hawks70

If I'm understanding what I've read here, after conversion to hei and running new power wire I no longer need the yellow wire that comes from starter to be connected. Is this correct? This is on a 70 Cutlass with a 350. All I need is a yes or no answer to be sure what I need to do. Thank you!

Seff

Yes, you no longer need the wire going from the starter to the coil/HEI.

hawks70

Thank you. That helps a lot. Hopefully get this straightened out and try to run again by Thursday night. Gonna cap and wrap that and the resistor wire then. Sweet. Cause apparently the yellow wire hasa break in it so now I don't have to worry about fixing that.

MDchanic

To add one detail, you don't need the yellow wire to be connected to anything, but you can connect it to the BAT terminal of the HEI, along with the hot wire from the ignition, if you want to.

Your choice.

- Eric

oldcutlass

It depends on whether the wire your running to the HEI has power in the start mode.

hawks70

It should. Gonna connect to pink wire inside car under the dash and run it out through firewall. Glad I re checked all this. Found out I need to " modify" driver side header a bit more cause its not quite flush against the ports on the head. Need a tiny bit more clearance at the starter and should be OK.

hawks70

Also I completely removed yellow wire because it had a break in it and I would have had to replace it. Cut back the resistor wire and capped it off as well. It is better to tap into pink wire for power than it is to use spade and connect direct from fuse box or does it not really matter?

MDchanic

I believe that it is, because that is a more direct connection, with fewer possible points of failure or of resistance, but if you wanted to attach to the IGN tap, it will certainly work.

- Eric

Run to Rund

Double check that the pink wire has 12V when the key is on both start and run positions.

MDchanic

Good advice, but he's got a '70, so this should be fine.

It's the earlier cars ('67 or '68 and earlier if I'm not mistaken) that don't power the pink wire while cranking.

- Eric

oldcutlass

I wasn't sure that's why I suggested he may possibly need it.

hawks70

Thanks guys. Now that's solved. Now next dilemma....buy a ministarter or another set of headers because these ones I have just won't clear the full size starter without pancaking 2 tubes. Gotta weigh my options here between headers, ministarter , or cast manifolds. ....... I could be driving the damn thing if I could just get the damn exhaust to fit and get that done. Fruststrating but that's just how it is I guess.

JPMDaddy

when I read about header issues on another forum (el Camino) I have to agree they are a pain and I wish I had not trashed my cast iron manifolds years ago...

I will not make the same mistake with my new Cutlass - keeping the manifolds on the 350

70cutty

I have hooker competition headers on my 70 cutlass with no clearance issues. They are a pain in the *** to install but they fit like a glove

hawks70

Solved that problem. Went and bought a new set of Hedmans from Summit. Put drivers side on last night no issues whatsoever. Finish the job and put passenger side on tonight. Then I can fire it up and let it run to break in the cam.