Help. I have a 302 sbf in a 1960 ford panel truck with a hei distributor. Worked great when first installed. Now this is what is going on. Turn key on and i have power to hei turn key to start engine turns over but lose power to hei let go of key engine fires up. Engine runs and gets up to temp. Turn to off motor stops try to restart and won't. Turn key on and jump solenid and it fires right up. What could cause to happen.
I had much the same problem,but with a GM HEI. I ran a new #10 wire from a switch controlled circuit the Distributor. Problem solved. I never did sort out the original problem.
I had an OT Chevy Monza do that with HEI on a 262 V-8. It would crank over and when I'd let off the key switch it would fire. Sometimes it would start. I found it was the remote ignition switch on the base of the column went bad. Changed it out and it ran fine. You might also look at the remote solenoid as a culprit.
Fords used a 4 post starter relay 1batt 1 starter 1 ign feed 1 crankfeed. when you crank it it energizes the ign feed which is your 12 volt feed to dist I think the relay has 2 batt terminal size posts & 2 slide on connectors
Put a diode from the start terminal to run terminal on the ignition switch. Cathode (banded end) goes to the run terminal. You might lose a volt or so from diode drop, but should work if HEI is within specs.
GMBOWTYE is on the right track, if you are using the Ford Solenoid. Either it is the wrong Solenoid, a bad solenoid (the internal contacts do burn out), or it is wired incorrectly. If it was mine, I would throw that the HEI in the garbage, that is for Chebbie's, and get a DuraSpark II setup. Much easier to deal with in the long run.
Needs the wire from the starter solinoid inner small post joined into the circuit to supply 12 volts in crank. Will see if I can find a picture....
I've found 2 different types of ignition switches..... power on the ign post when cranking, and the Ford style with no power on crank. The Ford style requires you wire in a starter solenoid and connect HEI power to the "I" terminal on the relay (as well as 12v on run). Take a meter to the switch and check continuity from the power post to ign post when in the crank position.
I really doubt it's the switch, if it's the original style Ford wiring. It is either a bad Solenoid or the wire from the start position on the solenoid to the dist has failed.
Yep and not the only one that does that. Some GM rigs work the same way and have no power to the coil when the key is turned to Start as the resistor bypass wire supplies the power to the coil while the engine is cranking. Simple solution is to run a wire from the ign post on the solenoid to the wire feeding the distributor and you are done.
still the same the Ford solenoid has two small posts one ignition one for start. They are even labeled S and I ..,.
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