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  • March 19, 2024, 04:44:39 AM

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Author Topic: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info  (Read 22396 times)

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Offline carnuck

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #30 on: August 31, 2015, 05:19:23 PM »
I would try running it temporarily without the vacuum advance (once the motor is warmed up) Since it's not stock, you'll need to set timing by ear or with a vacuum gauge. I advance till the stutter goes away. The MC carb prefers high vacuum for good function, which is why they don't work well with most high performance cams unless you put a very low number powervalve in. (The lower the number, the lower the vacuum has to drop for it to open. If it opens too soon, the carb floods and runs like kaka)

I would change the dist gear to a softer one from another source if you're worried about it. If you change the module and pickup coil in the Skip White unit, you get the same thing you pay $300 for unless you're worried about the mechanical advance.

The spring and weight kit is only $5-$20 and very simple to do. You don't even have to pull the dist unless you're a fumble fingers.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g5212?seid=srese1&gclid=Cj0KEQjw9o-vBRCO0OLi2PfPkI8BEiQA8pdF4Ddm-THPWVRT9Aw1m3EPge8fgRYSu9U79kKkqYOYbeQaAi7t8P8HAQ
« Last Edit: August 31, 2015, 05:49:27 PM by carnuck »
AMC/Jeep gauges are for amusement only. Any correlation between them and reality is purely coincidental!

Offline TEagle85

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #31 on: August 31, 2015, 09:38:48 PM »
Haha holy crap do I feel like a moron. I was so quick out the door of my garage I mixed up the 4 and 5 spark plug wires. Which is why it ran like :censored:. Duh.
I got there today and after staring under the hood for 30 seconds I saw my sharpie numbers on the cap did not match the plug. Swapped them around and runs like a champ. So quick to spell disaster haha.

Took it for a drive and everything seemed fine. I still need to dial in the timing and properly tune the carb. I did start pulling a lot of the wires out. So far so good but I'm at the point of figuring out exactly what has to stay as far as wires go.

So that's it, threads closed haha

Offline TEagle85

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #32 on: September 03, 2015, 07:00:37 PM »
So far so good.
The only thing that is throwing me off is I'm pretty sure the harmonic balancer is off.   I set initial timing around 9* with the vacuum advance plugged. Put in the heavy springs and all seemed well on the timing light through all the RPM range, thought I had it all figured out.
Took it for a drive and as soon as I try to accelerate the motor just bogs right down. Went back to the garage and adjusted the timing by ear this time with vac advance on and runs a lot better. Been driving it around all day. But now on my balancer its showing initial timing at like 20*   

timing dips (retards) for moment before advancing when I rev the motor. Saw this is common with some others on some jeep forums.

also I noticed when the vacuum advance is hooked up it curves the timing, even at idle. I tried turning the diaphragm both ways with the supplied Allen key.   You guys remember what way you turned it to lessen its pull?   

For now it runs well and goes through all the gears. Also after adjusting the carb it runs better then ever. Just picked up a Vacuum gauge/tester.  heading on a 500mile road trip on Saturday so I will bring all the tools and gauges with me. As long as it runs solid at 2000rpm at 65mph Im happy. Also plan to get some time on the trails up there. Ill post some pictures on my Project thread or one of the others.

Offline macdude443

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #33 on: September 04, 2015, 09:16:46 AM »
The slight retard in advance could be the weights unseating.  I set my vacuum advance canister so it began to add advance at about 5" of vacuum, using a hand pump and gauge.  You want it all out when the engine is under load, which is a low/no vacuum situation.  Ideally it should be all-in a 2-3" below max vacuum available with no load, but I doubt most adjustments will allow for it.  I just makes sure it's all taken out under load.
1982 Eagle SX/4
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Offline TEagle85

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #34 on: September 04, 2015, 10:10:00 PM »
my vacuum port on the carb (ported vac) pulls about 15" at idle with the vacuum advance starting around 5"-8" so Im assuming its always advanced? I turned the allen key counter clockwise so it takes more vac to open.

also never happened to me before but I drove to the auto store to grab the vacuum tester walked out and out of the blue the car would barely start, when it did it sputtered and black smoke started coming out of the exhaust tip. I thought that was the end of the motor. Turned the dist in the parking lot didn't help. heard noise from the carb and smelled gas. Took the filter off and there was a pool of boiling gas in the carb.  Screwed in both mixture screws on the Motocraft then backed both out 2 1/2 turns. Started running fine. Made me nervous.  It was 85 deg today guessing that had something to do with it.

little by little.  Leave tomorrow, I have the car packed with tools, hopefully everything is fine.

Offline amcfool1

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #35 on: September 05, 2015, 01:03:11 AM »
you're a brave man heading out on a long trip with a not quite sorted out car. good luck to you, I mean that! But...this is what your $300. gets you, peace of mind. My DUI, (Davis Unified Ignition, Memphis, TN} ran from day one for over 15 years, I didn't even change the cap and rotor!, and is still good to go on the next car I put it in. Now it has a new brass terminal cap/rotor. O f course it looks just like the "knockoffs", an HEI is  an HEI!, they ALL look the same!, and, with DUI, if you have a problem, there is a place to send it back to, with real live people to talk to, who at least pretend to appreciate your business. I don't know all the differences, but I think they start with better cores, maybe even GM sourced. I've heard stories on some Jeep forums, about the cheapies, about the shafts breaking, bearings going bad within MONTHS, aluminum flaking off, falling into engine, etc, etc. Now, I can't substantiate those stories, all i have to tell you is my personal experience. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Your Eagle is a great car, good luck with it. gz

