Tune up question. Eliminate points system?

[cruisin-davey-g]

Thanks Dave,
Does it work regardless of your type of ignition (points or pertronix or hei)?
Where is it installed? Between the coil and dist?

I'll have to start with the Pertronix kit first (bought an Ignitor + Pertronix coil on Ebay for $40, so if I'm not satisfied It's not that bad loss)

Johan

Johan: Sweden, eh? Wow......that's cool! Doesn't a '74 come with HEI distrubitor (I'm not real sure)? Hey, 40 bucks is not too bad for the unit. I think I paid 39.95 + shipping way back in '83. MSD would help it out. You'll get multible hot sparks & your air/fuel mixture will burn alot cleaner & give you more power & efficency. you'll definately notice a difference in performance, provided everything else is up to par. Just about every racer I know of uses some sort of Multible Spark Discharge Unit in their vehicles & you know what that means. Anyway you can squeeze as much power out of a motor. :BOW

Peace! Dave :cool

 

[Johan]

Dave,

HEI came in '75.
But so did the cat exhaust, so I'll stick with my '74...

/Johan

 

[cruisin-davey-g]

Dave,

HEI came in '75.
But so did the cat exhaust, so I'll stick with my '74...

/Johan

Johan: Thanx for that "tid-bit" of info. I wasn't too sure when they started using HEI. So, you've got the mechanical tach, too.

About the MSD units: It hooks up directly to your Distrubitor. You have to use their "Blaster" (or "Blaster II") coil, or a good equalivent, in order for the unit to work properly (stock coil won't get it). This unit needs alot of voltage to work, that is why it's a nice add on. Also, there is a model MSD unit that comes with an on-board "rev limiter". With this feature, you can set the rev limit of you engine simply by changing a chip in the box. This will allow you to set how high you will want your engine to rev, saving your motor if it should ever over rev. Most racers, if not all, use this when racing. Saves alot of motors. You probably won't need this feature in a mostly street driven car, but it is a nice thing to have anyway.

Peace! DAVE

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

"I must say that I am a bit sceptical to a plug-in electrical device that will "boost power and give you more mpg". A spark is a spark, and either the gas/air mix will explode or not, right?"


With all due respect, you're right. If your stock system is up to snuff, and being operated on a stock or nearly stock engine then you will not realize any improvement with a different system.

If it were that simple to get 'free' horsepower, then GM would have done it right from the factory.

 

[cruisin-davey-g]

"I must say that I am a bit sceptical to a plug-in electrical device that will "boost power and give you more mpg". A spark is a spark, and either the gas/air mix will explode or not, right?"


With all due respect, you're right. If your stock system is up to snuff, and being operated on a stock or nearly stock engine then you will not realize any improvement with a different system.

If it were that simple to get 'free' horsepower, then GM would have done it right from the factory.

Your point is well taken........However, GM & other car companies would of probably went the route of this type of system eventually............but opted to go the route of fuel injection, which IMO is a better set-up in all types of weather & conditions for the average driver. This is who the car companies target anyway.

Horsepower is not free, like you say. But, were not talking increasing horsepower here, were just taking the power at hand & making it more efficent. Sort of like adding a Passive Equalizer to your power amp & sound system, your not adding more power to your sound system, just using the power that you have more efficently.

On a stock motored car, a MSD unit will show a difference, but not as much as if you were to hook it up to a high-dollar hi-po motor.

Although most, & I stress most, stock type vehicles are sufficient upon to themselves, you can somewhat improve on them without going the lenghts of major modifications.

MSD units & their counterparts do work. Just ask people who use their everyday drivers in towing situations that have added this type of system to their vehicle. You might be suprised.


Peace: Dave

 

[waterboy1976]

WOW...............am I the only one still with a dual point set up????


Ill stick with that...a little more work MAYBE but it dfinitely is a good system.....

Im knew to the Petronix thing, but from what I see on here its like 50/50 people like and people dont....

Stick to your points....

 

[cruisin-davey-g]

WOW...............am I the only one still with a dual point set up????


Ill stick with that...a little more work MAYBE but it dfinitely is a good system.....

Im knew to the Petronix thing, but from what I see on here its like 50/50 people like and people dont....

Stick to your points....

Yeah, dual points are still around. I think that this thread started out as replacing points or not replacing points. I have since learned that the one who started this thread has got a tach drive Mallory dist. & Mallory makes a real nice conversion to electronic for their point systems, far superoir to the Pentronix system discused in this thread & Mallory makes real good products.

About Points & condensers: Hey, let's face it, they were decent in their "hey-day", but since Electronic stuff is so readily available everywhere, if you can handle the conversion.........go for it!

That's progress...................and time marches on. Comparing Points & condensers to electronic dist. is like comparing "Flatheads" to OHV motors. Take it from there.


Peace: Dave

 

[714Speed]

I've gotten more than I asked for in this thread of information, but well worth the time. My fancy dual point Mallory unit is really nice and more expensive than I would go out and buy. It simply came on my car when I bought it in March. It can't have more than 500 miles on it. When a car skips, I think points first, then wires and plugs. But in this case I find it hard to believe that the points are the problem, but time will tell.

 

[Barry52]

FORGET THE POINTS!!!! HEI is the way to go. I would never go back.

 

[gooney0]

heehee Points for me!

Its kinda funny should should talk about points..

My old motor was a 200hp replacement and had the original distributor w/ points. I had it replaced with a ZZ4..... And had the old distributor rebuilt recurved and brand new points!

Kinda funny.... HEI would be better.. I just didn't think much about it.

I not a big fan of custom stuff, and don't really want a MSD box. Unless it'll make a big difference.

I'm going for realibility first and speed second. I've got enough problems already.

-Gooney0

 

[cruisin-davey-g]

Re: heehee Points for me!

Its kinda funny should should talk about points..

My old motor was a 200hp replacement and had the original distributor w/ points. I had it replaced with a ZZ4..... And had the old distributor rebuilt recurved and brand new points!

Kinda funny.... HEI would be better.. I just didn't think much about it.

I not a big fan of custom stuff, and don't really want a MSD box. Unless it'll make a big difference.

I'm going for realibility first and speed second. I've got enough problems already.

-Gooney0

Hi "Gooney O". If you've got a true ZZ4 motor in your Vette & still are using a Points & Condenser set-up with it, I can only tell you from experience that an HEI type set-up will improve that motor vastly, as with a MSD type set-up as well. IMHO, ZZ4 Motor with Points & Condenser = Good; ZZ4 Motor with Pionts & condenser + MSD type unit = Better; ZZ4 Motor with HEI type set-up = Much Better; ZZ4 Motor with HEI set-up + MSD type unit = Best. Not only for speed, here, but for, as you say, realibility.

I will be eventually install either a ZZ4 or a "383" Stroker in my '72 & I can't imagine using my stock distrubitor with the points & condenser in either one of these awsome performance engines. It would be like trying to play a cassette tape in your CD player, just just wouldn't get it. Take care & good luck with your Vette!


Peace: Dave (Different Strokes For Different Folks)