Any Reason Not to Modify an Accel Coil?

[Dejure]

Looking at Accel distributor cap coils and comparing them to other HEI coils, I cannot see any reason for the Accel coils covering, and locking down [hindering removal of] plug wires, other than that the designers thought it was cooler.

I'm fiddling with plug wires. Having to pop the cap to add and remove wires is more than a bit frustrating. In fact, it screams of piss poor design adopted without a thought about future maintenance.

The overhang doesn't actually hold wires down. It only makes them hard, or even impossible to remove, unless the coil is removed.

All the other cap coils I look at are just squares and don't interfere with wire installations and removals.

The Accel overhand does are unlikely to serve as heat sinks. They, certainly, don't insulate the boots. Even if they did, there is far more likelihood spark jumps would happen in the cap than outside it.

The overlaps MIGHT help keep your mitts away from the high voltage, unless, but, probably, not so much, since you can still touch the sides of the boots and the covers don't really shield that much.

Mindful of any of this, can anyone think of a reason I shouldn't cut off the decor parts, to make wire removal and installations easier.

When done, I have a floor model buffer I use to polish plastics and other things, so, aside from damage to the label, or knowledge of what these look like, no one would know it's been made more user-friendly.

 

[bucket]

They were designed in the 80's with a "high tech" look. You could even buy a specific filler plate for the Chevy TPI engines to replace the factory distributor cover when using that Accel coil. They do work well to hold the boots on with some aftermarket plug wires.

Accel also sells (or maybe used to sell) coils that fit under the factory cover too. You probably could also remove the coil from that cover. I don't remember what kind of glue holds it on.

 

[nvrenuf]

I get the design complaint but are you really taking the wires off of the cap that much??

Of all the junk I screw with on my Blazer I hardly ever touch the distributor or wires.

 

[Dejure]

Nvrenuf, like at least half those here, I could fill a page with the restoration stuff I have to do. Much of that requires getting my 74-year-old fat ass into the engine compartment's hard to reach places.

Among the reasons for having to get to the wires is, my wires didn't match, and the truck seemed to be running rougher and rougher, even though the miles were not climbing rapidly. This suggested problems with wires, even though the ones on there were high end.

I bought a set of wires, then took them back. They had straight boots at the plugs, like the original set. That let them touch the headers, like the ones they were replacing. The second set work far better, but are a suck fit. 90-degree boots let me shift the wires farther away from the HEADERS, but they will never fit right (lengths), even if they turn out to be header proof in their current configuration.

I have a 100' roll of good wire, wire crimpers, ceramic 90s. I'll tailor a new set in and note cylinder numbers and wire length for the "Kelly's Truck Manual." And I'll make up a new, backup set (sans the 90-degree ceramics). I have one extra ceramic, so I'll make an emergency wire the same length as the longest wire.

That's a lot of getting in and out. Add to that, I'm going to be 75, then 76, then 77. . . .

Meanwhile, I am fortunate to have never been blessed with boots and a cap so poorly designed the boots didn't click into place and stay. Too, there is a slight air gap between the distributor boots and Access cutsie cap, so it isn't really doing squat for holding wires down.

And, with that gap, if it allowed the wire terminals to pull back just enough to have to arc...... I'd be better off, I suspect, finding out I had a failure early on.

In the end, and from YEARS of experience with electronics, houses, cars, kids, etc., I've become a Plan-For-The-Future type of guy. Often, that means going a different direction than manufacturers and the rest of the public goes. That is, make future repairs easy, rather than acting like they aren't going to happen. Store a bit of food for a time when you can't get out, due to snow, flood, wind (toppled trees) and so on.

The above reason is why my 81 Grumman van has a battery cut out switch, and now my new old truck does too. It makes many repairs much easier, and even troubleshooting.

 

[Ricko1966]

Nvrenuf, like at least half those here, I could fill a page with the restoration stuff I have to do. Much of that requires getting my 74-year-old fat ass into the engine compartment's hard to reach places.

Among the reasons for having to get to the wires is, my wires didn't match, and the truck seemed to be running rougher and rougher, even though the miles were not climbing rapidly. This suggested problems with wires, even though the ones on there were high end.

