HEI anyone?

[502GTX]

Well, my Thunderbolt ignition has taken a dump yet again. This time the distributor module is dead after less than 50 hrs. It ran great when I put it away but today I was getting the boat ready for this season and no spark...again. I did the tests I found on the net and it points to the module again. I'm thinking of ditching the Thunderbolt for an HEI (marine) and was wondering if anybody had any thoughts on this or had done it?

 

[Jetmate]

Been running a stock automotive GM HEI in mine for years. Never had a problem. And it was used!

 

[wired]

For under 6500 RPM or so they are the best and cheapest distributor you're going to find. If you do use the HEI stuff be careful what cap you use. Ive burned holes in MSD brand caps with a hotter coil.

 

[Jetmate]

Are we talkin' BBC here or OB?

 

[wired]

Are we talkin' BBC here or OB?

Don't have outboard motors on any of my cars so its BBC.

Mercury called their electronic ignition "thunderbolt" even on I/O's

 

[atc250r]

Took an HEI out of a parts car before it went to the junkyard. Put a good module and coil in it, recurved it, removed the vac advance and tack welded it in place, put a small piece of weather strip on to cover the gap from where the vac arm used to be and been using it in my beater boat for 7 or 8 years. No problem at all.

John

 

[502GTX]

I was thinking about putting a marine HEI in it just to keep the Coast Guard Nazis happy. I really have a hard time believing that I need anything other than an automotive unit though. We used to do the same mods mentioned above on our race cars and never had a failure.

I really don't want to see any more tow ropes this year. Last year I had some gremlins in the wiring from a poorly wired electric fuel pump and needed a couple of tows before I found it. Thanks for the replies fellas.

 

[Jetmate]

Took an HEI out of a parts car before it went to the junkyard. Put a good module and coil in it, recurved it, removed the vac advance and tack welded it in place, put a small piece of weather strip on to cover the gap from where the vac arm used to be and been using it in my beater boat for 7 or 8 years. No problem at all.

John

That's what I'm talking about. You're not turning super high RPM's in a boat so you don't something that is so elaborate.

 

[Jetmate]

Mistook that huge signature pic of Wired's 2.5 as part of the comment,,,,,,my bad.

 

[jim235]

Davis Unified Ignition (DUI) makes a marine HEI distributor. Highly recommend them.

 

[Blue Mist '97]

X2 on DUI. Plus you can pick your favorite color cap all for about $320. Send them your engine specs and they'll set it up for you before they ship it.

Going to DUI + their Live Wires next winter myself.