Your video was a great refresher forgetting an engine running that's been sitting after putting an HEI distributor in it you must have been a teacher or something thank you he helped me get my 64 Buick wildcat coupe started
Glad to hear that it helped. And nope, I’m just some guy who wanted to help out others not experience what I did. :) if I made your life easier, then I did what I set out to do.
This video is awesome. For what it's worth, I went the relay route, but a lot of it was the same. All I did was cut the ignition control module pigtails out and used the same red 10 gauge ignition wire as Cool Guy did, but used it as the relay switch source. Cut that leaving maybe 4-5 inches sticking out of the fuse block. Soldered in new red *10* gauge wire (not 12) to that ignition feed and ran it across the firewall to the #86 on the relay. Grounded the #85 to the inside fender. Ran a 10 gauge hot wire off the solenoid (because it's right there) to the #30 on the relay (it's fused). Then I ran a 10 gauge wire from the #87 pin straight to the plug on the HEI. My HEI is from CRT by the way. Then I installed my anti-feedback diode plug. There are 2 reasons I ran 10 gauge and not 12 or 14. For one, it's literally bulletproof and can handle higher current, obviously. Secondly, if my relay fails, I can unplug the #86 switch feed (formerly the main ignition wire) and jump it directly to the #87 feed to the dizzy by using a male to male spade connector wire I made up. Leaving all wires at 10 gauge allows me to do this to get the maximum amperage, which from what I hear actually isn't much, but oh well. All is great now. Thanks Cool Guy!
Did you install a new relay altogether or reuse the one that has a green wire on 85, orange wire on 30, red with white stripe on 86 and a 10 gauge wire running from the bulk head (coolguy nearly pointed at it in the video, it was the red wire towards the top of the bulkhead).
@@MrHeirthorn There was no pre-existing relay in my CJ. I ordered a standard 4 pin one with a built in fuse slot (85, 86, 87, 30). Ran 10 gauge all around - switch wire, power wire, control wire, and wire from the relay to the HEI unit.
That's smart. Im currently in the process now of rebuilding my heater box. It's in super rough shape and doesnt work but Ive got everything I need to do the blower upgrade and pull cables, etc. Also noticed my battery plate is almost completely rotted so I'm going to weld myself up a new one probably out of stainless or aluminum. Hell might even make it big enough for dual batteries!
i just bought my jeep on saturday and so thankful i found your page especially since mine needs the trans replaced! I will be doing this in the future too!
Welcome to the club. Reach out to me if there is anything you need help on. If I don't know the answer, I do know who does. I'm getting ready to start on a 79 CJ7 Golden Eagle with a 304 V8 and t150 3 speed transmission. Will be really interesting to see what the differences are.
Ok I musta royally screwed up... HEI is installed but jeep refused to start. Was at TDC and compression side with distributor lined up on #1. Ran a 12G wire from the 10G ignition wire at the bulk head. Wired it to the distributor and have the "I" post wire hooked to it and the 22G signal wire to the alternator. I have 12v all the way to the distributor (has an inline fuse amd all voltage test were done in the run position) I test the spark with a pulled brand new spark plug gapped to .045 it did spark but it seemed rather low. Everytime my buddies and I finish cranking right as we let off it sound like it tried to fire for just a second. Then wed try again and it would just (my best typed recreation) crank crank crank bogg down crank crank crank bogg down (continued like that while trying to start with jumpers hooked to a 7.3 ford truck.) For the life of me I cant figure it out. Could we have thought we were on compression side and not off been, therefor being off 180° (had a friend hold his finger to the open spark plug whole to feel for air)
Ok I fixed it my cap was off a quarter turn. I forgot the diode and needa get one since it wont shut off now. Seriously your video was spot on if I hadn't messed up the cap is been fine cept for the run on.
