Looking at upgrading my ignition system on 78 vet L-82. Any recomendations?

 

It is HEI ,, I would just replace it with a new one ... Unless your doing a lot of motor mods that require a MSD box or something. One MOD I did make and it saved the day with out me planning for it was using the MSD module , when i switched to EZ EFI the MSD unit had a tach output wire needed for a clean signal to my EZ EFI computer..

And you can do an advance curve kit but if your motor is stock just replace the distributor with a decent one

 

competition products has a proform HEI for $125 .get a HEI with a adjustable vacuum canister.

 

It might be not what you think, but you have almost as good as it gets with a stock HEI....unless you have a all out racer the aftermarket high priced parts should be better however there not...all you get with the high priced or low is bragging rights at the local cruises....nothing else...If your toy is running right leave it alone....GM did it right


but whatever........

 

Install a set of quality spark plugs---check the airgap of each plug and set it if needed----connect the plugs to he currentt distributor with a new cap/rotor and see how the engine response improves.

You may find that you don't need a new distributor......

 

Been running the MSD distributor with mechanical tach drive and a Crane HI6 with their PS92 coil for over 10 yrs and not not one problem. The MSD has adjustable total limit bushing and springs for timing. The tach drive has not missed a lick, just grease once a year.
The Crane has modular plug typr connections, rev limiter switches and a tach o/p for whatever your needs. This combo has started in all weather and runs great. Ck out prices of both units on ebay or Summit.

 

caryb78,
Why are you wanting to update the ignition? That is the real question. Is something wrong with the current or you just want an updated unit? Depending on that answer, either rebuild your current if it isn't working or go with one of the sevral above recommendations. Just do your homework first.

 

I used this MSD HEI kit:

http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...8501/overview/

It also has a multi spark discharge for starting and a rev limiter.

 

Thanks for the responses. There is nothing wrong with the original I am just trying to update the engine a little. The car only has 20K miles on it so the distributer is still "new". Just put headers and duals on and removed the emissions stuff. Trying to clean it up.

 

You will gain nothing with an aftermarket or newer distributor.

 

Mike is correct: You have absolutely nothing to gain by replacing your HEI. Here are the facts as I've posted here before:

The "best" distributor and ignition system to use is the one you're comfortable with setting up and tuning. Any two systems, set up with the same timing curve, will perform virtually the same on a mild street car. For a mild performance street-driven car, I also highly recommend getting one with vacuum advance, and there are many to choose from.

To demonstrate the equivalent performance from one system to another, I actually did dyno testing at Westech with Hot Rod Magazine several years ago. Here are the results that I've published here on the Forum before:

A few years ago, I did a bit of dyno testing at Westech Performance with Matt King, former Editor of Hot Rod Magazine. We tested several of the aftermarket capacitive discharge systems and top-end distributors against a plain ol' points-type distributor. The engine was a nice street-type 302 Ford putting out 370 horsepower. We tested ignition systems and distributors from Crane, MSD, and Mallory, making sure that each distributor had exactly the same centrifugal advance curve in it with the same total timing. Once these nice aftermarket systems were tested, we went out in the parking lot and pulled the stock points distributor out of Matt King's crap Falcon: We set it up with the same advance curve on Westech's distributor machine and dropped it in the 302 test engine. Results: There was no change in the engine's performance whatsoever at any point on the rpm curve. Absolutely none.

So here's the recommendation: Run whatever distributor you're comfortable with tuning and curving, and set it up with a good performance curve to match the needs of your engine. Whether this is a tach-drive points-type distributor, an HEI, or an MSD ProBillet is completely irrelevant as long as you can get it set up right. Buy something of good quality that is easily tunable, and make sure you run vacuum advance on any street-driven engine. Trigger boxes, amplifiers, huge coils, and fancy systems will not gain you anything on a moderate performance street engine - spend your time getting the curve and total timing set up right on whatever system you use - that's where the power is.

Here's Matt King (black shirt) and me setting up the points distributor from his Falcon in the 302 test engine to run head-to-head against the top-end capacitive discharge systems:



Notice that we even used the old crap wires out of Matt's Falcon for the testing:



Here's the same engine with one of the fancy aftermarket systems in it and some really nice red plug wires:



Famed Westech Dyno Operator Steve Brule (left) overseeing the testing:


Results: Absolutely no change in power whatsoever from one system to another, as long as the advance curve remained the same (note Matt King's astounded "I can't freakin believe it" expression):

 

I believe you can swap in a adjustable vacuum canister.consider a HEI spring kit to find a distributor advance curve to your liking .

 

Do a search online for lars paper on how to set your timing for maximum performance and save the money on something else.

If you don't already know after a year on the forum, Lars is one of the smartest guys around and shares his info with all that ask.

Good luck

 

as Lars points out. the advance curve has to be the same or optimized. i have seen people put a new high dollar distributor in a car and it performed worse, after correcting the advance the performance returned. most replacements have a very weak advance built in.

 

It's true. You don't need a new distributor. If you want to upgrade it, this is all you need:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mr...model/corvette

Send Lars an e-mail, and ask him for his paper, entitled "How to Set Timing" v8fastcars@msn.com

If you just have to have some bling, do this:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...model/corvette

It even comes with a re-curve kit.

Scott

 

but I gained a rev limiter and a multi spark discharge for start up fwiw.

 

also find a cap and rotor with brass terminals.