I just picked up a set of Mallory Ignition 8mm Plug Wire set to change out my old plug wires. I've never used Mallory products before but when I opened the box, there are two different sets of Distributor Terminals and Boots (one terminal set is Silver and the other is Gold).

Now here's where I show my ignorance..... I dug around on the Mallory website and it appears that one set is "Standard" and the other set us "HEI". Question is, which set do I use? I'm putting them on a pretty much stock, plain jane 327 SB with what I believe to be a stock GM type distributor, coil, etc.

Just need some direction from you guys....as you can tell, I'm not even a novice mechanic here but learning.

Thanks in advance,

John

Hope this helps. HEI terminals look just like the top of a spark plug with a protruding tip that the plug snaps on to. Non-HEI / Breaker Points setups have a brass socket that the wire end sticks inside of to form a connection. Visually you should be able to tell the difference. However, if your setup is like mine, I have an HEI cap, and an Accel Super Coil with a standard brass socket type top. So I needed a special wire that was HEI on one end (for the cap) and the brass socket type on the coil end.

Here are some tricks for a small block chevy. Take a sharpie and number your old wires before removal. #1 cylinder is on the front left of the engine behind the drivers head lamp so to speak. The odd cylinders start at #1 on the front left down to #7 on the back left (1,3,5,7). The right side from the front of the motor to the back are 2,4,6,and 8. The firing order is 1.8.4.3.6.5.7.2

Then remove the old wires and pair up the longest new wire with the longest old wire and install it according to your sharpie mark. Can can also flip flop between longest pairs and shortest pairs. If you do this you're virtually guaranteed not to have to redo your work.

Dave covered it well, I just wanted to add you can pull a plug wire from the cap and match the terminal under the boot on it to figure out what you need. Also when you crimp them don't go animal with the crimp tool.

Excellent advice fellas. I really appreciate it. I'm heading out to the garage to get'm on now....:thumbsup: