High Energy Ignition (HEI)

The High Energy Ignition (HEI) system uses an iron reluctor, pickup, and ignition module to replace the breaker points of yesteryear.

The iron reluctor ("star wheel") is mounted on the distributor shaft. The reluctor has one "tooth" per cylinder, hence a four cylinder engine has four teeth, a six cylinder engine has six teeth, and an eight cylinder engine has eight teeth.

When the rotating reluctor lines up with corresponding iron pieces on the stationary pickup, an alternating current is produced.

The ignition module senses the alternating current created in the pickup and releases the ground of the ignition coil, thereby causing the secondary to fire. After the firing event, the ignition module restores the ground to the coil to saturate it for the next firing event.

Timing is provided by the conventional vacuum and centrifugal advance tandem.

There is no four-wire connector on an HEI distributor.