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Gm 1 wire conversion

dingus45

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Feb 23, 2015
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Meade KS
I’m wanting to get a parts list going of what all it’s going to take to convert to the hei. Parts list. Drawings. Tips. Threads to a site that has done it. Anything would be awsome. It’s a 318. Don’t know it that matters. Tia
 
If it's a self contained unit like the GM HEI dist it only needs a 12v switched ignition source. What is it going into?
 
If it's a self contained unit like the GM HEI dist it only needs a 12v switched ignition source. What is it going into?
Its going into an 83 d150 318 2wd auto. I have to redo all the wiring through the whole truck and the engine bay is where i want to start. I found a few 6al ignition kits pretty cheap and i had a guy tell me that you can do a 1 wire set up for them. I had an issue with the truck not running last winter and had cobbled it together to get it to run.

My basic goal is to run my own wires, fuse box, and relay box. The truck is going back stock other than the 46re im rebuilding for the overdrive. Im shooting for mileage. Yes i know that small block + big truck means i have alot working against me but i like the body style and its what i have.

Back to the subject at hand. The guy i was talking to told me that you can take something out of the hei unit or get an hei unit that is one wire. Run the 12v to the switch but as far as what else i need to do i dont know. I think all it was for the msd ignition was to run power, ground, and ignition. I will admit i dont know what the new ignition box will replace and what all i will have to change along with the 1 wire set up to make it run.
 
If trying to do this swap in a 72 to 87 ram space is limited. The GM HEI is a big unit.
 
I see what you want to do now, I have seen distributors using the HEI module mounted in a heatsink. Here is a article, I know it's from Super Chevy but you get the basic's.

Upgrading a Points Distributor to an HEI System - Vette Magazine

Found a even better article from Hot Rod
How To Convert A Ford Or Chrysler Ignition To GM HEI - Car Craft

This should get you what you want, the second one even shows the basic wiring. Good luck


Awsome info man thats what i was looking for.

7Mopar Thanks for the heads up. ill have to check for space and see where the new fuse block is going. see if i cant rig up something fancy
 
Its going into an 83 d150 318 2wd auto. I have to redo all the wiring through the whole truck and the engine bay is where i want to start. I found a few 6al ignition kits pretty cheap and i had a guy tell me that you can do a 1 wire set up for them. I had an issue with the truck not running last winter and had cobbled it together to get it to run.

My basic goal is to run my own wires, fuse box, and relay box. The truck is going back stock other than the 46re im rebuilding for the overdrive. Im shooting for mileage. Yes i know that small block + big truck means i have alot working against me but i like the body style and its what i have.

Back to the subject at hand. The guy i was talking to told me that you can take something out of the hei unit or get an hei unit that is one wire. Run the 12v to the switch but as far as what else i need to do i dont know. I think all it was for the msd ignition was to run power, ground, and ignition. I will admit i dont know what the new ignition box will replace and what all i will have to change along with the 1 wire set up to make it run.
you said in the text here you going to run a 46re did you mean a 46rh or how are you going to control the re?The reason I'm asking if you're going to put late model fuel injection on it you can use all that to control your ignition alternator everything.
 
This little sketch may help you with what you want to do. I have not done it yet but I plan to in both my Truck and My Duster so I have researched it alot. It should be very simple. Just make sure the ignition gets power in both the start and run positions of the key as both have separate wires from the ignition switch. Another tip I picked up is that you need to mount the HEI unit as close to the distributor as possible. There are some brackets available for this however I am going to attempt to make my own.

Cley
4Pin.jpg
 
I'd go with the MSD just easy and, small. You wouldn't need to worry about room. If rewiring your truck checkout summit. They have harness kits with fuse box and all. Every wire is marked as to where it goes. Maybe a little more expensive but, well worth it. I used one in my 87 and, easy peasy.
 
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