Just wanted to remind anyone doing this upgrade about a safety feature of these "big cap" HEI distributors. If you attempt to start the engine with no fuel in the carburetor bowl (no fuel getting to the cylinders), the module will sometimes shut down and the engine will not fire or run. From that point, as long as the key is not turned fully off, the safety will remain turned on, and the distributor will not function. To reset it, turn the ignition key fully OFF (no power to the distributor), wait 8-10 seconds, and then try again, this time, making sure fuel is getting to the cylinders. Even foreign made versions of this distributor have this feature. This happens because inductors (coils) pull more current when the resistance it sees increases. If there is no fuel in the air around the plug, the resistance seen by the coil increases greatly, which in turn means the coil in the distributor will try to "sink" a much higher current. To prevent overheating and destruction of the ignition coil, as well as damage to the electronics, a type of auto-reset circuit breaker was implemented in the module. Once activated, it will remain "on" as long as there is power to the module, and can be reset as described above. My guess is that it was too expensive to implement current limiting in the module and this was the solution used. I can't tell you how many guys I know who thought the distributor went bad and got rid of them because they did not know the above.
Man this video helped so much on my 64 Buick wildcat now head engine he explained very well as what was going on with these dang wires thank you so much so all my grandma Lynn's are coming to to an end
Awesome video. I referred to it many times installing my HEI. One thing I learned, the resister wire is calibrated to 15 ohms. Cutting that wire will lower its resistance. My experience was that my engine would not shut off when I turned off the ignition. Instead of getting a diode, I spliced the brown resister wire back together and connected it closer to the bulkhead panel. Now my engine stops when I turn off the ignition.
Well that’s a great build. Thank you for providing that insight. We learn from this kind of stuff. I will have to go and test the resistor wire to see what kind of resistance I have since I shortened mine.
i’m having troubling finding a replacement to that resistance wire because mine was getting too hot . any ideas ? i cut the plug to the alternator and found a ford replacement close to a match just without the resisting wire.
I run a 304 in my CJ5, and have installed an aftermarket big-cap HEI distributor. I know nothing about a resistor wire; I hooked the distributor straight to the "run" 12V supply (ignition on-off). The only time I ever worried about a resistor wire was when the motor had a points distributor. It needed one then because you could toast the coil if you left the ignition switch on while the engine was not running. It was called "ballast," and was either a resistor or a length of resistive wire.
Whoo u saved my jeep. I installed a hei after the fact and got lucky apparently. I had electrical probs and decided to rip out all the old wiring and do it over. My ICM was still mounted and thought I needed it for some reason..followed ur wiring and I'm back in business. Waiting for my new fuse box and then ill play with lights etc
@@coolguy_CJ7 jinxed it. It starts and runs but it acts like it only fires after letting go of the start position. Never starts while cranking ,only when I let off. I need to review your video and make a diagram and see if it lines up. I dont have a fuse box atm so the red striped cables im pulling directly from ignition switch
great video.. Did this same thing last week.. Going to wire as you did.. For know I have it wired off the original positive post that went to the coil.
Good to know the video helped. The coil wire i think is only 16 gauge, so you're missing out on a lot of voltage until you go with the 10 or 12 gauge. Let me know it goes.
i haven't even gotten a chance to start restoring mine....stilling in our barn at the moment but gotta thank you because when i do start the frame off resto im going to reference your vids lol its much appreciated
Great to hear. Take your time with the restoration. I found mine to be an obsession 😁. Pay attention in the next few months. I'm going to start a new one on a 79 CJ7 golden eagle with a 304 v8 and 3 speed t150. There will be a lot of similarities and also a lot of differences.
So I’m in the middle of putting my cj7 back together. I have a painless wiring harness and the previous owner HEI. Thought I had an electrical problem, forgot all about the timing. I’ll work on that tomorrow. Amateurs…am I right. Love your videos!
After I installed the distributor like you described with the timing, I tried to start. It still wouldn’t fire. I got cylinder one to TDC and took off the distributor cap. The rotor was 180 degrees off. I took off all the wires and basically renumbered the cap. Runs great. Thank you for all your videos, more than helpful to a handy but very amateur mechanic.
the "grooves" you feel as you spin the distributor is actually the magnetic attraction between the pick up coil/pole piece and the magnetic armature of the shaft. remember how it feels because the magnet can become weak over time and cause problems, if you dont have that strong detent as you rotate it, youll know its a weak magnet on the shaft. All magnetic pick-up distributors have this feel but its most prevalent in the hei design
The 401, 360, and 308 all use the same distributor. The only difference between those engines is the displacement. Almost all the parts are interchangeable.
