I agree..... The Debate between the stock use, tune up parts, HEI, and what is better will continue. This has been going on on JeepForum for 7 years or so indepth. It take quite a bit of knowledge to understand the igntions fully, both ME and EE and Physics type bacgrounds to understand what JeepHammer has taught. The man is an ignition god and has done consulting work for MSD and others. He forgot more than I will every know.
I have the tech background and have read his findings and posts for years..... I bet I have 500 hrs of reading up on igntions....... and I can tell fact from fictions. I have never seen a flaw in any of his presentations and see some real genious in his findings and solutions..... My education in EE, ME, Physics with 30 years of helping customers make their electrical/electronic products better with OEM parts and production equipment...
These are not my FINDINGS they are TEAMRUSH Racing, the name of his race team, and JeepHammer, his online name....... I just understand them and can help fellow jeeps apply them.
So as it was pointed out above..... MUCH OF THIS IS HEARSAY and OPINION on this debate...
I will tell you one BIG FACT....
JeepHammers efforts on the HEI Junk have saved 1000s of jeepers from blowing up their engines. He also single handledly forced the HEI suppliers into testing and thousand of jeepers in testing/refusing and not using the harnened gears.
Hardened gears is 1/15 of the issue with Cheapee HEIs that are not MSD & DUI manufactured HEI product for the AMC engines..... Until a user fully understands the Cheapee HEI usage and corrections there will be issues with HEI usage in AMC engines...... we are not there yet.... not even close......
Laredo ....
Your HEI had 45-55 degrees of advance.... I guided you to correct it and look for it as well as other issues. The ebay HEI Left like, 45-55 degrees, might have done damage.... I guided you to change it to 30-35 deg of advacne. Left as arrived distributor might have damaged you AMC engine and a engine that may have run for 100k more might only get 30 k or even 5 k more miles..
Advance concpets to consider then
DuraSpark Igntion Modual, Duraspark Distributor
Upgraded Cap/rotar/plug wires tune up parts (Std tune up) & aux grounds, called TEAMRUSH
Use of upgraded MDS multi Spark ignition box, cost now is only $
AMC 150 .... one of the best bang for the buck..
HEI..... cheapee stuff on ebay...... LOTS to know to make a good qualtiy application on AMC
HEI quality buy MSD or DUI, est cost $300-400.... good solution... good product.. fully adj... very expensive
Horses have a choice ........ drink or dehydrate
MN CJ
I do this, write about HEI Weakness and
HOW TO UPGRADE STOCK DURASPARK not to change everone's mind.....
BUT to keep the jeep community safe.
USE the HEI blindley w/o knowledge and you will destroy your engine.... When MEMBERS post repeadly use the HEI for one wire simple thing, the hardened gear needs to be tested only, and one guy tried to tell me hardened gears are not a issue for both V8 and I6 AMC engines, its just the V8 engines. WILL CAUSE LOTS of issue and confusion.
There are 25 benefits to the stock dist and ignition
There are 25 weak Links of a Cheapee HEI that should be corrected
On a ENGINEERING Evaluation the HEI not EQUAL to Duraspark its a bit less
Untill members understand both Igntiions fully on all 50 points its is a GUESS and Hear Say and their OPIONION. Few on any Jeep type forum are at this level of understanding...
ONE last comment.... if running one wire to the distirbutor is the big selling point... Why have a jeep.... why have a 30-40 year old vehicle