Performance Distributors worth the money?

[caionneach]

I need a very good distributor for a V8.

On my 258 I have done the complete TFI conversion with a Mallory Hyfire electronic multi-spark ignition.

I am interested in the MSD unit sold by BJ's Offroad, but I am also interested in the Performance Distributors version seen here: Quadratec Performance Distributors AMC Duraspark distributor for Jeep Vehicles

Each is quite pricey.

The alternative is to build a TFI system for the V8 like I did for the 258, so I am wondering if the performance units are worth the extra in cost over what you can do with a $50 stock distributor but including the extras needed for a TFI conversion. Are the units better than what you can build?

[Tanker]

Every one has there own likes dislikes. If you can get a larger flame front the better the burning of fuel is. I go for MSD for both the 360 and 258. Wifes 258 runs the MSD 6 no choke 20 degree weather starts run no problem. I've placed several MSd on 258 with the box inside pas side under dash. This was done to hide the upgrade.One even left points on it. MSD was perfect due to the fact if he wanted to go electronic he can with very little change. I use the MSD on the 360 so no distributor problems with the cam gear. I have used HEI on SBC. The weird build 258 shes building is a 258 bottom end 4.0 head 258 intake,2100 carb. All flow benched ,ported ,custom cam, headers. And yes I said she.

[FSJunkie]

Not really.

Without getting technical, the best way I can summarize ignition systems is by saying that all you need is "enough". Having extra beyond that doesn't give you any benefit. Any stock FSJ ignition system has enough voltage capacity to create a spark and susatin that spark long enough for proper combustion on a stock or mild engine used in normal conditions. A higher voltage ignition system used on those engines in those conditions would be wasted. Increasing spark plug gap when avaliable ignition system voltage allows it has some benefits in power and emissions reduction, but the spark plugs need to be made to have this wider gap because widening the gap of a plug that isn;t meant to operate at that gap causes electrode misalignment and overheating.

A distributor should maintain all cylinders at the same ignition timing setting. You set cylinder #1 to the proper setting, but the other cylinders may vary from that setting depending on the manufacturing tolerances in the distributor. Some cylinders will be more advanced or retarded than others. Most stock FAJ distributors were made during the emissions era. Variation in ignition timing between cylinders causes an increase in emissions, so many stock FSJ distributors are meant to keep timing variation to a minimum. Aftermarket distributors are not so good at this. I have seen modern aftermarket distributors that are absolutely terrible at this, with timing variation of over 5 degrees.

Usually when someone reports an increase in performance from changing their ignition system it is because they have increased the performance of their engine beyond the capabilities of their old ignition system, or their old ignition system was worn out and malfunctioning. Distributors do wear out, and they work poorly when they are worn out.

I am a firm believer in the original Delco HEI. The aftermarket HEI units are pretty good.

[joe]

Is it worth the money????
Depends on what you've got now and what your expectations are? If you've got the Delco points system now and you just don't like the ultra reliable/easy points, condensor system it may(?) be worth it to you to swap to electronic. Any electronic ign over points will make for quicker, easier starts, but it's not going to make it a zoom zoom race car. If your starting out with a good condition, in-tune Duramax ign you likely won't even notice better starts by doing a Ford TFI parts upgrade to your existing Duramax ign but it is cheaper than swapping to a new HEI unit. Maybe gain a bit of reliability though...maybe?
I like the US Made GM(BUICK?) HEI's machined to fit in the AMC 360/401 but now most aftermarket for AMC HEI's are mostly cheap Genuine Chinese made and quality/reliability is a crap shoot. Some seem to work fine for awhile, some not so much. I wouldn't swap out a good condition Duramax for a China HEI and expect any gains in performance or reliability. For a 258 I would go with a junkyard OEM HEI from a 250 Chev. MSD had/has a good rep but don't know about todays MSD stuff? Other than they are pretty proud of their stuff($$). Davis DUI HEI units used to have good rep but rumor has it they are now also China junk but still really expensive. For street use doubt you'll see any performance differences between any of the electronic ignitions offered. Then there was the Prestolite ign on the 76-77 360's. Never was a reliable system so I wouldn't feel bad about losing the Prestolite for a different ign.
Good luck.

[Mikel]

For a stock engine, more than a hotter spark, I think a more aggressive timing curve would be far more beneficial. Low compression engines benefit from a lot of initial timing advance. It makes a great difference in low end torque.


The stock distributor can be recurved without having to spend much money.

[FSJunkie]

If an electronic ignition starts your stock or mild engine faster than a breaker point ignition then you need to fix what is wrong with your breaker point ignition.

I've run several cars on points, then Pertronix, then put them back to points. Zero difference in how they ran, zero difference in how they started. Zero, zero, zero. I drove them in damp, rainy weather. I started them in subzero temperatures. I drove them through blazing hot deserts. I climbed mountains. I idled in city traffic. I went on long road trips. I commuted. Same, same, same.


But I always bought good points ($30 Echlin heavy duty points) that I cleaned and checked the dwell on every 6000 miles. I hooked them to a Sun ignition scope every oil change to look at the primary and secondary pattern to make sure everything was operating correctly. I rebuilt all my distributors with new shaft bushings and primary wires. I made them run like brand new.


