My 1983 Wagon (Eaglerod)

[thereverendbill]

well, oil leak is back and i have pin pointed it down to the back of the new valve cover.  So tomarrow i get to remove the valve cover and install gasket number 3 (removing the old one first then installing a new one).  this time though i am going to go against my better judgement and RTV the head and the valve cover to ensure a good seal.  While I am under the hood I figure i will clean everything up and make sure the timing is in check and get rid of some unused vacuum canisters (I pretty much gutted the car of all vacuum lines)

When i installed the HEI i didn't bypass the ECM, will could that be the cause of the car not wanting to idle?

[83Eagle!]

I am not too familiar with the HEI upgrade, but I thought you were supposed to bypass the ECM when you do the HEI upgrade.

[mudkicker715]

I am not too familiar with the HEI upgrade, but I thought you were supposed to bypass the ECM when you do the HEI upgrade.

X2................exceptno gm on stroker thing, msd baby its awesome.  On my 304 powered. I went cheap and went hei. Computer is gutted on that one.

[ammachine390]

I don't think that bypassing the ECM would be a must when converting to HEI. If you use the harness wires that went to the original ICM, then it should still work. The HEI module and the Ford ICM do the same thing, so keeping the ECM should be doable. But it would require a little bit of rewiring to the HEI module inside the distributor.

Question: How many go into your distributor right now (not including spark plug wires)?

[thereverendbill]

I don't think that bypassing the ECM would be a must when converting to HEI. If you use the harness wires that went to the original ICM, then it should still work. The HEI module and the Ford ICM do the same thing, so keeping the ECM should be doable. But it would require a little bit of rewiring to the HEI module inside the distributor.

Question: How many wires go into your distributor right now (not including spark plug wires)?

1 the yellow wire from the coil to power the HEI

[ammachine390]

1 the yellow wire from the coil to power the HEI

Do you mean the original coil + wire? If so, did you bypass the resistor wire?

I assume that the 1 yellow wire plugs into the "Bat" terminal on the HEI. Is there a 3 wire connector on the distributor as well?

[thereverendbill]

nothing on the distributor as far as wires go just a place for the 12 volt power supply and 1 for the tach.  i used my power probe to make sure that the yellow wire on the stock eagle coil was a true 12 volt and it was so that's why i used it 

[ammachine390]

Interesting, I always thought all HEI distributors had a few wires going from inside the base of the distributor to a harness connector up by the 12 volt power supply and tach terminals.

[thereverendbill]

Interesting, I always thought all HEI distributors had a few wires going from inside the base of the distributor to a harness connector up by the 12 volt power supply and tach terminals.

you are correct, there is a plug with the 3 wires that goes back into the distributor. I thought you where meaning 3 more wires to wire into the car

[ammachine390]

When i installed the HEI i didn't bypass the ECM, will could that be the cause of the car not wanting to idle?

I'm pretty sure that installing HEI would bypass the ECM because with your HEI, now the pickup is connected directly to the ignition module with no ECM interference. But you would still need to set the stepper motor pins to the correct location. Also, when bypassing the ECM, ignition timing is automatically retarded to after top dead center, so make sure the timing is correct. And what is your distributor advance vacuum connected to?

[thereverendbill]

When i installed the HEI i didn't bypass the ECM, will could that be the cause of the car not wanting to idle?

I'm pretty sure that installing HEI would bypass the ECM because with your HEI, now the pickup is connected directly to the ignition module with no ECM interference. But you would still need to set the stepper motor pins to the correct location. Also, when bypassing the ECM, ignition timing is automatically retarded to after top dead center, so make sure the timing is correct. And what is your distributor advance vacuum connected to?

my advance is connected to the same place as it was before, from the base of the carb.  The timing is Just about spot on (to ear, the harmonic balancer has loads of surface rust)
How do you set the stepper motor pins?

[ammachine390]

OK, I assume you have your advanced connected to the port on the passenger side of the carb, correct? From what I understand, to set the stepper motor pins, you just have to remove it, and extend the pins all the way and reinstall. When reinstalling, leave the stepper motor unplugged.

Also, just wondering, since installing HEI, does your sol-vac still work?

[thereverendbill]

the wagon is moving again.  The rain has halted all progess for today and got me thinking that I need a shelter for working on the cars in the rain on the hot days that are comming (not soon enough I might add) so i went out to harbor freight and picked up a portable car port for 120 bucks

[IowaEagle]

I have been thinking about something like that.

[jim]

I've considered that.  We have a carport but we have more vehicles than carport.  I suggested moving the wife's Impala out so we can get both Eagles inside, but that didn't go over too well.
 I have held off on the portable car port because there is no getting away from falling limbs and I didn't think the portable kind would survive.