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I have a 79 C3 with 350. Can anyone recommend an HEI distributor with coil that is good quality and economical? Prices and coil voltages vary so I will ask the experts at Corvette Forum - Thx!
Another vote for the DUI......still going great after many years. "Good quality" and "economical" should not be in the same sentence.....you don't want to pay twice to get a good one.
I have a 79 C3 with 350. Can anyone recommend an HEI distributor with coil that is good quality and economical? Prices and coil voltages vary so I will ask the experts at Corvette Forum - Thx!
First things first....what is wrong with the distributor you currently have, assuming there is one?
Davis Unified HEI are very good but double the abobe.
Old OE HEI are cheap & easy to rebuild.
-edit-
as for Hi-Voltage claims ... you're proof that marketing hype sells sells product ... but regardless whether 40K or 50K or 65K ... for most street rods the number is Moot. It simply means they are CAPABLE of delivering a Hi Volt. But in reality, vast majority of street rods' motors will Never call for that to light off a plug ... most will never even call for half that.
Another vote for the DUI......still going great after many years. "Good quality" and "economical" should not be in the same sentence.....you don't want to pay twice to get a good one.
I am replacing the original motor (issues) with a newer rebuilt engine along with new manifold, Carb, distributor, wires etc.. Don't want to reuse the old dist with new motor. Thx
From: SUFFIELD CT USA 2023 C8 CORVETTE UN-MODIFIED FINALIST
2023 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by Countryside Cafe
I am replacing the original motor (issues) with a newer rebuilt engine along with new manifold, Carb, distributor, wires etc.. Don't want to reuse the old dist with new motor. Thx
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Originally Posted by Countryside Cafe
I am replacing the original motor (issues) with a newer rebuilt engine along with new manifold, Carb, distributor, wires etc.. Don't want to reuse the old dist with new motor. Thx
The plug gap and cylinder pressure determine the spark voltage, not the coil. The coil voltage rating is for the insulation/dielectric, not the actual output of the coil.
As others have mentioned, Energy is a key element and the HE in HEI stands for high energy.
A genuine Delco distributor will equal or surpass any aftermarket piece in quality and durability.
If you do go the aftermarket direction, buy a quality unit, as others have recommended.
Davis Unified HEI are very good but double the abobe.
...
I also put a NOS 93440806 in my 79 (a ZZ4 crate take-off from eBay, but never run). I followed @lars' tuning instructions. Out of the box, you will still need advance springs, endplay shims, and a different vacuum can. But it made a tremendous difference over the stock distributor it replaced, that was basically unrebuildable. And it looks completely stock, too.
A DUI unit might save some tuning, but you should still follow @lars' instructions for timing and setup.