And that is the difference. Points work perfectly fine if you put in the effort and dedication (difficult traits to find in Americans these days) to maintain them. People don't want to do that, which is why they find electronic ignition works better for them. It allows them to be lazy. There is a whole lot more to point ignition maintenance than just cleaning and gapping them, and few people know how any more, let alone care to learn.

[Cecil14]

If an electronic ignition starts your stock or mild engine faster than a breaker point ignition then you need to fix what is wrong with your breaker point ignition.

I've run several cars on points, then Pertronix, then put them back to points. Zero difference in how they ran, zero difference in how they started. Zero, zero, zero. I drove them in damp, rainy weather. I started them in subzero temperatures. I drove them through blazing hot deserts. I climbed mountains. I idled in city traffic. I went on long road trips. I commuted. Same, same, same.


But I always bought good points ($30 Echlin heavy duty points) that I cleaned and checked the dwell on every 6000 miles. I hooked them to a Sun ignition scope every oil change to look at the primary and secondary pattern to make sure everything was operating correctly. I rebuilt all my distributors with new shaft bushings and primary wires. I made them run like brand new.


And that is the difference. Points work perfectly fine if you put in the effort and dedication (difficult traits to find in Americans these days) to maintain them. People don't want to do that, which is why they find electronic ignition works better for them. It allows them to be lazy. There is a whole lot more to point ignition maintenance than just cleaning and gapping them, and few people know how any more, let alone care to learn.

I put as many as 30k+ miles on some of my vehicles per year. That'd be five tune-ups on your schedule. Yes, I am lazy, but in this case that's not really the problem. My time is worth a lot more to me than sitting and working on my car to keep it reliable that frequently. The additional cost (close enough to $0 over the life of the item) between an old school points ignition and a modern electronic one is easily attributable to efficiency, not laziness. I take care of my vehicles, but I've got far better things to do than tune-ups every other month.


aa

[caionneach]

Starting with nothing

Is it worth the money????
Depends on what you've got now and what your expectations are? If you've got the Delco points system now and you just don't like the ultra reliable/easy points, condensor system it may(?) be worth it to you to swap to electronic.

I bought a 401 block that came with no distributor, no intake, no carburetor, so I am replacing all of that.

The TFI upgrade to my stock 258 distributor plus adding the Mallory Hyfire and ecore coil was an amazing difference.

I have a Edelbrock Performer intake, Edlebrock 650 cfm 4x4 carburetor, Crower Baja Beast Cam (but considering something else, dunno....), and steel forged pistons rated at 9.5:1 compression (I think stock compression is 8.25:1).

So I'm looking to make a good deal more power over stock, and get this 6,500 lb vehicle moving.

I like the TFI upgrade, but I am wondering if the added expense of the MSD and Performance Distributors offerings are that much difference over what you can do with upgrading the stock set up yourself.

Maybe the issue is the use of the vehicle.

This vehicle will not live in the high rpm range, like a racer. So the analogy may be like fixing the oiling system. If you race the 401, then yes, you probably need to drill out the lifter valley and install the bypass using quality parts, or using a larger capacity pan with an external pickup. But if it's a street engine, highway cruiser, and offroad, then a larger capacity oil pan or run it a quart over full.

So I may have answered my question. If racing, high rpm use, then yes, the MSD and Performance Distributors may justifiy the expense. But for a street engine, even built for more power, then the TFI upgrade should suffice to improve performance for the application.

[caionneach]

The Points option

If an electronic ignition starts your stock or mild engine faster than a breaker point ignition then you need to fix what is wrong with your breaker point ignition.

I haven't really considered points. But that's because my Jeep came with an electronic ignition (82) and I upgraded that gradually to do the full TFI upgrade.

It is a 258, inline six cylinder engine, but it will soon get a 401, if I do it right.

[Cecil14]

A factory ignition, in good working order, will likely serve you just fine. The trick there is in finding GOOD parts. Watch out for remans of everything. The remmaned distributors are often garbage anymore, as are the ignition modules. Take spares with you.

I think, of anything, that is likely the reason most people have started leaning towards the aftermarket parts. At least there they could be reasonably sure of getting something quality, though anymore even that has started to fall off.


aa

[acct21]

Buy a reman Duraspark from RockAuto for $44, then find a NOS Motorcraft distributor pickup, buy a matched distributor/cam gear set, and build you a nice distributor for well under $150.

My only concern about that Performance Distributor is their distributor pickup. Motorcraft has long discontinued replacements. My guess is that it is the same overseas junk you find at the big box stores these days.

[caionneach]

Perf. Distributor

Not me, but my buddy has been running it for about a year and I haven't heard any complaints from him.

He's running the Performance Distributors unit cited above?

[nograin]

Some good points made above ut basically there's not much to be gained in ignition as long as it ignites decently and the timing curves are optimized. For timing curve, sometimes better off with the factory distributor since its already very close. Some aftermarket ones have poorly designed advance mechanisms.


Also some aftermarket distributors aren't well made. It's probably worth glancing at this thread to get sense of what to look out for.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/racingfuelsystems/cheap-hei-distributors-t1691.html

Some other threads in there that may be of interest including about setting up an HEI module with a motorcraft distributor and TFI e-coil coil.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/racingfuelsystems/ignition-f21/

[FSJunkie]

So basically no.