Aftermarket HEI distributors for Fords - any experiences?

[STINEY]

Looking at a bunch of ignition options for the 390 FE engine in the JetBoat.

Budget options.

Right now I have nothing. Well next to nothing, I do have a rough points distributor I converted to use as a priming tool.

And parts store Duraspank dist and module runs $100 with the core charge, plus I still need a coil and wires, and a harness.

So these cheap evil-bay HEI distributors are calling to me............ do I bite or try to evade their siren-songs?

This one includes plug wires for $140
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-FE-390-.../350567855215?



This one has no plug wires for $100
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-FE-352-...sories&vxp=mtr

There are several others similar in price. I rather like the idea of no harness or detached modules/coils needing mounting somewhere. Two wires and run.

[anotheridiot]

I dont think you have to worry about the actual workings of the thing, just seems the cheaper they are the more play you will have in the shaft and start having some issues at higher rpm's. Do you ford guys usually put a bronze gear on the bottom too? I think its just one wire and one tach signal.

[skullbucket]

I only buy the $54 ebay HEI units, they work perfect for me.
But thats for Chevy and I think 12 volts hooked to an egg beater would work for them !!!

[CDMBill]

Just say no. Big giant ugly GM distributor has no place on your FE. Stock distributor with a Pertronix and a hot coil will do as well and there are other alternatives. Will the HEI work, yes, should you do it? No!

[Deaf Bob]

All those GM motors out there cannot all be wrong....
We run them in our derby cars. Chevy motors of course... Starts hot... Always has power to move the most mangled rubbing everywhere POS you can think of...

A buddy wanted a good dizzy in his 413 powered jeep ... He built his own and never experienced spark scatter...

I say go for it... The parts you need to get back to YOUR dock will most likely be found in the parking lot. ;-))

[Beagle]

one wire gm thingy - I didn't have any problems with the one I put in the 302 other than it being shipped in a saltine cracker box with no padding and showing up with a cracked cap. The motor signed off about 5000 (Mustang cam) so I have no idea what real RPM would do with it. They claim to have a gear compatibile with both iron and steel cam gears. I've never found and good information on how that works, but I pulled it to look at it after a few hundred miles and it wasn't wearing funny so who knows. The quality was about what I expected from an import... iffy.

I thought about it with the 460, but I think I'll get a Duraspark done up by Scotty at RHP since he's built a lot of stuff similar to what I've got and he has a good grip on the curve those engines like.

If I were to do the one wire thing again, this time I'd consider the extra bucks a wash and go with a Davis.

[SpiderGearsMan]

one wire it to glory
ford duraspark brought the company down from it's already low position in the seventies

[STINEY]

Seriously. I remember a lot of grumbling and grumping about the durasparks back when.............. now on the internet they are great as long as they have a clean good ground. Who knows for sure.....

[Matt Cramer]

That price would probably buy you a cheap Chinese unit; I'd rather put a Pertronix in the stock distributor if you're on a budget, or a Davis DUI unit if you can spring for something a bit pricier.

[BBR]

Ok, I'll be a posterboy for them.



Mine is working great now that I locked the timing out and have a good solid 12v to it. Car pulls clean to 6500 so I have no complaints at all. Would it make more power with an MSD or something? Maybe, but it's making plenty of steam for me.

[TheSilverBuick]

Sorry James, I still prefer the red postergirl.

[BBR]

That's not fair, you have not seen me in a bikini.

[TheSilverBuick]

But I have seen YOU!

[STINEY]

Running any kind of start retard with the new system James? (Boy, is that laying out the bait for comments!)

[BBR]

No retard, at least of the start variety. It has lit off just fine at 32 degrees. I am planning to install an ignition interrupt switch so I can crank, then fire if necessary.