HEI distributor conversation...

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jimkyser

jimkyser

10 Year
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
Threads
19
Messages
638
Location
Chicago, IL
Another question. If you still wanted the HEI distributor, could you take the drive gear from a Toyota distributor and install it on the HEI unit? Is that gear available as a separate part from Toyota?

I know what some of the J**pers have done is get a genuine GM HEI distributor from a JY 250 inline six and then install the drive gear from the J**p 360 V8 on the shaft of the HEI unit. Kind of a self-made DUI distributor.
 
orangefj45 said:
But why would you want to?!
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$25 reliable high output electronic ignition that you can get parts for anywhere. Been running one for almost a year on my 2F and I put one on my dad's F about 9 years ago. Both are still running strong with no problems.
 
msapers said:
$25 reliable high output electronic ignition that you can get parts for anywhere. Been running one for almost a year on my 2F and I put one on my dad's F about 9 years ago. Both are still running strong with no problems.
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i'd rather spend the extra money and go with the factory toyota hei from a 60. plug and play, designed to work that way and beyond reliable. and parts availability is not a concern either.
 
msapers said:
$25 reliable high output electronic ignition that you can get parts for anywhere. Been running one for almost a year on my 2F and I put one on my dad's F about 9 years ago. Both are still running strong with no problems.
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I just swapped the gear from the diz I was replacing with the GM gear. The holes were slightly different so I had to redrill. Also used a solid pin instead of the GM roll pin. Worked well. When I put in the new engine I went FJ60 Big Cap and had Jim recurve it for my application. It works flawlessly.
 
Weber Sarge said:
Ok, so the FJ60 disty is the way to go ? Is this a single port advance and will work with aftermarket carbs?
Sarge
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Well, I have no bias here because I have run both and been pleased with both. The HEI I got for free, swapped gears and bought new plug wires and blamo, I'm up and running, points-free for about $40 and an hour.
Advantages include cost and availability of parts and relative self-contained simplicity. But it is one thing that is not Toyota and could be made toyota, so with the new 2F, I decided to go with the "Big Cap" FJ60. I'd say the performance is the same as is the reliability...so far. Parts for the Toyota diz are more expensive and no doubt a little harder to get, depending on where you are. The ignitor alone can cost more than a HEI setup. But it is Toyota.
Lots of ways to go, including Pertonix refitted into an old points diz. Many swear my that. Just read and decide.

GL
 
msapers said:
$25 reliable high output electronic ignition that you can get parts for anywhere. Been running one for almost a year on my 2F and I put one on my dad's F about 9 years ago. Both are still running strong with no problems.
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That's been my experience with one hei as well :meh:. To be fair though, it took a fair bit of work to make the freebie HEI (found on a chev engine dumped in the woods) work correctly with the toyota block. The two problems I found being the HEI's oil pump drive too short if you keep the housings flange, and the thrust/bearing face of the block to centerline of camshaft gear are taller on the Toyota - so the gear needed to be redrilled to the correct position. If you don't address those in some way the HEI will likely chew its guts out or possibly wreck the engine. Did my swap about 8yrs/50k miles ago and the only time I've touched the distributor since has been to swap it from the tired old F to the replacement 2F I'm now running.

I do agree that if FJ60's are relatively common in your area, going with the designed/proven Toyota parts is the way to go. The FJ60's were never very common around here since the diesels were available at the same time.
 
Degnol said:
Well, I have no bias here because I have run both and been pleased with both. The HEI I got for free, swapped gears and bought new plug wires and blamo, I'm up and running, points-free for about $40 and an hour.
Advantages include cost and availability of parts and relative self-contained simplicity. But it is one thing that is not Toyota and could be made toyota, so with the new 2F, I decided to go with the "Big Cap" FJ60. I'd say the performance is the same as is the reliability...so far. Parts for the Toyota diz are more expensive and no doubt a little harder to get, depending on where you are. The ignitor alone can cost more than a HEI setup. But it is Toyota.
Lots of ways to go, including Pertonix refitted into an old points diz. Many swear my that. Just read and decide.

GL
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Old thread, but I thought I would relate my experience with the Pertronix. I installed the 1st one in early June 2016. Worked great right from the start and I had no complaints. Lasted two and a half months and just failed. It took a few months to get the warranty replacement down here to me, arriving Thanksgiving week with visiting friends. I was never happy with it. It would cut out and then run smooth, sometimes it would cut out and recover and not "hiccup" again for the rest of the drive. Other times it would just intermittantly hiccup. I took it out and put points back in along with the resistor and capacitor and it was just fine. So, in my opinion/experience, the Pertronix was an expensive failure.
 
^^^I had the same experience with the Crane ign. system. After chasing numerous gremlins for over a year I put the old points back in and she's ran great ever since.
 
I have no suggestion on what setup you use just do it. I used GM parts to convert my 75 and 80 Fiats and my son's Dodge slant six. I put a late model dizzy on the 350 in my Cruiser. Just make sure you get a good ground on the module and put it in a dry place. It is the only way to fly.
 
This sounds complicated and scary. Maybe I've been taken for an internet ride but I bought one that allegedly fits a 3F engine (For my FJ75) off the internet. My impression is that it is a simple drop in and bolt down exercise... Am I going to have to modify it?

IMG_4405.webp
 
cuencanolenny said:
Old thread, but I thought I would relate my experience with the Pertronix. I installed the 1st one in early June 2016. Worked great right from the start and I had no complaints. Lasted two and a half months and just failed. It took a few months to get the warranty replacement down here to me, arriving Thanksgiving week with visiting friends. I was never happy with it. It would cut out and then run smooth, sometimes it would cut out and recover and not "hiccup" again for the rest of the drive. Other times it would just intermittantly hiccup. I took it out and put points back in along with the resistor and capacitor and it was just fine. So, in my opinion/experience, the Pertronix was an expensive failure.
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In October 2018 I pulled out the Pertronix box and read the instructions more carefully than before. I somehow confused myself with the "on vacuum advance distributor make sure the ground wire is installed." I couldn't figure out what a ground wire had to do with vacuum advance. Doh! It means install the ground wire, which they supplied. I did that and it works flawlessly.
 
cuencanolenny said:
In October 2018 I pulled out the Pertronix box and read the instructions more carefully than before. I somehow confused myself with the "on vacuum advance distributor make sure the ground wire is installed." I couldn't figure out what a ground wire had to do with vacuum advance. Doh! It means install the ground wire, which they supplied. I did that and it works flawlessly.
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Good on ya!!

Everyday, I find new knowledge in old, well visited places... its funny how words just appear... I swear they weren't there before. o_O
 
orangefj45 said:
i'd rather spend the extra money and go with the factory toyota hei from a 60. plug and play, designed to work that way and beyond reliable. and parts availability is not a concern either.
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Do you know what year would 60 distributor you use on a 1969 F engine?
 
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