i am finished with my tpi to carb conversion. i got a new distributor with vacuum advance. my question is, can i connect with with 12 vdc straight battery source or do i use a 12vdc switch run/on with ignition.

Straight power would work for a quick thing, but the way it's normally done is powered when key is on AND start. Need to make sure it is powered when the key is to start otherwise it'll never fire up.

thanks for the quick reply. i will wire it the correct way.

Your HEI distributor has two terminals marked TACH and BATT inside the rectangular extension of the cap.

Connect the BATT terminal to a switched power supply. If you connect it directly to the battery, you will burn your ignition coil within a couple of minutes (if the wire supplying the power doesn't burn out first.)

i will wire it the way you said, lucky for me nothing has burned up yet.

I checked the engine control system wiring diagram for 1989 and earlier 5.0L and 5.7L TPI Firebirds. It is pretty safe to assume GM used the same circuitry for the Camaros.

The wire you want for your BATT connection is the pink one that used to go to the external coil. It will now go to the internal coil inside the HEI distributor's cap.

WARNING! Always disconnect your battery's negative (ground) cable before doing any work on your electrical system.

Have fun. Be safe.

thanks, that is the wire i used from the tpi coil system that now connects to the new distributor coil.

Finally, in the highly unlikely event of an ignition switch failure, you can run a hot wire to the BATT terminal from any 12VDC source such as the battery itself or the starter motor. You would then want to start the engine as soon as possible to avoid a coil failure or electrical fire.

I recently had a partial ignition switch failure in my 71 Formula (aftermarket HEI ignition) and had to hot wire the car to get to work for a week until the new switch arrived. Happily, the starter function of the switch was normal so i didn't have to rig my remote starter switch.

When I dropped the steering column to install the new switch, I found the connectors had not been inserted properly into the old switch by the previous mechanic. Now I have a brand new spare ignition switch that I probably won't need for another 38 years.