I read the tech article for the swap does anyone know if the gm performance distributer is the best bet or is there a msd or something that would be better. Or does anyone know any details about the gm dist other than it has the melonized gear. I would rather pay 250.00 for something else if it was alot better verses that 190.00 or so.

 

It's got a decent coil and module, vs. the typical production HEI. I ran it for awhile in the 396 until a Crane HI-6 was given to me (the Crane eliminated the module). After that, I put an MSD coil in, thinking that might have been the cause of an intermittent high-RPM miss (turned out to be valve springs).

Summit has a complete unit for about $150. That's probably a better deal for a simple EFI to carb conversion. If you're going all-out nuts with high RPMs, you'd probably want something better.

 

There are so many dist. to choose from how do you Know if it has a compatable gear. I have about 300 dollars to go toward a dist. and coil. I would like something along the lines of a msd or crane

 

Most have gears compatable with the iron gears on the cam. Every distributor company i have seen makes special notice if it comes with the bronze gear.

 

is iron gears the same as melonized or whatever a roller camshaft needs

 

"Melonized" (wherever that term came from, silly GM) is their word for "roller camshaft gear." They are, i guess, hardened for the roller cams. However, you won't go finding aftermarket distributor companies saying "Comes with melonized cam gear for factory roller applications." For the most part, it's going to either be a gear for the iron folks or a gear for the billet steel folks.

Do you have the factory cam? If so, it may be worth looking into the "melonized" gear. Not saying it's 100% needed, because i really don't think it is. I'm sure there are plenty of people running an aftermarket distributor with the equipped gear spinning on a factory hydraulic roller cam...

 

ok thanks , now I feel better about buying the one I want from summit

 

I'd hope not. Factory roller cams don't require the melonized gear. Aftermarket steel cams do. Aftermarket with an iron gear pressed on do not.

 

Well, that's interesting, because GM says you need a melonized gear with their factory roller cams.

If you're running an aftermarket billet roller cam, you need a bronze gear.