43L distributors

I have been helping a friend w

I have been helping a friend with his 89 four winns with a 4.3 liter engine we have been haveing some problems with the points we are planing to switch it over to a solid state ignition I have already found the kit to change it. what I was wondering about has anyone ever tried to change the distributor to an HEI distibutor I know that in car and truck applications it would give a horsepower gain. Has anyone ever tried it in a marine engine

"[b]"what I was wondering

""what I was wondering about has anyone ever tried to change the distributor to an HEI distibutor I know that in car and truck applications it would give a horsepower gain."

Ayuh,....

There's No horsepower gain from going to an electronic Distributer,...
Period....
Just less Maintanance...

GM HEI distributers are generally Not marine approved,+ consequently are an Explosion hazard...

And,.....
You'll be dealing with the ESA module used by OMC,+ I Doubt it'll work with an HEI distributer....
I believe that the Pertronic's conversion is about your only option,+ I hear it's a real Pain to make work with the ESA module...
Other's here will know Better than myself...."

If you use the Pertronix ignit

If you use the Pertronix ignition you will either have to build/install their diode/resistor fix to work with the OMC ESA module or replace it with a compatible one built by CDI/Rapair. If you choose to do neither then you will have a problem shifting out of gear into neutral which can lead to shift cable and drive gear problems.

The ESA has been giving us pro

The ESA has been giving us problems I have downloaqded manuels from four winns and even a few shop manuels I can not find any schematics on the ESA system. Problem I'm haveing is at over half throttle the ESA is engaging and causing the engine to cut out. Any info on ESA systems would be greatly appreacited. AS far as an explosion issue with a HEI distrubitor it sees to me that it would be safer (less chance of sparks) already decided to go with a conversion Kit just wondering about the HEI's thanks for the information on what kit to purchase

"Using this picture as referen

"Using this picture as reference you should have the 2 switches as shown. These 2 are wired in series but opposite of each other. The interrupt switch is a NO (normally open) switch and the overstroke switch is NC (normally closed) The only way for the ESA to activate is for the interupt switch to close when the overstroke switch is closed because they are wired in series, this will complete the ground circuit back to the ESA. Now when you are running if you look at the shift arm it has 2 cams on it, one is for forward and the other is reverse. When in gear one of those cams should line up with the overstroke switch causing it to open so that even if the interupt switch were to close the circuit to the ESA circuit can't complete. You need to do some checking with a meter and watch the cams when you put it into gear to see if you have a problem there. Hope this helps?



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