGz

 

good reason to choose a 4-pin GM HEI or a clone thereof. I don't recommend leaving key on w/ any battery ignition, but the 4-pin HEIs are Very robust & forgiving, parts are cheap & relatively quick & easy to acquire, R&R. All in all, probably THE best dist ever JMO