I am looking to replace the stock HEI on my 1987 car with something that doesn't have a 100k miles on it. I know it's a low rpm motor but its just getting a bit too wobbly for my taste. Because it needs to work with a FAST XFI ECU and harness and that is expecting the exact type of connections and output signal as the stock distributor for my purposes, I need a direct drop in replacement.

The two I have found so far are the MSD "Ready to Run" Pro-Billet distributor that is $299.88 from Summit Racing (MSD-8366) or the Accel Billetech that is $239.95 from Summit (ACC-60109). I don't have any experience with either of these products, which kit is more complete, which one is a more direct plug in or the quality of the parts in question. The descriptions sound very similar from the catalog but there is a $60.00 price difference so something must be different or one is made better than the other. Neither say whether they are CARB legal for CA smog either.

If anyone has any experience with these or an opinon as to which I should go with that would be great. RPM will not go above 6500 or so but I do need it to be as bullet proof as possible for open road race type stuff. Thanks for any help.

 

No one has used either of these distributors and might be able to help out with some information on them? I really hate purchase one blindly.

 

I have the MSD one I used with FAST on my old engine (I am going to a fly/mag crank trigger on my new engine). If you want it I will sell it for 250.00 shipped with the adapter harness you need. I also have the coil to match if you are using a MSD 6A or AL box. The distributer has less than 500 miles on it. If you are interested you may call me at 410-984-1001.

Art

 

Why no rebuild the stock one? Costs less than $100 to do it.

 

As far as rebuilding the stock one I don't want to go that route because after spending nearly 25k on a new motor cheaping out and using a 100k+ distributor that is cast and never meant to be beat on like I am going to probably isn't a good idea. I would like to open road race the car so even though the RPM isnt up there the durability has to be. So really like the idea of the billet housings and steel main shafts with high rpm bearings.

The other thing is that this is still a street car and to get it to pass smog it can't look like a spaceship with separate coils and that kind of thing. A shiny housing and colored cap is no biggee. Also to keep my dash and all my smog working I am getting an integration harness, that means to make my stock tach work the stock ECU will need to see a signal just like the stock one, that and the low rpm is the reason I didn't want to undertake the expense of a crank trigger. With a high quality aftermarket unit there should be no need, I can keep the stock ECU and my smog guy happy and it will work great. Problem is of course getting exact specs on what is 'drop in', I want all the wiring the same or close and of course the signal has to be just like stock waveform wise or the stock ECU will barf and no tach or it will set codes.

What part number is that unit you have there Blown Vette? Thanks for helping me guys.

 

Its a 8366 Fbody style HEI distributer. As I stated it is a deop in for a FAST system as that is what was on my car. I am going to a crank triger with my new engine and will not need the HEI. I have the needed adapter to match this distributer to the FAST harness. If you are interested call me. If not that is OK, I am just trying to clear out the unneeded parts from my old combination.

Not the best picture but it is all I have: