Hot Start and HEI/MSD

[Darrel Kline <darrelk@domain.elided>]

Good friend Ken Farmer wrote:

>> Thanks for the suggestions and no, I don't know what it came with
>> originally.  Howard?  Did '73 Scout II's with 345's come with Holley
>> points distributors?  Never realized that's what a gold box did
>> directly!
>
>I'm nearly positive that the '73s came with points.  My '74 Travelall came 
>with a goldbox, but I think that they might have switched mid-year for the
>'74s.  The original owner switched it back to points due to the
>unreliability
>of the gold box.  Then again, I've got two IHs working fine with them, I
>imagine that they were considerability improved during the 4 year run.
>
>Gordon, if you get desperate for a new distributor, I know a machinist who
>modifies Delco HEIs for IHs.  He charges around $150, I've got one in my
>'74 Travelall now, and it works great.
>
>Lately, I've been having hot-start problems after long (60 miles +) trips. 
>I've done a few things that have appeared to help, but then again, perhaps
>I just gave it sufficient time to cool off!  I'll have almost all the wire
>brand 
>new by the end of today.  If that doesn't do it, then I'm going to be 
>looking more closely at the starter (I get a big draw from the battery, but
>it doesn't crank).  Lastly, somebody spoke about blocking the hood open.
>Mike's 800 has a really nice louvered hood that he said really helped cool
>it down, and he had it louvered for very little money.
>
>Ken Farmer
>1980 Scout II
>1975 Travelall
>1974 Travelall

All this talk about MSD's, etc. just reminded me that if you use a MSD with
a HEI (as my C*maro does) you need to replace the button in the cap with a
lower resistance unit. The GM high resistance button will produce a lot of
heat and melt the cap. I remembered you saying that you had a MSD on the
shelf....

For you hot start problem, I think the only reliable fix is to install a
F*rd solenoid. Which also gives you a nice place to hook accessories.
Using the heat shield or installing a GM HD solenoid are also good...but
the F*rd solenoid setup is fool-proof. It's just too hard to keep the
voltage drop to a reasonable level with the factory switch and wiring.

Darrel Kline
Colorado Springs
1980 Scout II