My '84 fried the computer so I hot-wired the Ford ignition and put a junkyard carb.took a bushel basket full of wiring out. Never had a problem afterwards.
Hey, Cool Guy. A couple of questions. Great video. If I am watching this correctly, why do you splice the resister wire (red w/wht stripe) to the main power wire to the distributor and then back to the starter solenoid? Just curious if there is a reason for that. Also, do you have any videos about adjusting automatic transmission shifter rods after replacing body mounts? I replaced my body mounts with factory size replacements and now it only wants to start in neutral (sometimes with constantly playing with the shifter lever) and never in park. It’s not the neutral safety switch or the ignition switch.
Thanks. I just found an original air cleaner and got that powder coated and installed. I love the look of the original with all the stickers in the right place.
In a haste I eliminated too many wires I believe. I have no smog/emissions. Had power to starter before. Used wire nuts to temporarily check everything. No power to starter now. I pulled all the wires that wasn't connected to anything from the bulkhead. Maybe an open loop now somewhere since I "pulled" wire through/removed from bulkhead connector. Thinking maybe the blue ignition wire has an open somewhere in the dash loom and up to bulkhead inside cabin. So frustrated! I should have just left all the wires alone and delt with the mess. I had power to a bad starter before this. Just to be clear, I have power after doing all the steps in your video it was after I cleaned up what I thought was extra wires is where I start to have a mess again
Well, that sounds like fun. I think going back and trying to figure out that was cut and what is needed would be too hard. Email me at dellis6914@gmail.com and i will send you a wire schematic that should help. Then we can work through this easily enough.
When I run my wire from the alternator to the distributor, like it was originally, it will not allow the Jeep to turn off because the wire from the alternator is sending power to the distributor When I run the wire from the alternator straight to the battery so we can get a good battery voltage it’s not telling the alternator to come on
@@chrisbrigham6800 you will need the diode that I reference in the description of the video. It’s what tells the alternator to stop sending power when you turn the key off.
Your firing order on that distributor seems to be much different than mine you have cyl 1 going to 4, 5 to 1, 6 seems to be right, 2 to 5 and 3 to 5. The 258 is 1-2-3-4-5-6 from radiator to firewall. The Cap is 1-5-3-6-2-4 clockwise. #1 is to the left of the wiring at coil.
Well that's all kinds of interesting. I don't know if you could be that far off and still have the distributor working correctly. There's no way that the firing order could be out. I'd know it if it was.off.
firing order is determined by the camshaft not the distributor, you can start the firing order on the distributor from any wire tower and it will work but look different
Did you add that fusible link to the pigtail that goes to your HEI distributor? I bought a HEI pigtail, but it doesn't look like the wire is a fusible link.
Hello. I looked for the resistor wire connected to the red 10 gauge wire that runs to the ecm and the bulk head and I cannot find the resistor wire. Am I missing something?
Hey Cool Guy! I followed your HEI wiring install and everything worked out great. Jeep starts, shuts off.. all cool. My only concern is the brown excite wire stays super hot and I’m afraid it’s going to burn up if it runs hot all the time. I do have the diode installed. Mine is an 84 CJ7, 4.2 as well.
With your configuration, how and where would i go about wiring in a relay? Would I run the red w/ white tracer from the firewall to the switch on the relay. Then power out of relay to distributor + brown to alt and red w/ white to I post ?
Check back through the comments. George Adolf, about 3 months ago, used my video and installed a relay. That should give you all the details. He was very informative on how he did it.
If I am understanding your video correctly, once you install the HEI distributor you no longer need the ICM? That's awesome! Also, is the only timing you really have to do is make sure you are lining it up on the compression stroke. Also the 0 timing mark and the mark on your harmonic balancer. Do you even need a timing light or have to rotate the distributer to fine tune anything?
That is correct. No ICM, coil, or ECM. You will need a timing light because you will still need to set the timing correctly. Depending on your carb, engine age…etc, somewhere between 8-10 degrees should work. Look up distributor/timing adjustment on YT. I didn’t film it, because there a 100 videos on it already out there.
I have the problem that I can just run the engine with a 12,5 mm wire connected on the battery + and the distributor coil batt connection. no spark without this method
Great video! I just finished mine last night on my 81. Can I also remove the idle control module? I do have an aftermarket non electric carb. You made this conversation an easy task! Thanks!
