Ignition Upgrade

[WAXER]

My 86 CJ7 AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l , I guess at one time had the Solid State Ignition distributor? It now has a points type dizzy (1) ground wire (1) to coil. I was told there is nothing wrong with a points dist, just change points,cap,rotor. Since I have no idea what type/make dist it is, it will be difficult to match something up. If I were to upgrade to an HEI type dist (3) wire, would I need an ignition module? All the wires are cut on the one under the coolant resivior.
Thanks

 

[Cheepjeep85]

If you buy an hei dist. You only need one wire switched 12v, and tach wire if you have one. And no everything ign mod, coil and all is in the dist itself

Sent from my DROID2

 

[WAXER]

Any sugguestion in the $AMC 150 range?

 

[Cheepjeep85]

Check out summit racing they have em, dui dist are about$ 200

Sent from my DROID2

 

[73CJ]

Any sugguestion in the $150 range?

Jeep HEI's

Good luck with mine so far. Faster starts!

 

[Cheepjeep85]

Check out summit racing they have em, dui dist are about$ 200.

Sent from my DROID2

let me fix my post: check out summit racing, they have one for $AMC 150 , and they also carry a dui for around $300. i was in a hurry the other day when i posted this sorry. here is a link for you to check out. http://www.summitracing.com/search/make/JEEP/engine-size/4-2L-258/engine-family/AMC-inline-6-cylinder/Department/Ignitions-Electrical/Part-Type/Distributors/?Ns=Rank|Asc

 

[BusaDave9]

DUI Ignition $300 Davis Unified Ignition 40820BL - Davis Unified Ignition AMC Street/Strip D.U.I. Distributors - Application - SummitRacing.com

CRT Performance $155 Jeep HEI's

BestAutomotive $75 AMC Distributor HEI Jeep Ignition 290 304 343 360 390 - eBay (item 200572644617 end time Mar-05-11 12:48:31 PST)

And there are others but they all use GM coil, module and cap. When you need parts head to NAPA. Makes my wonder: why pay more. Okay, okay, I'm not going to recommend the eBay special. That one may fly apart when it spins but what about the first 2? Is the CRT as good as the DUI? I would think they both deliver just as strong of a spark since they have similar components. These prices are all over the place.

 

[gert]

Jeep HEI's

Good luck with mine so far. Faster starts!

Sweet I just ordered me one

 

[73CJ]

Mine came and had shipping damage. A cracked cap. They told me to pick one up locally and send them a copy of the bill. They reimbursed me. Now that was service.

 

[WAXER]

Any one have any experience with this from flea-bay?
AMC JEEP 232 258 4.0 4.2 6 CYL HEI DISTRIBUTOR 6511-R - eBay (item 330526168812 end time Mar-03-11 17:25:46 PST)

Also, I have a factory tach. Is there a plug-in adaptor or do I have to splice into the 2 red factory tach wires if I run a HEI?

WAXER

 

[gert]

Hmm thats crazy cheap. My reman disto from Auto Zone cost more than that one.

 

[BusaDave9]

Also, I have a factory tach. Is there a plug-in adaptor or do I have to splice into the 2 red factory tach wires if I run a HEI?
WAXER

On the HEI distributor cap there should be a marking for the "TAC" or "TACH" wire.
You will have to splice into the wire. I have used a used a crimp connector like this:

This crimp connector wont cut the original wire.

 

[Rescue Diver]

Any one have any experience with this from flea-bay?
AMC JEEP 232 258 4.0 4.2 6 CYL HEI DISTRIBUTOR 6511-R - eBay (item 330526168812 end time Mar-03-11 17:25:46 PST)

Also, I have a factory tach. Is there a plug-in adaptor or do I have to splice into the 2 red factory tach wires if I run a HEI?

WAXER

That's really weird? I could have sworn I posted yesterday that I bought the AMC HEI ebay special new for only about $60 but it's gone???

Yes I bought one from ebay, and yes it works great with over 5000 miles on it so far.

 

[Rescue Diver]

Mystery solved. I found my post about the ebay HEI distributor in another thread.

http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f2/engine-hop-up-goodies-8104/#post69221

I know a lot of people on here frown on cheap ebay deals and favor the companies that people on this site like to promote for ignition upgrades, but for the money, you can't go wrong with this ebay deal. My jeep fires right up runs smooth, and never misfires. I'd say my cheepo new HEI is doing its job just fine. Not bad for under $60 new!

 

[WAXER]

Sweet! I know you get what you pay for, but what if you get a kick-a** HEI ?
Thanks

 

[Rescue Diver]

Sweet! I know you get what you pay for, but what if you get a kick-a** HEI ?
Thanks

I usually think the same way, but I figured for the price, why not try it? It looks very well made, but I was a little weary about the quality of the internals. I'm happy to report that so far it's been totally reliable. I still plan to grab a spare module, pick up coil and coil from a Chevy I-6 HEI at pick-n-pull to carry with me as spares, just in case. "If" it ever loses spark away from home, I'll be able to swap them out in just a few minutes.

One disclaimer, do not buy one of these for a V8 AMC unless you plan to buy a different distributor gear. Aftermarket AMC HEI distributors come with a hardened distributor gear which works fine with the hardened gear on the I-6 cam, but the AMC V8 has a cam gear that's not machined as part of the cam and is soft. In other words, the hardened distributor gear will eat a soft V8 cam gear. This can easily be fixed by ordering a stock AMC V8 distributor gear.

 

[WAXER]

OK, upon further review, I have one red wire off the coil, and factory tach works. Can I assume it was already spliced? Currently points type dist and no ignition module. Would HEI red wire splice into red wire and leave tach (from HEI) off?

 

[gert]

Hmm if your tach is working now and you run your red wire to the new dist then it should continue to work. IMO

 

[gert]

IMO if it works now it will work with the HEI

 

[Cheepjeep85]

you are going to have to change the wiring up when put in the hei, as you posted in another thread you need another tach anyway, the green wire from the new tach you buy whatever brand (they all usually use the same 4 wires of the same color) will go to the terminal on the dist. marked tach. i would just pull a new wire and remove all of the that goes with the factory ignition system, that way you know what you have and you won't have spliced wires going everywhere. if you sell it later you won't be the po that made a bird nest out of the wiring.