Electronic ignition

I'm thinking about switching from the points ignition back to the stock electronic ignition setup for '75. What all makes up the electronic ignition besides the different distributor? Thanks in advance.

 

Why not switch over to HEI instead? You can do away with the coil and it runs about 210 plus shipping. Here is the one I am picking up for my 75 next month

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=8051919530&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

 

The good thing about the HEI is that you can get parts for it almost anywhere cheap.

 

Or you can pick one up from the junkyard i have $60 in my hei conversion. You need a Chevy inline six hei distributor and a amc v8 distributor gear.

 

The stock Prestolite electronic ignition isn't very reliable - I have it in my truck, but I would not fix it if it failed. You can fit the Motorcraft ignition from a '78 or later 258, or the GM HEI (converted to AMC). As mentioned above, the HEI is a lot simpler to wire.

 

Thanks for responding guys. I really need something that's reliable, so maybe I'll forget about going to the stock electronic ign. I remember hearing a little about GM HEI and how it's pretty much all contained on the distributor and that it provides a smoother idle and better throttle response. My only concern with that is which one to get? Earlier, someone mentioned one available from Proform. Since then, I've found a Mallory 85 series from Summit and a DUI unit available from Quadratec. I'd rather not buy something that's hard to get parts for if, for instance, I'd need a new ignition module in a pinch, but rather something for which I could get parts for at the local auto parts store. What would you guys recommend? Thanks.

 

The DUI unit can run stock GM parts until you can get replacements from Performance Distributor. Or you can just continue to run the stock GM stuff. In our jeeps I dont think it matters.

 

if you convert to the hei, you'll ditch the module. do it, it's a very simple conversion.

 

i'm not positive, but i don't think the hei from a chevy inline six works for the amc v-8's. :?

 

Yeah, I should have written AMC V8, 304 or 360 either one, not 258. Still '78 or later.

The Duraspark will fit without changes, but the HEI has to be machined/modified. If you want the GM one-wire HEI, I'd recommend buying an aftermarket plug&play distributor.

 

I got tired of trying to figure out how to work the dual battery relay in with the new wiring harness and connect it all to the existing ignition around 3 this afternoon. So I took out the coil, the voltage regulator, the ballast resstor, the extra alternator wires, and the wires going to the dstributor.

Suddenly, the whole thing looked doable. I hooked up the relay for the batteries, the starter relay, and the gnton. I set aside an igniton wire for the HEI distributor, then loomed up the wires. Tomorrow, I am calling a local dstributor. If they don't have the HEI in stock, I can have it over-nighted from Summit for a total of 240.

All I can say is I should have done this a week ago...

 

I ended up ordering a DUI distributor with the billet crap and so on. Because I wanted to spend 442 to get it here tomorrow? No, because everybody is out of stock ont he 200 dollar deals until later this month.

 

Yeah, doesn't surprise me. I'd imagine that with the nice weather, lots of people are getting their Jeeps ready. I've decided on going with the DUI HEI unit myself, mainly because replacement parts are readily available from the local parts store and it seems like a "plug and play" type of installation. Thanks for the help.

Edit...Where did you buy it from?

 

www.4wd.com

Quadratec has the DUI version available, too... and Summit may be able to get it dropped shipped for you. I never called back to check.