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Got home from work and took the valve cover off. Got number 1 TDC. Installed the plug wires. Made up a wire to go from the selinoid to the distributor out of 14 gauge like the instructions say. Gapped and installed the autolights. Got in and it fired right up. My god does this thing run smooth now. Gonna clean up the airfilter housing and valve cover and get this thing back driving.
That's awesome, I'm thinking of doing the same. I have a little hiccup when accelerating, but I'm wondering if the team rush might clear it up along with a tune up. I don't want to get too deep into mine before I start taking it frame off. In the process of setting up my shop for that. Been nice just driving mine the last three days.
1979 Jeep CJ5 with 304 V8, T18 Transmission, Dana 20 Transfer case with TeraLow 3:1 gears, 4.88 axle gears, Detroit Locker up front and Ox Locker in back with 1 piece axle shafts, 36" SuperSwamper SX Tires, Shackle reversal, MileMarker Hydraulic winch, MSD 6A ignition.
'79 Jeep CJ7 Renegade with 304ci V8, TH400 auto, Quadratrac T-case, Stock 20 and 30 rears with no mods yet, not sure of the gear ratio.. 4" Softride Superlift, w/widetrac shock towers and 35x12.50x15 BFG Mud-Terrains
'76 CJ5, 232 ci, T-150 3-speed, D20 T-case, Corp. 20 rear w/full float axles and lockout hubs and Detroit auto locker, D30 front w/lockout hubs, gear ratio is unknown..
Any particular brand? There are a bunch of these on ebay from $59 to $259, but they all look the same from companies that just put their own name on them..
The biggest issue with the cheap companies is inferior cam gear on the shaft. If your cam gear on the stock distributor is in good shape I would swap the stock cam gear for the the cam gear on the new HEI set up. Should only cost a few buck to have the old onne pressed on to the new shaft.. As long as the shaft diameters are the same.
1979 Jeep CJ5 with 304 V8, T18 Transmission, Dana 20 Transfer case with TeraLow 3:1 gears, 4.88 axle gears, Detroit Locker up front and Ox Locker in back with 1 piece axle shafts, 36" SuperSwamper SX Tires, Shackle reversal, MileMarker Hydraulic winch, MSD 6A ignition.
With any of these HEI ignitions, most parts are GM. If you need to replace the distributor cap, rotor, coil or ignition module you can go to any parts store and pick up GM parts. What's different is the metal parts of the distributor. Jimbos76cj hit the nail on the head saying the gear is the main area of concern. This is a big problem with the aftermarket HEI distributors. The gear on the distributor must match the gear on the cam. If the distributor gear is too hard it will wreck the cam. If the distributor gear is too soft it will destroy itself. You can almost always get by if you swap the gear from your OEM distributor and put it on the new HEI. I say this will almost always work because I have heard of times when the shaft of the HEI distributor was a different size from OEM and won't allow you to swap gears.
1981 CJ7 Laredo as built, 1952 Pontiac Sedan Delivery, 1955 Thunderbird, 1958 Airstream, 1996 Tahoe 4X4, 1982 Newell Coach, 1957 Cabin in the Woods what will I work on next?
I bought an HEI marketed as CRT off of eBay and it came with a hardened gear. The shafts were not the same size (the new one was smaller) so I had to have the original gear bushed to fit the new shaft.
'79 Jeep CJ7 Renegade with 304ci V8, TH400 auto, Quadratrac T-case, Stock 20 and 30 rears with no mods yet, not sure of the gear ratio.. 4" Softride Superlift, w/widetrac shock towers and 35x12.50x15 BFG Mud-Terrains
'76 CJ5, 232 ci, T-150 3-speed, D20 T-case, Corp. 20 rear w/full float axles and lockout hubs and Detroit auto locker, D30 front w/lockout hubs, gear ratio is unknown..
I bought an HEI marketed as CRT off of eBay and it came with a hardened gear. The shafts were not the same size (the new one was smaller) so I had to have the original gear bushed to fit the new shaft.
So I just ordered a CRT last night, and it advertised that it has "the correct cam gear so it won't destroy your cam". How do I know this is true or not??
Install it and drive it around.. When it randomly stops running that means they lied... It's not Garaunteed that it will fail. Some folks have had good luck with them.. Some have destroyed themselves in the first few hundred miles. For the amount of work it is to change the cam gear I would spend that on the distributor gear.
