HEI, issues! - Page 2

**86cj74.2L** · 06-24-2012, 01:46 PM

Higher compression smaller gap....lower compression larger gap.

Fords stock gap on some of their duraspark 6 cylinders was .055. Back in the day I use to think that meant it was a high performance coil........boy was I wrong.

The larger the gap the more available spark energy is used just to create the higher voltage spark. When it finally has enough energy to spark the gap then their isn't much energy left for the spark duration.

Think of a 5 gallon bucket as the total spark energy available. The larger the gap the more of the bucket is needed just to spark the gap and their is very little energy left for the spark duration. .

Always2L8 · 06-24-2012, 02:09 PM

Quote:

86cj74.2L wrote:
Think of a 5 gallon bucket as the total spark energy available. The larger the gap the more of the bucket is needed just to spark the gap and their is very little energy left for the spark duration. .

Soooooo....., what your saying is to install a 5 gallon bucket to collect the spark energy. I don't have a whole lot of room in my engine compartment. Does anyone have any pictures of how they did it? Would two 2-1/2 gallon buckets work?

Sorry, been raining the past two days and I'm just a little bored.

I6CJ7 · 06-25-2012, 11:18 AM

Nope, no red dust on the rotor, But as I recall when I pulled my cap off awhile back I did have some red dust under it, I scraped it off cleaned up the contacts and put her back on.

Maybe ill try messing with the gaps, and ill check what plugs I have, need new ones anyways.

Update: today after putting in the new coil, and new module with some good thermal paste.
Im watching my tach idling at 650rpm, I touch the brakes just light enough to make the lights come on.... my tach needle dropped about 150rpm and stays that way as long as the brake lights are lit. No change in idle at all, stayed nice and smoothe. But something is affecting the tach signal???

**86cj74.2L** · 06-25-2012, 01:33 PM

That idle drop could be from the electrical load from the brake lights...........I personally don't idle the 258 that low. But it's also a automatic.

I6CJ7 · 06-25-2012, 01:48 PM

Its not the idle dropping, its the tach needle that drops. I can hear and feel no change in idle speed.
Its as if the tach signal is getting interrupted by something else?

I6CJ7 · 06-25-2012, 05:49 PM

Another update, I shifted into reverse today and was backing up and the jeep cutoff... now im 90% sure I didn't stall it... I dont think its even possible with the sm465 reverse ratio.... its too low, I can let the clutch out with no gas and it goes fine.

I restarted, pulled forward, then backed up again fine, but I noticed my tach needle dropped 100rpm when I shifted into reverse... sooo brake lights are affecting the signal... as are thr reverse lights...

My voltmeter shows a steady 14v...

Something weird is goin on...

Edit: I just started my CJ up to check things, and I hit the brake pedal: jeep immediately cut off! Its like I hit a killswitch! Wtf!?!

Tried 3 times to start it back up, it finally did, coughing a bit, I revved and smoothed it out a bit.
Tried hitting the brakes but it didn't do it this time, also tried all other turn signals and reverse lights again...
Im letting it sit till someone can help me... I have no inkling to what's wrong with it now...

Shawn...help?

**86cj74.2L** · 06-25-2012, 06:13 PM

Use the 14 awg wire going to your HEI to energize a relay that's fed strait off the battery. The relay will cost less then 10 dollars

**86cj74.2L** · 06-25-2012, 06:17 PM

Do you have power brakes? A HEI will run all day on 9v.

I6CJ7 · 06-25-2012, 07:05 PM

I do have power brakes. But the more I think about it, it seems like a grounding issue....

The HEI should have a full 12v to run, but true they can run with less, just not to there full potential.

I've been meaning to pickup a relay to do the direct power.

**86cj74.2L** · 06-25-2012, 07:31 PM

Does it stall at idle when your doing anything else with accessories or just when you apply the brakes?

I6CJ7 · 06-25-2012, 08:35 PM

It did it with the brakes and I think the reverse light as well. And it didn't stall, it was like a killswitch had been turned... completely dead, didn't sputter or anything.

**86cj74.2L** · 06-25-2012, 08:47 PM

My negative cable has a #12 pigtail molded into the main cable that goes to the engine block. The pigtail gets bolted to the firewall right beside the battery.

With your HEI you can run a ground wire from the Dizzy base to the battery...........you can't get any better ground to the distributor then that.