Tach Drive Distributor For Crate Engine

[Viet Nam Vett]

For clarity only: In addition to a reluctor ... ALL MSD and ALL HEI have at least one pickup (magnetic/Hall effect trigger) in them that can & do fail. An HEI has an internal module (amplifier) while tachdrive MSD's counterpart is a required, externally-mounted spark (CD) amplifier box ... BOTH module and spark box can & do fail. Nascar (cup,busch,truck) ignitions are no longer beside driver/on tunnel etc, for about the past 2 seasons they're required to be atop dash (it eases inspection/detection of illegal traction control).

While both are internal, an HEI's pickup & module are discrete units ... they're both separately replaceable but both are internal and both are typically in stock at local parts house ... same goes for HEI in-cap coil. Tachdrive MSD has internal, replaceable pickup and external replaceable box ... but you're not likely to find either in stock at local parts house.

Yes, some later GM HEI applications have an external module ... but the big cap HEI is what we've been referring to and it has internal module. Also, big cap HEI typically has coil mounted in cap ... but the coil can be externally mounted (i.e. MSD P/N 8401).

Insight: Likely I'll soon be driving an early C3 survivor (with points-condensor ignition) from midwest back here to SC. Since chevy quit with points in about 75, I KNOW that points/condensors are not nearly so available at parts houses as they once were ... so in my kit I'm packing a spare set of points&condensor.

Question: Pretty fair observation MSD parts are no more available than points ... so what kind of STREET ignition would you choose if parts availability were paramount?
JACK:gap

Thanks for the reply jack...I stand corrected.. . Good point on the HEI Parts availability. In my case ..I have ripped into the 6AL and replaced parts on a unit many many moon ago. Of course ..all you need is a grinder to get in side...:L . The HEI is the way to go if your worried about replacing parts easily...however...The MSD guys just throw the old one away and get a new one ..or brake out the grinder..:L

My problem is that the 502 whith the HEI that's on it now with that Big Butt Cap I think will probably bang up against the firewall on my C-2. So I'll be removing it and puting it up for sale. It doesn't have a Tach Drive anyway.

I'v got a brand new MSD ready to drop in.

 

[Donny Brass]

If it would help anyone here, I was about to post a brand new tach drive HEI distributor for sale in the part section ......

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

If it would help anyone here, I was about to post a brand new tach drive HEI distributor for sale in the part section ......

What are you going to use for a Distb..???

 

[Donny Brass]

What are you going to use for a Distb..???

well, points, of course

 

[LUCKY13]

Talking About Using My Existing Distributor, I Recently Updated It With The Electronic Kit To Eliminate Points And Condensor. With This Distributor And A High Energy Coil, Will I Lose Any Performance Versus The Electronic Distributor That Comes In The New 572 Crate Engine?

 

[Jack]

Talking About Using My Existing Distributor, I Recently Updated It With The Electronic Kit To Eliminate Points And Condensor. With This Distributor And A High Energy Coil, Will I Lose Any Performance Versus The Electronic Distributor That Comes In The New 572 Crate Engine?

IN a word, NO. If your old dist is good & tight, and curved to your combo ... it'll do a great job. I recently bought a take-off HEI from TPIS ... TPIS installed crate motor in customer's vette & their fuel injection required a smaller dist. If you wanna dump your crate's big-cap HEI, lemme know?
JACK:gap

 

[iron cross]

A stock, up to spec, 65 Corvette distributor will work fine and is VERY reliable. MSD=May suddenly die.

:cool

I agree, this saz it all.

 

[LUCKY13]

I'll Definately Want To Sell The New Hei. I Have No Use For It. What's It Worth? I'll Take A Fair Price. I Don't Try To Make A Killing When I Sell Something.

 

[Jack]

I'll Definately Want To Sell The New Hei. I Have No Use For It. What's It Worth? I'll Take A Fair Price. I Don't Try To Make A Killing When I Sell Something.

You have email.
JACK:gap