Are you asking about the Ignition Control Module? If so, then yes. That is all controlled by the HEI. Did you get the alternator diode that I reference in the video?
Please help, I installed what the video suggested, wired according to video, now works great at first timing done, smooth as silk, BUT will not stop after ignition is turned off, even disconnects the battery, still running, only way to shut down is to disconnect the distributor. Thx
Hi Cool Guy. I saw this video’s thumbnail, and saw the dipstick. Do you have a video on how to install the dipstick tube into the block? Is there a bushing that it goes into before going into the block? Reason I ask is my tube is very loose in the block and oil is leaking out. Thanks!
The dipstick housing is nothing more than a press fit tube and inserts into the block about 2" IIRC. I would recommend trying to expand the tube end a touch so that it seals when driven back into the block.
When installing a HEI conversion and deleting the old motor craft/ AMC system dose this also delete the need for the computer control box Under the dash.
Absolutely. When you pull the wire harness and remove the computer harness, carefully trace every wire that comes from the computer bracket to the end connector. If it’s not connected directly to a component or the engine harness, cut it out. IIRC, the only wire that I didn’t remove completely was the red wire that goes to the electric choke.
So first go round I have a no fire situation. I just want to double check. I took a picture of my old distributor, the vacuum advance location and wire routing. If I put my engine at TDC and the HEI drops down in and the Vacuum advance is still pointing in the same direction as the old distributor...should I be good? Just wire up the distributor going clockwise around the distributor. If I turn the main crank with a wrench and bring it around to the zero mark, should the rotor on the distributor be pointing to the # 1 cylinder?
Nevermind! I figured out what I did wrong! IT WORKS NOW!! I LOVE IT!!! The response time for the throttle is amazing!! I think I have to fine tune it a little, but for the most part...it works GREAT!!! MUCH better than the old ICM method!!
Great video, where did you splice in for your electric choke? PO of my Jeep had a Holley carb that was way too big for the 258 with a manual choke. I put in a MC 2150 and can’t find a definitive location on where to cut into the wiring for the electric choke that I would like to use. THANKS!
Thank for this vid! I know it took u a lot of time to do this! My question is concerning the transmission harness, I just purchased an 82 cj5 w 258 and to say wiring n the engine bay looks like a rats nest of wires is an understatement! I found a loose plug harness that sits on top of the transmission but it has two plugs on the one end, I know u addressed the two plugs, but where does the third go? Thank u again.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Thank you for the reply! I found that theres one plug to harness, a second plug to top of tranny and third plug on transfer case. I’m now in process of removing dash and all wiring. i tested the speedo temp gage and fuel gage following ur instructions and im good….. im really struggling trying to figure out all the after market wiring that was done with no source… but, thats the fun of it figuring it all out! again thank you so much icy for all that u have done for us!
It fastens to an alternator wire which both have a ring connector as a main connector to something, no clue, I was left with a mess. Thank you for your help and patience!
Three things I’m doing is as follows: (1) 32/26 Webber Carb Installation (2) HEI Installation and (3) Computer Removal. My question is what wire should use to feed to the Electric Choke since it comes from the computer?
There should be a red 18 gauge wire coming from a relay that is about mid way across the firewall in your wire harness. There is 3-4 wire leads coming from that. One of those should be your electric choke wire. If this doesn't help, email me at dellis6914@gmail.com and I can send you picts of my 84.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Thx for the reply and info. Your super clean wiring harness in the video is my goal to have a Super/Simple/Clean setup. Please do send pictures if you will. Thx again and God bless.
Cool Guy, love your content. I have an '84 Renegade that I bought 12 years ago and am just now getting to work on it. Previous owner hacked all the emissions stuff to hell, so I've been researching for months how to put it back together. I'm not doing a resto, so I've eliminated the computer and all associated vacuum/electrical/sensors. I digress. I decided to go with an HEI and your video was hands down the most informative and I literally had it playing while I did the install. I haven't fired her up yet, but I'm confident it'll be successful. One question I have is that everything I've seen has the distributor advanced to around 8-10* BTDC. When I went to put it at TDC, I stopped it at 8* BTDC so it's already there when I go to fire her up, at which point I can fine tune with a timing light. Is that sound thinking? This is my first time working on a distributor, so I'm a little wary.
