spark plug gap with "orange box?"

Hi all,

I finished up my electronic ignition conversion on my '55 Stude coupe a
while back, and hopefully tomorrow I'll get a chance to mess with it
again. How wide should I gap my spark plugs? Wider is always better,
so long as I still have a reliable spark, right? I'm using a chrysler
orange box with a parts store stock replacement coil.

thanks

nate

 

0.035" to 0.040" until you replace the orange box with an HEI module and
eliminate the ballast resistor, at which point 0.045" to 0.050".

 

I understand your preference for the HEI module, but unless I were
swapping out the coil as well wouldn't I want to retain the ballast? I
have to admit a preference for using the ballast rather than using a
coil with an internal resistance, seems to help with lightning-quick
starts (I have a starter solenoid that allows for a ballast bypass
connection)

nate

 

Same here. But you're forgetting the third option (no ballast resistance)

 

wouldn't that cause the coil to overheat? Or is there a HEI-specific
coil that's designed to run on a full 12V? (and wouldn't that cause
the same starting issue as an internal resistance coil?)

nate

 

There are HEI-specific external-mount coils. They work well. But I never
had a coil-overheat problem using an oil-can type coil with HEI. I usually
install an MSD Blaster, 'cause it's a well-made, economically-priced coil
with the standard form factor and so goes right in place of old factory
coils.

'Course not.