So I just ordered a CRT last night, and it advertised that it has "the correct cam gear so it won't destroy your cam". How do I know this is true or not??
1978 CJ7
Silver paint with black hard top on 33" radials & eagle alumium rims. Good looking ride and have done lots of work to make it look and run great.
Stock equipment is 258 carb, power brakes, power steering, hard top & hard doors (per vehicle gross weight) tilt steering wheel, big brake package with large rotars & drums, T18 Trans with low 6.4 granny gear, Dana 20 transfer, Dana 30 front axle, Dana 44HD rear axle with 3.73 gears. True Trac ft & rear.
I was around jeeps in the 70's and drove a 1973 Jeep Truck. My family had 4 jeeps at the time. We also joined a jeep club back then too. So about 6 years ago looked for a Jeep CJ and found the vehicle above.
I am not a fan of the HEI, GM Distributor, in the AMC Jeep Engines...... There are MANY PITFALLS.... not just the hardened gear usage that flooded the market a few years ago and is still a issue....
JeepHammer the founder of the TEAMRUSH race team and the TEAMRUSH larger BRASS cap introduction to Jeep. Jeep CJ and the 70s and 80s Jeep use the Ford Duraspark Igntion Modual and Distributor... Ford later came out with a upgrade cap/rotar and JeepHammer applied it to our Jeeps along with a few corrections to "weak" links in the duraspark...
JeepHammer does not care for the HEI and writes often is a lesser igntion to the duraspark.... so why do it????
Confusing when we use TEAMRUSH work on a HEI thread and not tell the whole story... Here is the whole story so members can make a good decesion.
LINK....... in red.........TEAMRUSH COMPAIR BY JeepHammer Jeep Ignition Upgrade Paths, DuraSpark vs Hei Compare by JeepHammer GM HEI vs. Motorcraft/DuraSpark Ignitions
#1, Best Igntion is TeamRush and MSD Ignition
2nd Best Ignition is TeamRush & Duraspark w/aux grounds
Distant 3rd is the HEI with remote coil, GMs UPGRADE path
Distant 4th is the HEI with coil in head
Distant 5th is HEI you guys buy with Alumium Terminals...... JUNK
The Jeep Prestolite Ignition is a poor choice and has issues.
The Jeep Points Ignition from early 70s is ok ignition.
The MSD Igntion box can now be purchased for what the HEI costs..... so why not just buy the MSD and use it with stock distributor and the TeamRush Upgrades, (tune up parts)
1981 CJ7 Laredo as built, 1952 Pontiac Sedan Delivery, 1955 Thunderbird, 1958 Airstream, 1996 Tahoe 4X4, 1982 Newell Coach, 1957 Cabin in the Woods what will I work on next?
I am not sure who recommended it but it may have been MN CJ7 . Take a small drill and see if you can dimple the new gear, if you know what you are feeling a file can work as well. Anyway if the drill doesn't dimples the gear then it is hardened (you only have to dimple it?)
If so then the safest way is to have an OEM Gear bushed to fit the new Distributor or as Jimbos 76cj recommends give it a try, http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f2/hei-10338/
But... be careful the gear on the camshaft is not available. The CRT Distributor made a hell of a difference on my AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l ! I am not a fan of the older Ford (Motorcraft) so I may be jaded but the engine performs much better (I did so much work that I cannot tell what made the biggest difference). The new Distributor (CRT is an HEI off of a '99 or so Chevy) and winds up much easier than that old #*&^% of cr@&!)
1978 CJ7
Silver paint with black hard top on 33" radials & eagle alumium rims. Good looking ride and have done lots of work to make it look and run great.
Stock equipment is 258 carb, power brakes, power steering, hard top & hard doors (per vehicle gross weight) tilt steering wheel, big brake package with large rotars & drums, T18 Trans with low 6.4 granny gear, Dana 20 transfer, Dana 30 front axle, Dana 44HD rear axle with 3.73 gears. True Trac ft & rear.
I was around jeeps in the 70's and drove a 1973 Jeep Truck. My family had 4 jeeps at the time. We also joined a jeep club back then too. So about 6 years ago looked for a Jeep CJ and found the vehicle above.
I am not sure who recommended it but it may have been MN CJ7 . Take a small drill and see if you can dimple the new gear, if you know what you are feeling a file can work as well. Anyway if the drill doesn't dimples the gear then it is hardened (you only have to dimple it?)
