[steve]

I have an new hei cap with loose terminals. I can't tell if it took a hit or if it's just low quality. I am assuming it's junk and they should not be loose.

[6ragtop8]

They should not be loose, I would get a different one. Just one opinion!

[pontiac 455ho]

i agree they should be tight. i went with a pertronix cap. or accel is also good. and brass is aslo better to

[77 TRASHCAN]

Seems like everything is made off shore...When you call or go to a parts store ask for options of quality...
The Standard Motor Products brand of parts is very good, their "Blue Streak" line is their best. BUT the price is not cheap!!! All the AC Delco stuff, used to be top notch, not sure about now...
Almost all parts stores are price oriented, the counter guy is afraid to bring out anything put the cheapest, in fear that he will loose a sale to the other "el cheapo" parts store in town, and might not even tell you there is a better quality of part available......
I used to sell auto parts, thankfully didn't work for a chain, couldn't stand selling "junk" auto parts...

[Goest69]

I agree!

[Half-Inch Stud]

I'm in the throws of rebuilding an HEI (part compare) and I can say...

most ALL the posts are loose on most all the HEI caps. I even have an unused (NEW) cap (snagged it from a U-Pull-It trunk).
================================================== ===
Here's what I've got to say about the super-simple HEI:

1) PMD Weight-plate & Post-plate are CCW specific so I had to marker parts for REFERENCE with "PMD up" & draw a "Chevy logo" on the flip-side. no big deal eh.

2) Reluctor pickups have Green-Tan with Magnetic polarity a certain way, then the Chevy has Tan-Green with Magnet polarity the same certain way. BIG DEAL RPM eval is needed to see if reluctor level is sufficient.

3) HEI chips; White vs Yellow, and the -10degree variant (may come in handy to kick-in -10 degrees some day). BIG DEAL if you like that feature. RPM eval needed to eval Reluctor level is up to it.

4) Rotors are all the same, keep em clean.

5) Coils: Primary 0.7Ohms (+/- 0.1Ohm) an all coild measured. Secondaries: 5.8KOhm typical, even the Accel Supercoil, so Seems to me GM's White-wire coil is same as Accel in terms of copper ratios, but a fella cannot tell about the Steel's magnetic saturation, so RPM eval neede to eval spark strength past 4500

6) While you at it, check the resistance of the cap-rotor brush. Al mine show 4k through 6k Ohms, except there is 1 that is zero Ohms. I'm junkin to use the Zero Ohm button, any thoughts there?

7) Vacuum ADV is cool left alone, but I have the Rotor-Cap phasing tweak and Reco Others Phase-in by shifting the Vac-plate mount for best transfer at upper RPM. Don;t be busting cranks from a spark-jump to forward post=CYL.

8) modified a Makita 11,000RPM motor to run at half-speed and full speed using a 2-speed trigger from an electric drill. That will get the "JB-Weld enabled Arbor interface" Oil pump shaft section with rubber hose to allow HEI RPM-evals for quick go-no-go spark evals. HEP Test cap will use a copper wire ring on 7 Posts going to a resistor divider to allow DMM Volt meter eval "read & Record" the DC voltage at the 2 RPMS for Pass fail of parts (Reluctors, chips, coils) & total assy. the 8th post goes to an actual Sparkplug view of the spark quality across a gap.

9) Yea, I strongly suspect my 68GTO has a working HEI with marginal spark past 4500RPM, whereas all Prior HEIs were made from matching good stuff, and sold under the assumption "we'll make more". Time to make more. HIS

[David Jones]

I use the MSD replacement caps. Expensive and high quality. NO loose parts.

[steve]

HIS...where are you getting new reluctor pickups/ ect. ?

[77 TRASHCAN]

One thing, I've learned from others...don't let your .045 gap plugs erode till they are around .060-.080 gap, it's a good test for the module!!!!

I have always used AC Delco magnetic pickups, or Standard Motor Parts, since seemingly ALL these parts are imports these days, I'm not sure, if there is a "Best Quality" source for ANY of these parts any more, although some stuff like MSD IS better, as David stated, you'd just have to be careful....

[HWYSTR455]

The reluctors are part of the shaft, fyi.

The zero ohm bushings are required when you use an ignition amp like a MSD box. Guess it couldn't hurt using one when you're not using an MSD.

The Accel caps are less expensive than the MSD ones, but are brown. You can get a red or black ones, but then they cost as much as the MSD.

.