Let’s start by looking at the evolution of the GM High Energy Ignition (HEI) system. This system became available as an option in 1974 and was standard in all 1975-and-later vehicles, with the ...

It seems like such a small thing—that tiny area approximately 0.040 of an inch wide inside each combustion chamber. That area we're talking about is the gap between the electrode and strap on each ...

A battery in a traditional car cannot directly create engine spark. It’s only rated at 12 volts, after all, so it needs a little help boosting the signal to the spark plugs. To make that happen, a car ...

The demands for better emissions and fuel economy in the mid 1970s necessitated leaner fuel mixtures. These leaner mixtures required greater voltage and more spark to ignite. This challenge led GM ...

There is only one way to find out for sure. Many Street Stock racing classes limit the ignition to stock-style replacement parts. For most Chevrolet and Ford engines, this means an HEI distributor is ...

When General Motors introduced the High Energy Ignition (HEI) distributor in the mid-1970s, it was revolutionary. So much so that it still has a strong following among today's hot rodders. Like other ...