1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

Which Hei Distributor To Choose

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Brislin06, Jun 2, 2018.

  1. Jun 5, 2018
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    So... No tutorial then?
     
  2. Jun 5, 2018
    Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    cordele, Ga.
    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2007
    Messages:
    5,916
    By all means a proper tutorial would be very beneficial. Like said there is a lot of not quite correct info even with pictures that swears that is the proper modification.
     
    Focker likes this.
  3. Jun 5, 2018
    Daryl

    Daryl Sponsor

    Bonney Lake, WA
    Joined:
    May 25, 2006
    Messages:
    2,871
    The dozen or so that I have converted have all worked. There is a lot of mis-information out there but most of it seems to be spread by guys that just repeat internet lore instead of actual experience.
     
    Focker likes this.
  4. Jun 5, 2018
    Daryl

    Daryl Sponsor

    Bonney Lake, WA
    Joined:
    May 25, 2006
    Messages:
    2,871
    masscj2a likes this.
  5. Jun 5, 2018
    Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    cordele, Ga.
    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2007
    Messages:
    5,916
    What you just showed is a perfect example of what I am talking about. On warloch picture of the shaft with the three points removed is not the same as an original O.F. reluctor location. There is about 15-20 degrees diff.
     
  6. Jun 5, 2018
    Daryl

    Daryl Sponsor

    Bonney Lake, WA
    Joined:
    May 25, 2006
    Messages:
    2,871
    Pretty sure they all line up with the tip on the rotor but now you have me wanting to go out and pull apart a couple of distributors.
     
  7. Jun 6, 2018
    masscj2a

    masscj2a Member 2023 Sponsor

    Ware, Mass
    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2013
    Messages:
    743
    This is good. If we could get a nice sticky "How to" it would end a lot of the questions, that keep dumb people like me from doing it. I've converted a ton a CSB point distributor in the past to HEI, but that was super simple, just buy a HEI distributor from a later chevy and drop in, Two wires and there you go. It would be a good thing if this happens.
     
  8. Jun 6, 2018
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
    I don't understand Walt's objection. Even if the absolute phasing of the reluctor lobes is different from the 231 odd-fire distributor, as long as all three lobes are separated by 120 degrees, the absolute phasing won't matter. The wires must be in-phase with the 45-75 rotation order, and the timing must be right, and the rotor phase has to be close enough that the correct cap contact is next to the rotor when each cylinder fires. You need an odd-fire cap which has longer contacts than the even-fire cap, IIRC. The separation of the triggers is controlled by the magnetic ring on the pickup that makes a signal when the reluctor lines up with either of the sets of bumps on the pickup, and that's going to trigger at 90-15-90-150-90-150 crank rotation independent of the phasing of other components.
     
    Daryl likes this.
  9. Jun 6, 2018
    Daryl

    Daryl Sponsor

    Bonney Lake, WA
    Joined:
    May 25, 2006
    Messages:
    2,871
    Yes Tim, I don't believe it matters where exactly they are as long as you leave the one pointed at the rotor contact when you grind off the other three. The housing possibly being different combined with the pickup possibly being slightly different is just going to point the whole assembly slightly different then a factory 231 odd-fire HEI. You have to rotate the assembly anyways to time the engine so it is not like there is a static setting to deal with. I don't want anyone to think this is a difficult process. It is in fact quite easy if you are aware of the quirks off the odd-fire HEI.
     
  10. Jun 6, 2018
    fhoehle

    fhoehle Sponsor

    Harford Township, PA
    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2012
    Messages:
    1,427
    I would love to see a sticky with this.
     
    Tom_Hartz likes this.
  11. Jun 6, 2018
    Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    cordele, Ga.
    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2007
    Messages:
    5,916
    If you look at an original reluctor assy for the 231 O.F. you will see that it has one of the three pointers directly in line with the mounting bracket for the rotor. This puts the rotor tip about 15-20 deg off from the reluctor tip. I will post a photo of an original O.F reluctor assy soon so you can plainly see the diff.
     
  12. Jun 6, 2018
    Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    cordele, Ga.
    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2007
    Messages:
    5,916
    When the reluctor point is pointed at the point of the pick-up coil magnet that is the firing time. This firing time has to be in relation to where the rotor tip is point or it won't be in the proper place at the dist cap plug. I will try to show pics which will make it much clearer.
     
  13. Jun 6, 2018
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
    Yes, this is rotor phasing. All that changes is the distance between the rotor tip and the contacts on the cap. It does not affect the advance (ie the trigger wrt the crank position). Engines with these modified distributors run, so they are getting spark. There is some tolerance for changes in rotor phasing, but I have no data whether it's an issue here.
     
  14. Jun 6, 2018
    Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    cordele, Ga.
    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2007
    Messages:
    5,916
  15. Jun 6, 2018
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
    Yes, I see that. If all you consider is the reluctor to rotor phase, the rotor should be 15 degrees off from the cap. But these engines run ...

    There are lots of variables involved though. Maybe the spark simply jumps that far, or maybe there is another parameter that corrects the rotor phase. Someone with one of these distributors in a running engine could cut a hole in a distributor cap at the #1 position and show us what the rotor phase is at say 10 degrees BTDC on #1. That would be telling.

    I would point out that the reluctor is also 90 degrees out of phase, and there may be a position where the rotation is correct to make all these phases line up. Hard to say without the distributor in hand.
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2018
  16. Jun 6, 2018
    Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    cordele, Ga.
    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2007
    Messages:
    5,916
    That is my whole point of this discussion. I have now idea how far the spark has to jump to reach #1 when the timing is changed. What I am saying is that to make an even fire distributor like an O.F. you need to move the reluctor point to align with the rotor bracket as shown in the photo above. I do on mine and it puts the rotor pointing directly on #1 at firing point as it should.
     
  17. Jun 6, 2018
    Daryl

    Daryl Sponsor

    Bonney Lake, WA
    Joined:
    May 25, 2006
    Messages:
    2,871
    The tip on the rotor is far wider then the degrees off in that picture. I think we are splitting frog hairs here.
     
  18. Jun 7, 2018
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    5,466
    While I prefer to use a 231OF dist - I have converted several 231EF to OF over the years using this method. Is the points on the cap identical from OF to EF... no. Can you get it to set and function within a degree with the conversion - yes. I have several setups in the shop, and frankly could not tell you which was from which without tearing them apart to look. They all work fine, and isn't that the goal here?
     
    masscj2a and Daryl like this.
  19. Jun 7, 2018
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    I'm having reservations about doing a write up since there are a couple of options.

    I'm open to suggestions for how to do a HEI sticky.

    I can do my experience or gather some useful threads and put them all in one place?

    :shrug:
     
    masscj2a likes this.
  20. Jun 7, 2018
    IRQVET

    IRQVET Bubbaification Exorcist

    Tallahassee, FL.
    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2015
    Messages:
    680
    My .02 cents. Start an HEI thread/ sticking begining with basics. What is an HEI, parts nomenclature, and maybe a cost v benefit for the old Jeeps.

    I'm sure things would progress from there. Good luck and look forward to seeing what you come up with.
     
New Posts