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Points to HEI

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Old Nov 25, 2020 | 09:30 AM
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Default Points to HEI

69 switched from points to GM HEI. Won't crank, almost like neutral safety switch is activated. Switched to a high torque mini starter with two spots to connect to. What wires go where? Where do I grab 12 volts to distributor?
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Old Nov 25, 2020 | 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Freakzilla
69 switched from points to GM HEI. Won't crank, almost like neutral safety switch is activated. Switched to a high torque mini starter with two spots to connect to. What wires go where? Where do I grab 12 volts to distributor?
for the HEI I would use the following harness and replace the resistance wire on the engine harness. https://www.lectriclimited.com/h-e-i-conversion-harness

As for the starter you won’t need the wire going to the points anymore. You just need the power wire from the battery which is the obviously big wire. And the trigger wire from the ignition switch, which is the small purple wire.

Last edited by Sigforty; Nov 25, 2020 at 10:31 AM.
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Old Nov 25, 2020 | 10:44 AM
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Can't remember the color but whichever wire on your ballast resistor is hot 12V when key is on is the hot wire you want to use on your HEI68 and older models only

Last edited by reno stallion; Nov 26, 2020 at 11:30 AM. Reason: add
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Old Nov 25, 2020 | 11:47 AM
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Yup, I took mine 12v from the same ACC output you marked. Works just fine
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Old Nov 25, 2020 | 12:40 PM
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I don't think you want to power an HEI set up with resistor wire feed. You can tap into that feed wire down by the bulkhead connector and run 'regular' wire up to the HEI distributor. That will essentially bypass the bulk of the resistor wire and defeat the 'current-limiting' effect of that wire. (essentially provide straight 12 vdc to the HEI)
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Old Nov 25, 2020 | 03:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Freakzilla
69 switched from points to GM HEI. Won't crank, almost like neutral safety switch is activated. Switched to a high torque mini starter with two spots to connect to. What wires go where? Where do I grab 12 volts to distributor?

You definitely do not want to use the existing resistor wire for your HEI. The previous owner of my '73 had converted to HEI but used the existing resistor wire. I was having carburetor problems and what seemed like ignition related problems and I took the car to have it dyno tuned. The tuner re-jetted and tuned the carb which helped but the engine kept falling off at higher RPMs as if there were igntion problems. He finally figured out the old resistor wire was in play and replaced it. No more weird ignition issues after that and engine ran great all the way to the red line.

DC
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Old Nov 25, 2020 | 08:26 PM
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The C3 corvettes that I have seen with points did not use a ballast resister, they used a resistance wire instead. The wire from the firewall connector to the coil was designed to do the job of a ballast resister, so if switching to HEI, do not use the original wire because you won't get the needed voltage/amperage to the distributor. Either run a new wire from the IGN terminal in the fuse box( not the acc terminal, it only has power in acc and run, not in start), or remove the resistance wire from the bulkhead firewall connector and run a 12 gage wire to the distributor.
Make sense?

Last edited by '75; Nov 25, 2020 at 08:28 PM.
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Old Nov 26, 2020 | 12:14 AM
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Originally Posted by '75
The C3 corvettes that I have seen with points did not use a ballast resister, they used a resistance wire instead. The wire from the firewall connector to the coil was designed to do the job of a ballast resister, so if switching to HEI, do not use the original wire because you won't get the needed voltage/amperage to the distributor. Either run a new wire from the IGN terminal in the fuse box( not the acc terminal, it only has power in acc and run, not in start), or remove the resistance wire from the bulkhead firewall connector and run a 12 gage wire to the distributor.
Make sense?
Learn something new every day. What year did that start?
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Old Nov 26, 2020 | 12:28 AM
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Originally Posted by reno stallion
Learn something new every day. What year did that start?
Just looked it up
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Old Nov 26, 2020 | 10:03 AM
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The '68 was the only C3 to use an actual ballast resistor. All following model years with points systems got the resistance wire. Does my first post make sense to you now?
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Old Nov 26, 2020 | 11:28 AM
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Originally Posted by 7T1vette
The '68 was the only C3 to use an actual ballast resistor. All following model years with points systems got the resistance wire. Does my first post make sense to you now?
Yes it dose dam I hate when that happens. But very good to know. Hope I didn't ruffle your feathers
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Old Nov 27, 2020 | 11:04 AM
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Not at all........
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Old Nov 29, 2020 | 11:08 AM
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Mmmm...my December 67 build 68' has a resistance wire only. No ballast resistor like a Chrysler. Car is 95% oem.
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