I bought a set of wires, then took them back. They had straight boots at the plugs, like the original set. That let them touch the headers, like the ones they were replacing. The second set work far better, but are a suck fit. 90-degree boots let me shift the wires farther away from the HEADERS, but they will never fit right (lengths), even if they turn out to be header proof in their current configuration.

I have a 100' roll of good wire, wire crimpers, ceramic 90s. I'll tailor a new set in and note cylinder numbers and wire length for the "Kelly's Truck Manual." And I'll make up a new, backup set (sans the 90-degree ceramics). I have one extra ceramic, so I'll make an emergency wire the same length as the longest wire.

That's a lot of getting in and out. Add to that, I'm going to be 75, then 76, then 77. . . .

Meanwhile, I am fortunate to have never been blessed with boots and a cap so poorly designed the boots didn't click into place and stay. Too, there is a slight air gap between the distributor boots and Access cutsie cap, so it isn't really doing squat for holding wires down.

And, with that gap, if it allowed the wire terminals to pull back just enough to have to arc...... I'd be better off, I suspect, finding out I had a failure early on.

In the end, and from YEARS of experience with electronics, houses, cars, kids, etc., I've become a Plan-For-The-Future type of guy. Often, that means going a different direction than manufacturers and the rest of the public goes. That is, make future repairs easy, rather than acting like they aren't going to happen. Store a bit of food for a time when you can't get out, due to snow, flood, wind (toppled trees) and so on.

The above reason is why my 81 Grumman van has a battery cut out switch, and now my new old truck does too. It makes many repairs much easier, and even troubleshooting.

A factory HEI cap,and coil are a PITA to pull wires,change wires,and impossible to pull the boot back at all. Just so you know. As for your modification,you really would be the expert on this. 99% of us have never even seen that coil configuration in person,let alone even thought to modify it.

 

[legopnuematic]

I wonder how many of the factory boot retainers got frisbee’d into the garbage at the first plug wire change-

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Amazingly my 79 still had it installed. Unfortunately that was all that was left as someone had long before I got the truck had stole the distributor. Guess even theives don’t want them

 

[nvrenuf]

99% of us have never even seen that coil configuration in person,let alone even thought to modify it.

I ran an Accel HEI Super Coil in the late 80's in my old '80 K10 w/ 350, I never had a problem, nor did I have to dig into it frequently. Just sayin...

That said, if anyone wants a hotter coil with HEI MSD makes a coil pocket cover for the distributor cap that has a coil wire tower for using an external coil.

MSD Ignition 8401MSD MSD Modified HEI Dust Covers | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - MSD Modified HEI Dust Covers with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Distributor Replacement Parts at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

 

[legopnuematic]

FWIW a lot of the cheap (used to be at least I think I paid $40/ea for two I have and both came with plug wires circa 2018) Chinese HEI distributors came with that Accel style coil cap, coil was not adhered to the cap however.

 

[Hilllbilly]

Disco !

 

[Grit dog]

Not sure this whole cut the sides off a piece of plastic has a “right” answer. Or much of a point of contention or discussion.
Simply for appearance sake, I’d be in the camp of put some good wires in it and quit removing them.
If you’ve done it several times already, one would think the trial and error phase might be coming to an end and maybe the coil could stay home for a while….

 

[Dejure]

Seems I was too long winded, so a few didn't catch what all I have to do, my physical ability to do it, and that some of us are in the "look to the future" camp.

Meanwhile, one hour later:

 

[Grit dog]

And from that pov it sure looks like the wires could come off and back on w/o cutting it. Glad you got er figgered out though!

 

[bucket]

Seems I was too long winded, so a few didn't catch what all I have to do, my physical ability to do it, and that some of us are in the "look to the future" camp.

Meanwhile, one hour later:

Damn, that actually still looks just as nifty as it did before. You did a nice job with that. That's how Accel should have made them, imho.

 

[Dejure]

Actually, Grit dog, no. They would come up, but not off. And even if they did, it would be a bucket load of fun getting to the back ones.

 

[xm20k]

I've seen these on some old muscle but never used/played with one myself always figured it was just a higher output coil in a shmancy package. I've always just ran upgraded coils under the stock HEI cover or an MSD setup.