Want To Delete HEI Dist, restore Motocraft Ignition

[bondo258]

AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l motor, less than fifty miles on complete rebuild. Previous owner installed HEI. Ran well until I did the recommended HEI power supply mods (relay, short runs of lower gauge wire, eliminated IGN power from distribution block, direct from bat. power)

Pings under load in the higher revs. I know a properly installed Motorcraft won't do this. Not many threads about motorcraft dizzy issues, aside from basic repairs and troubleshooting.

I know the Howell EFI is programmed to run very lean. Masking ignition problems by running richer isn't an easy solution either. (dizzy is old enough I'd replace anyway, why stick with HEI and it's well known advance problems?)

HEI is now for the first time getting full power, Tried timing everywhere from 3 BTDC with no vac advance, to 12. I'm done.

What components will be required to restore the Motorcraft? I plan on TeamRushing it. I'm not lookig for that info.

Dizzy, Module, what else? A few connecters? Any info on those or anything else i'm not familiar with would be appreciated.

 

[IOPort51]

I believe the stock 85 distributor is what you need but anything from 78 to 86 should do it. Are you thinking of an MSD box or Motorcraft ECM??

So far I can not say enough good things about the Team Rush TFI with the MSD 6a

Whatever way you go I think the Team Rush web page will walk you through the procedure and parts needed.

 

[bondo258]

Team Rush is a website? I thought it was a guys forum name, kind of like Nutter bypass' John Nutter.

Was hoping for a little insight, although it appears straightforward.

I was planning to do the module replacement with a Stealth HEI conversion, motorcraft dizzy with team rush upgrades. Some connectors, pigtails and a few other components are needed, but just wanted to be sure. never saw motocraft in person, and assuming someone's else's pics, diagrams, and parts lists are complete is just that, an assumption.

I have no stock jeep parts, ignition- wise, including wiring and connectors, and every write-up I've seen seems to assume you have at least some stock components and wiring, and are merely upgrading.

 

[IOPort51]

My apologies.

Junk Yard Genius.com Table Of Contents

giving you the whole thing but you are interested in ignition upgrades/AMC Jeep upgrades/ engine and year.

 

[bondo258]

Looks like some good info there, IO Port. Thanks.

 

[bondo258]

So I ordered a reman dizzy for a 78, per Team Rush and similar threads all over the web.

Opened the box, a brand new (generic non-motorcraft) dizzy was in the box.

Couldn't get the reluctor off, so removed the gear and pulled the shaft.

The centrifugal advance stop was on the larger slot thankfully, no ID on advance slots themselves, though. Larger slot was 1/2 inch. google tells me it's twenty degrees advance, minus the stop pin and bushing.

One Cap Adapter bolt hole too large. went to Lowes. Bought hardware. Went home.

Dropped in with considerable time and effort. (oil pump drive not chamfered) filed to match other dizzy. Used plenty of break-in lube on gear and drive.

Bumped starter to get to drop in. six bumps later it dropped. Turning crank wasn't doing the job.

MSD6A crammed behind my battery on firewall (dual tray, larger battery installed 90 deg)

Went to fire up.... no Fuel. I tested for spark with a jumper on the trigger and a screwdriver on the coil wire. Got zapped good. didn't even see the spark (sparks).

A little more research brought me to the solution.

The Howell Tach Filter for the HEI/Motorcraft setups is incompatible with the Tach Signal from the MSD box to fire the injectors. Attaching the Howell Tach lead to the coil will give me a flooded engine, since multi- spark will equal multi-fuel pulses.

If I ordered the Howell setup with a MSD box initially, it would have shipped with the correct filter, for no extra charge.

Called Howell this AM. Brown Santa should have it here by Wednesday.

A little soldering, and we'll see what happens...

I do plan on wiring up a "stealth HEI" setup as a trail spare. And yes, I'm keeping the other filter in-line and un-wired with underhood leads for emergency use in case the MSD box goes south.

 

[Rescue Diver]

I have a stock 1979 motorcraft distributor that I'll let go for next to nothing because I'm totally happy with my fully powered and properly tuned HEI.

 

[bondo258]

Proper tuning has nothing to do with it. I've been tuning GM stuff twenty plus years. HEI is great on carbed motors.

An I-6 with off-idle lean running TBI, and a properly functioning EGR makes for quite a quest for proper advance curves.

Never knocked with my 2100. When the only thing to adjust fuel wise is idle speed, it gets tricky.

Of course computer controlled remote-coil HEI is the best choice. Integral knock sensors avoid the whole spark knock issue entirely.

No time to have different chips burned, or money for my own tuning setup. Next time I'm in Missouri, I'll pick up the dizzy from you, RD.

Anyhow...

Finished install today. Runs pretty good. I'll post more in a few days with a few more miles on my rig.

 

[Rescue Diver]

Proper tuning has nothing to do with it. I've been tuning GM stuff twenty plus years. HEI is great on carbed motors.

An I-6 with off-idle lean running TBI, and a properly functioning EGR makes for quite a quest for proper advance curves.

Never knocked with my 2100. When the only thing to adjust fuel wise is idle speed, it gets tricky.

Of course computer controlled remote-coil HEI is the best choice. Integral knock sensors avoid the whole spark knock issue entirely.

No time to have different chips burned, or money for my own tuning setup. Next time I'm in Missouri, I'll pick up the dizzy from you, RD.

Anyhow...

Finished install today. Runs pretty good. I'll post more in a few days with a few more miles on my rig.

Maybe going up a size on the injectors? I'm definitely not a pro at tuning fuel injection.

The dizzy is yours if you ever make it out this way.