HEI Upgrades

[xblaxermnx]

Hey everybody I am in need of some advice. I rebuilt my 350 and kept the stock HEI. I am thinking that I would like to upgrade, you guys understand .

Well here are my specs.
350 bored 30 over
9.5to1 comp
Edelbrock preformer cam and intake
Carter 650 CFM
Headers and 2.5in exhaust

I dont feel comfotable pulling the distributer and would like to just bolt on the upgrade, retime the engine and go.

Thanks for any input!

 

[1-ton]

Well, if you do not want to pull the distributor, then the only upgrades I can think of are bolt on ones like a control module, distributor cap, and coil. A company called Standard makes premium quality control modules, distributor cap, and coil. They come in a Blue parts box...not the red parts boxes, which are Standards OEM quality stuff.

 

[Triaged]

You can change out all the parts except for the gear and bushing with it still on the engine. I think it is easier to mark it and pull it out.

I got a parts kit from summit that came with a new everything for the HEI. I then put all the old parts (most of which are probably better quality than the new parts) in my spare parts bag that I always take with (starter, alt, hoses, filters, fuel pump, belts, etc...).

 

[dyeager535]

To be honest, when you rebuilt the engine, you should have gone through the distributor. You need to check endplay and insure that the bushing and shaft are still in good shape, otherwise you are wasting your time "upgrading" something that has bad hardparts. I've had plenty of GM distributors that had bad hardparts, or needed to have the endplay fixed, so it's a very real possibility.

There is really nothing wrong with stock HEI for anything other than folks that run high RPM's (mud, etc) so as long as the parts are in good shape (ones I mentioned, plus the springs, weights, and bushings for the weights) and the engine runs fine, you won't gain much, if anything, but upgrading what is already there. You'll hear people that say they got a smoother idle, but other than that, you aren't going to see more power from an ignition "upgrade" with HEI. Again, within the bounds of "normal" truck usage.