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| | | Forums66 Topics128,095 Posts1,056,069 Members48,433 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 26 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: May 2006 Posts: 26 | I just started rewiring my 59 1-ton I bought a American autowire oem kit for alt and hei dist , I problem I have found is that the wiring diagram shows no fuse box connection? My truck came with one it only has 3 things plugged into it , the heater. And some lights I think. Am I nuts or should there be a connection For it.? Also my kit is setup for Hei dist. I'm running points with the oem dist, can I run the Hei wire to the ceramic restore block and then to the coil?? The old oem setup had a wire from the dist to the coil then the block then into the harness Anybody got any info about this stuff , this is my first time wiring a whole truck | | | | | Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 | the fuse panel was an option item that was only installed if there was some optional electrical accessory installed - notice on the factory wiring diagram there's a dotted square labeled 'ACC JCT BLOCK' - it gets power from 2 places, the ignition switch for items that should be off when the key is off, and the light switch for items that want power all the time, the panel should have labels for the locations of different items, if it's an original see the diagram linked above, the HEI wire that replaces the coil wire should come from the ignition switch, and the ignition resistor [what you call ceramic block] should be eliminated/bypassed, it's only needed to drop power to a coil when running, and the connection to the starter gives full power to the coil when starting, you want the full 12V to the HEI all the time Bill | | | | | Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 6,100 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 6,100 | Hy panmanhd, yes you can run the wire intended for the H.E.I. to the ballast resistor ("ceramic restore block"), and then use the stock wiring setup from the ballast resistor out to the coil, hope that helps. | | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | I read you bought the whole kit for a truck with Alt and HEI? Maybe you mean just a small kit for alt and HEI hookup? Wire it exactly as the kit shows. HEI= no ballast resistor, points= ballast resistor. If you did buy the whole kit, it comes with a fuse box as you know. The complete kit includes wiring for either Points or HEI. You should switch to HEI, it's very easy and more trouble free.(no points, no coil, no resistor, one wire from ignition). The American Autowire is the best harness out there (and most expensive). I have used it and it is very complete and high quality. you can also do the "ford relay trick" for the starter, that is super clean and easy also.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 26 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: May 2006 Posts: 26 | i bought the american autowire oem replacement kit, no new switches or fancy stuff, all my old stuff looks good and should work fine, the kit only comes setup for HEI dist and alt, unless you get the generator oem kit. So let me get this straight, all i have to do is wire the HEI wire to to the resistor block and then on to the coil, right, does it matter which side of the resistor it has to go to? Also my truck was a fire truck all its life, the oem fuse box was used, it had wires comming out to duel spot lights and the heater and a radio, how do i wire the heater switch? my diagram shows no heater wire connection, its just the stock kind not the deluxe its just a fan switch really. my heater wire runs from the heater fan to the switch then the fuse box wheres the hot wire come in at?? how do i bypass this without the fuse box? So without a fuse box plumbed in all my power comes in from the started solnoid? thats it right | | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | I now understand, you do NOT want to run an HEI distributor, you just want to know how to wire your orig distributor with the HEI/ALT wire kit. Look at the schematic Red58 linked and wire it that way and as 3B says. Forget what they call it in your kit. There is no polarity to that resistor, as long as it is wired per the schematic/wiring diagram, you can start with either end. The heater switch will have a fuse box wire coming to it (it is HOT and fuse protected), then thru the switch and back out to the fan motor. The motor is grounded with a wire or by metal contact of the case/bracket to the chassis I believe. If it is two speed motor, someone here can put out that fire. 
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 26 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: May 2006 Posts: 26 | I have the wiring kit installed I hope it works, I was wondering if I could just do away with the stock fuse panel and run an inline fuse to the heater switch from the battery terminal on the ign switch? The oem fuse on the stock fuse panel is just a 15amp buss fuse I could run it like an aftermarket radio inline fuse would be. It would have to get power from the switch. Right? That way it would only work when the switch is turned on | | | | | Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 | an inline fuse would be fine, but you want it from the ACC terminal, the BAT terminal should be hot all the time
Bill | | |
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