Dizzy Q's...

[USMC 0369]

Background: I fried my Mallory Dist. again. I'm tired of this and I'm looking to go an HEI dizzy. I've read up on it a lil bit and I'm thinking I can do this with a little help.

Question: I figure I'm looking for a GM/Chevy Van or light truck with a 250 IL6, around 1977-1981 in the salvage yard. Does this sound right? I'll also need a drive gear from an AMC 304 dizzy, but I think summit racing sells them reasonably cheap. What else am I forgetting?

My research on this lead me to this page: http://www.geocities.com/jeeperaz/hei.htm If this guys off his rocker, please tell me!

[Dukes69]

How did you fry your Mallory dist.?

[USMC 0369]

How did you fry your Mallory dist.?

Well, I've fried it twice... first was because I f*d up and didn't put resistant core plug wires on. :doh:

This last time was something different, I think when I drove it in the rain, something shorted out... (I noted that the ballast resistor had cracked at some point). The replacement part is $110 and it's getting expensive to keep this UniLite dist. Also recently I've heard from local engine builders that Mallory Unilite's don't enjoy being in our desert heat too much.

Once I find and install my HEI, I'll probably let go of the disfunctional Mallory for pretty cheap.

[Davisrats]

all the parts from autozone would be about 200$

[USMC 0369]

I'll keep that in mind.

all the parts from autozone would be about 200$

Yea, thought of that route, but I think I can keep it under the $110 replacement costs of the Mallory if I use the scrap yards and get a drive gear from Summit. I'm open to researching both options.

[USMC 0369]

Update on this project.

Going to the Salvage Yard today to see what I can find. Looking mostly for this distributor to do the upgrade in the CJ. Note that in my initial post that I said you could find the drive gear for the distributor at Summit Racing for cheap...

Well, turns out that the gear on Summit is Bronze. Bronze is all well and good, if your gear on the cam is bronze too. Summit does sell a gear compatible with my cam, made by MSD, but it's $53.95!!

Long story short, go to Tellico 4X4 and get it for $20.

Okay, seems I cannot find a distributor of the correct year up here in the high-desert, so we're headed to Coachella today to check some yards down there. Wish me luck.

[rockhead]

If you don't find one today, I have the distrubutor with the gear and wires. It has been out on about 7 runs since I put it in (700 miles or so). I am preparing to swap in a fi 4.0 so I am selling some old parts. $70 or best offer.

[USMC 0369]

If you don't find one today, I have the distrubutor with the gear and wires. It has been out on about 7 runs since I put it in (700 miles or so). I am preparing to swap in a fi 4.0 so I am selling some old parts. $70 or best offer.

As a matter of fact, I didn't find it! I was amazed at all the parts yards in Coachella, none of them had a 250 I6! Most of their cars were 96 or newer, which I suppose figures for this area. When will it be available, and can I come pick it up instead of shipping? Victorville isn't very far away from us.

[rockhead]

You can come pick it up this weekend if you want. It is still in the jeep right now.

[USMC 0369]

Yay!

You can come pick it up this weekend if you want. It is still in the jeep right now.

PM sent. See ya soon!

[USMC 0369]

Ta-Daa!

Dropped in Rockhead's HEI and it fired right up! The Valdez lives again! The question is: For how long?

Thanks Rockhead and I hope to see your YJ out there sometime soon. If ya need any extra wrenches putting that 4.0 in, gimme a call and I'll help wherever I can.

So someday soon, heavenly forces willing, I may be out wheeling with ya'll soon! Now that the CJ runs, I can get the YJ into the shop and tear down the dashboard to fix the gauges. Then the wife will go outside the Hi-Desert in it, but not until then. But that's a different thread.

See ya soon!

[rockhead]

Thanks for the offer on the help. It was nice meeting you two. I am glad the dist worked out for you.

[dannyboysfc]

Well I am bummed, 1st because I've been reading up on the HEI swap, and wanted to follow along as someone on this site did it. (I think the info here is better than most other forums)

2ndly I am bummed because I didn't snatch up that dizzy first.

My questions are how easy is it, and does it the Chevy 250 dist. fit in the 258 perfectly.

[USMC 0369]

The HEI works great. Since it was already used in a Jeep, it was an easy drop in application for me. But if you get one from a chevy, then remember to put the gear on it from Tellico. Or if you want to get one from someplace else, just remember that unless you have a bronze drive gear on the camshaft, you don't want a bronze gear on the HEI. It's easy, so far very dependable and there is little more throttle response if ya ask me.

Overall, highly recommend this mod.