Offline Billman

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #36 on: September 05, 2015, 06:40:14 PM »
Now you guys are making me nervous. I dropped in a Skip White and set it up with a tach, vacuum gauge and timing light. After minor fine tuning and fiddling the car has run fine for about a year.Now I see that there are other people having issues this makes me wonder if I should pull it back out and check the gear and whats all this about setting vac advance and different weights and springs? The more I read the more  I find out how little I know. I have plans to put a complete 4.0 drive train  in this particular car from a '95 Cherokee soon so if this dizzy eats my motor I'll just have to do it sooner.
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Offline Amc1320

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #37 on: September 05, 2015, 08:45:07 PM »
Ported vaccum should read nothing at idle and increase when you open the throttle

Manifold vacuum should read 18-20 at idle and decrease when the throttle is opened
Rob c
84 Eagle Limited Wagon (driven everyday)
81 Eagle Kammback
81 Spirit (undergoing surgery)
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Manchester, TN

Offline amcfool1

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #38 on: September 06, 2015, 03:57:14 AM »
hi, if your car has been running ok for over a year with the SW cheapie, you are probably ok. Sometimes they get it right. sometimes they don't. You got lucky. Enjoy! gz

Offline TEagle85

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #39 on: September 12, 2015, 04:06:50 PM »
So all is good, drives great. Starts up better then ever, Although sometimes when the starter motor turns the engine initially if has trouble like its battling extreme compression. like one of the cylinders is holding pressure when I turn the car off.  other then that its good.  I will probably invest in a DUI at some point but this will hold me over just fine.   

Offline TEagle85

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #40 on: September 22, 2015, 01:07:33 PM »
Back for another update.  So I ended up getting a D.U.I. dist.  most of the parts seem the same as the skip white (same casting marks and markings), The gear seems identical. When I pulled the skip white out the gear looked brand new after a few hundred miles. The finish was not even touched so I think we can all rest on the worries of the skip white gear, I cant say that after 10,000 miles but at that rate I have to imagine its perfectly fine.

The electronics are the obvious upgrades to this unit plus the tuning done by professionals for that exact motor is also a huge plus. However this swap didn't solve any of my problems really and I'm back to trying to dial it in as if the skip white was still in there. Was hoping it would be a drop in success.

Took it for a hour drive yesterday.  here are a couple of my issues if anyone has any input.

-My ported vac nipple on the carb pulls almost 5in at idle and jumps quickly to 20in when I give the engine some gas. worried that it is advancing the vacuum advance too soon.
-Engine bogs down like crazy during a hard accel. it kind of goes away when I advance the engine but then that causes too much advance on the highway and some pinging occurs.
-Related to the bogging down is the timing (i think) when I watch the timing marks on the harmonic balancer the engine retards a moment then runs its advance curve when I hit the throttle. I think its when that timing retards it causes the engine to bog.  Carb issue? Dist. issue? valve or motor issue?

I tried hooking it up to manifold just to see what would happen and not much of a difference. Still bogged down some and it also bogs down when the vac advance is plugged.
At this point I'm convinced its the motocraft carb that needs adjusting or something with the throttle linkage. The bogged acceleration is driving me nuts  :banghead:

Offline macdude443

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #41 on: September 22, 2015, 02:35:43 PM »
I had the same problem with my motorcraft, though it wasn't as pronounced.  If I stepped on it, it'd bog and then quickly recover.  One reason I don't recommend it.  Could have been my unit.

As far as ported vac.  If you are getting any ported vac at idle, then your throttle plates are too far open/curb idle is set slightly too high.  Hook a vac gauge up to ported and slowly back off the curb idle until the vacuum drops to zero.  Then try to get your idle speed back up (if too low) by adjusting mixture screws.  Yes, I'm aware the idle mixture screws are not meant for idle speed, but this may be necessary to tweak it a little and get to the RPMs you want at idle.  Keep in mind, when the car is on fast idle, the throttle plates are opened up more by design, so make the adjustment when the choke is fully open and the engine is at normal operating temperature.  This is what I do with the Carter.  The principle should be the same with the 2100/2150.

In regards to the gear.  You may not have a problem.  Did you check the distributor gear or the camshaft drive gear?  The camshaft gear is the one that will wear if there's a problem with hardness.  (Not really a gear, as it's a permanent part of the cam on the 258).
« Last Edit: September 22, 2015, 02:37:23 PM by macdude443 »
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Offline el-camino

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #42 on: September 22, 2015, 04:42:06 PM »
its very simple, remove the old distributor and the stock carb, buy a HEI and a Weber and have fun ;)
one great thing more, after this you can clean up with the vacuum hoses.
i think i have only 3 hoses now


this video was before i cleaned up the vacuum lines  :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdkr9V5bfoE

very important with the Weber is the fuel pressure
my distributor is not the most expensive but round about 120$

take a look on your timing chain, the most are a little bit too long after the years, and there will not help a new carburetor and distributor ;)

one more video, before paintjob and with cleaned vacuum hoses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTOHxGYTwmA
« Last Edit: September 22, 2015, 06:10:49 PM by el-camino »
greets from Sweden
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Offline SilverEagle

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #43 on: December 11, 2017, 10:20:44 PM »
EL-CAMINO and TEAGLE85 what setup do you have that your alternator is where the ac compressor goes!? i Have an 86 with no ac, has an idler bracket in place of the compressor with the alternator below. Want the setup you guys have, just need to know what to look for!
86 Eagle Wagon, Daily driver and fly fishing expedition vehicle.

Offline Baskinator

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Re: HEI UPGRADE Links and Info
« Reply #44 on: December 29, 2017, 11:48:43 AM »
Not sure what it's off of, but mine is the same way. You'd just have to look for an early 80s non-AC optioned Eagle or Jeep with v-belts I believe.
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