HEI cap question

66stangmeister · Apr 22, 2005

Hi all

I'm currently looking to purchase some MSD ignition wires and new spark plugs for my car. I have a female/socket type distributor cap at the moment, but am using an XR-i for electronic ignition. Is it possible to use a HEI distrib cap in this application? or does the entire distributor have to be an HEI type?

I'm asking because, I hope to purchase a new msd distributor eventually, but I don't wanna buy 79 dollar ignition wires made for socket type caps, when I won't use them long.

thanks to anyone who can help

EDIT: I'm gonna guess that it isn't possible, but I want to know for sure. I don't know a whole lot about HEI.

mustangdave · Apr 22, 2005

Yes, all you need is the adapter and cap. Ford started doing this in the 70's. You can buy it new or get the adapter part out of a junkyard.

66stangmeister · Apr 23, 2005

thanks for replying. do you know what this adapter looks like and how much it usually costs?

thanks

mustangdave · Apr 23, 2005

The adaptor is just a round piece of plastic that fits on the small distributor base and expands out to allow the fitting of the larger cap. It has indents on it for the cap to clip to. I used a MSD unit one time; very high quality. Do a search for MSD Cap-Adapt on their site. Ford Racing has started making a conversion kit with the cap and rotor for about $33.00 or $90.00 with 9mm wires included. I can't tell from the pic if it is a one or 2 piece design. You definitely want the two piece design so you can just buy a cap and rotor when it needs to be replaced. The other option is to get the adaptor from a junkyard for a couiple of dollars and then go to Autozone or Advance and get the cap and rotor. You could ask for many years to get the cap and rotor such as an 85 Mustang with a 5.0. You do need the larger rotor to due to the larger spacing of the treminals.

66stangmeister · Apr 23, 2005

wow thanks alot for the info man i'll look into it. thanks again

mustangdave · Apr 23, 2005

66, I just found this for a 78 Thunderbird on Autozones site. It appears to be the adaptor new for $7.99. Buy the cap and rotor for the same car and your out for under $25.00!
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB...+PARTS+LOOK+UP|~DISTRIBUTOR+CAP+AND+ROTOR+KIT

Look under related parts on this page, part # F958.

66stangmeister · Apr 23, 2005

well thanks for that link. I found this on the Ford Racing site..

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=563

27 bux aint too bad.

whattya think?

mustangdave · Apr 23, 2005

Great price but can you tell if the cap has the modern male posts or not? I prefer them to the old socket style; they seal alot better. I tried to click on the pic to enlarge but nothing happened.

66stangmeister · Apr 23, 2005

thats the enlarged pic. stupid black and white pics lol

EDIT:

Oh, I found a pic on Summit Racing.

they want 29 dollars

66stangmeister · Apr 23, 2005

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=3127&prmenbr=361

is this the same thing? lol i'm bout to get that ford racing one

84convertablegt · Apr 25, 2005

go buy the cap and rotor and adapter for an 84 mustang gt 4bbl. thats what i did, complete bolt on. advance auto parts, spent about 15 dollars for everything. i may upgrade to the motorcraft part or someone elses in the future just because the fit would probably be better. the parts store cap has the slightest amount of play when strapped down to the adapter, im assuming motorcraft pieces will cure this, but i just wanted to make sure it would work!

84convertablegt · Apr 25, 2005

66stangmeister said:
http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=3127&prmenbr=361

is this the same thing? lol i'm bout to get that ford racing one

by the way, that msd one at jegs is not the same thing, but the same idea. thats for msd distributors, the rotor is different, and im assuming the base of an msd dizzy is a different size than a stock 289/302 dizzy

66stangmeister · Apr 25, 2005

i found the Cap A Dapt that mustang dave was talking about origianlly. and it was 1 dollar cheaper than the ford part.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=8887
there's no pic there, but there is on MSD's site. it looks like the ford part, but its msd...brass terminals instead of aluminum... and 1 dollar cheaper like i said.
I think i'll buy that one. what you think?

EDIT: here's a pic

84convertablegt · Apr 25, 2005

66stangmeister said:
i found the Cap A Dapt that mustang dave was talking about origianlly. and it was 1 dollar cheaper than the ford part.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=8887
there's no pic there, but there is on MSD's site. it looks like the ford part, but its msd...brass terminals instead of aluminum... and 1 dollar cheaper like i said.
I think i'll buy that one. what you think?

EDIT: here's a pic

do u have a msd distributor???? if not, it WILL NOT WORK! it says right there on the summite website, for msd distributors, not stock ones.

66stangmeister · Apr 25, 2005

i don't see where it says for MSD distribs only. I went to MSD's site to make sure before i posted that link. here's msd's link..
http://www.msdignition.com/dist_58.htm
it sounds like it will work to me..

66stangmeister · Apr 25, 2005

hold on i think i know whats wrong...

i think the link i originally posted was wrong...
http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?target=partdetail.asp&part=MSD-8414
thats what i'm talking about. sorry for the confusion, don't know how i put a different part link there. :S

84convertablegt · Apr 25, 2005

ok, that sounds better. i was gonna say the other one was for msd dizzys, that one looks like it should work, according to the msd website. although according to the summit website it will not work?????? see the application chart, it says stock distributor: no .now if only it came with a blue top instead of a red one. red would just throw off my whole engine compartment.

66stangmeister · Apr 25, 2005

well i ordered it. I'll tell you how it all works out man

84convertablegt · Apr 25, 2005

yes, please do. i am very curious since theres some confusion between the summit and msd site, although i tend to believe the msd site for obvious reasons. if it does work out, thats a great conversion for old distributors. i was very pleased with just adapting the late model cap

66stangmeister · Apr 27, 2005

welp, I got the cap from fedex today. and new super conductor wires and spark plugs.

the wires were custom w/o ends put on, so me and my friend cut em to size and put the ends and boots on.

The cap works there is a slight problem with the air cleaner hitting the #1 cylinder spark wire on the cap.....by about 1/4 or 1/2 inch..so I think i'll need to get a 1" small diameter air cleaner assembly and it should be fine.

I had to put an adapter on the coil to make it a male terminal aswell. But that was no big deal. I had one that came with my Blaster 2 coil.

All's working, and it's working fine, so far.

HEI cap question

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