If so then the safest way is to have an OEM Gear bushed to fit the new Distributor or as Jimbos 76cj recommends give it a try,
But... be careful the gear on the camshaft is not available. The CRT Distributor made a hell of a difference on my AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l ! I am not a fan of the older Ford (Motorcraft) so I may be jaded but the engine performs much better (I did so much work that I cannot tell what made the biggest difference). The new Distributor (CRT is an HEI off of a '99 or so Chevy) and winds up much easier than that old #*&^% of cr@&!)
YES it was me that told you about the HEI and the test of gear with a drill bit... There are still issues in the MKT with the V8 and I6 AMC Engines with regards to hardened gears, fit, form and function... There are about a dozen major short commings of the HEI Distributor in AMC Engines..
Further,
With proper reading, of JeepHammer, the divit LOCATION on the gear in the correct spot so you can use it to locate the gear for either of the two mech advance slots on the DuraSpark Distributor.... advance concept if read the JeepHammer write up on his TEAMRUSH....
I just helped another thread with the TEAMRUSH, Aux Grounds, with his stock equipment... HE POSTED WOW, did not know it could run so well... That is the stock Ford/Jeep DuraSpark Ignition and Distributor... Take a look at RED Dogs post and see what he has to say... I have helped a few hundred jeeps with this type of upgrade it WORKS...
If you read the RED LINK directly above you post......... you will see what a REAL IGNITION EXPERT says about FORD DURASPARK IGNTIION & DURASPARK DISTRIBUTOR........... JeepHammer likes it a great deal... I consider JH to be an ignition GOD. He has forgot more than I will ever know......
He says clearly the HEI is a step back and is actually a poor choice for our jeeps for the money spent...
Maybe you did not see the link above
I like the Duraspark and works great is set up right, esp with a MSD
So I guess we do not agree on DuraSpark. I am squarly in JeepHammer camp that this is a great little distributor.... If you / others want to have a full review of the igntions, I am game and petty sure I can ask JeepHammer to join in.
PS.....
Still willing to take that that Duraspark Distributor and Igntion you were going toss out... I think that was you, never heard back from you?
1981 CJ7 Laredo as built, 1952 Pontiac Sedan Delivery, 1955 Thunderbird, 1958 Airstream, 1996 Tahoe 4X4, 1982 Newell Coach, 1957 Cabin in the Woods what will I work on next?
MN CJ7 , after reading that link I understand where you are coming from on these distributors. I do have to wonder why he only burnt one valve and one piston..?
I used the factory gear on my HEI distributor so that should eliminate the worrys over the hardened gear but I will pull the distributor and check the gears for wear as a precaution. I adjusted the total advance to be within the parameters (32-35 degrees) that were suggested and my AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l seems to really have come alive. If you remember I also did the Howell EFI to help pass the SMOG requirements here in California. Since the Howell kit is based on a 90' Chevy V-6 Throttle Body Fuel Injection it only makes sense to have the Ignition match and that is what these HEI distributors are based on.
PS It was me that you asked to send my old parts to but since this original part may be a better distributor than the HEI, I have decided to keep the stuff just in case. Who knows I may decide to give the original stuff another try and then I wouldn't have the parts. For now I am enjoying a much cleaner engine compartment.
'79 Jeep CJ7 Renegade with 304ci V8, TH400 auto, Quadratrac T-case, Stock 20 and 30 rears with no mods yet, not sure of the gear ratio.. 4" Softride Superlift, w/widetrac shock towers and 35x12.50x15 BFG Mud-Terrains
'76 CJ5, 232 ci, T-150 3-speed, D20 T-case, Corp. 20 rear w/full float axles and lockout hubs and Detroit auto locker, D30 front w/lockout hubs, gear ratio is unknown..
So is this the correct way to wire it up using my stock harness? Have a couple questions, why the wire from the factory coil connector, is this switched power? I think I just figured it out, this is the power supply for the old coil, comes on when the key does, is constant, and closes the relay to energize the new coil on the distributor... ok cool, so is there a way to clean this up a bit? I'd like to remove most of the old harness for the motorcraft stuff so there are less wires..
so I may be jaded but the engine performs much better (I did so much work that I cannot tell what made the biggest difference). The new Distributor (CRT is an HEI off of a '99 or so Chevy) and winds up much easier than that old #*&^% of cr@&!)