To be honest, not 100% sure on that. Everything that you've done sounds good, but I would put it at 0 degrees. Then fine tune with the timing light. All of the engine rebuilds that you see on youtube always set the timing at 0 and then adjust after startup. Just my .02.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Well, that settles it! I'll run it around again, stop at 0, and reinstall. I'm figuring out the electrical and vacuum connections and i'll be firing her up. I'll let you know how it goes. These videos are life savers. Thanks again!
You can rewire the feed coming out of the fuse box easily enough. It's already a 12 gauge wire if I recall correctly. Plus your dealing with a 40 year old AMC engine. They aren't exactly high performance machines so you're only going to get so much out of a 10-14 gauge wire. :)
@Cool Guy I need to know the bolt length and thread pitch for that alternator bracket and if it has washers or spacers. I’ve lost mine and ordered one off eBay but it doesn’t have hardware. Please help!! Thank you.
I know it’s off topic for this video but I’m trying to figure out how to remove the speedometer gear in my 77 CJ five. I thought the problem was the cable but that has been replaced and has not corrected the fact that my speedometer does not work. I believe the problem is with the little gear that goes in on top of the transmission. I cannot figure out how to remove that. Do you by any chance have any info you can share?
You should be able to access it through the transmission inspection cover in your floor pan. Take a look at my video on the Dana 20 teardown. It shows you where it is and how to remove it.
You only need the one red 10-12 gauge wire coming from the firewall to the HEI. Also, you'll need the thin, brown/greyish wire to the alternator but you can splice that back in like I showed in the video.
Nope. Live in the midwest where pollution is considered "fake news". It's too bad, because the 80s emissions control really didn't/don't do anything to help. An HEI with a catalytic converter on the tailpipe is so much better than the smog controls they have on them.
Hi cool Guy . Excellent video , one question blue/white wire that ran from bulk head hot wire to ICM then to S post . how did you re configure the S post requirements ? s Post wire goes to ? Best Tim
Did you do a video on your Air Cleaner restoration? It looks amazing and I am sure I am missing parts for mine. Would love to see that video if it exists
@@coolguy_CJ7 Just got my new weber carb in and about to install the hei after watching your video several times. I have a tac. Would that wire coming from the pigtail off the hei just splice directly into that tac wire previously attached to the coil? Thanks again!!
Yep. The green wire from the pig tail is designated specifically to the tach. I took mine out out the pigtail because I don't have a tach since it was a Renegade. Let me know how it goes and if you have any issues.
@@coolguy_CJ7 not sure the brand . It almost looks original. My positive battery cable is on the same side where the blue wire connects to the S post. My starter wire is on the same side as the I post.
I have 76 CJ5 with 304 and need a HEI upgrade. The one wire install is the wire to the existing ignition module, correct. Also I may have missed it but which HEI distributor did you recommend?
The one that I got was from A Team Performance. I've had it in for over a year now and no issues. The discussion around the best or worst HEI is a deep rabbit hole to fall into. :)
In regards to the wiring. The wires that you need to be concerned about I talk specifically about at the 3:15 mark. You only need the one main red with white tracer that splices in with the brown resistor wire. You can get rid of the lt. blue and the spliced in red with tracer that comes from the ICM. Does that help?
Hello Cool Guy. Perhaps you can help me? I was cleaning my firewall from wires which I no longer need. And this strange bracket popped out from behind the harness. It has two connectors on it. One white, the other one with a green head. 3 wires going into it green black and red. And it has two vaccum points. Nothing is attached to the vaccum ports. I do not remember if these vacuum outlets were attached to the old sitributors. Any idea what are these for? mine is an 86,. not sure what yours is?
Okay did some further research and seems this is called the Four and Ten Inch HG Vacuum switches. I never recall these were hooked up. No wonder my bbl carb worked so rich.
Ha! Glad i could help. :) If you're removing all of the excess wires coming from the computer and the ignition control module, then you can remove almost all of the excess vacuum lines. Email me at dellis6914@gmail.com and I can send you a vacuum line diagram for after you've removed all of the excess.
Talking about removing the ICM, that pink wire hanging out of it seems like it’s gonna conflict when installing the EFI, since that pink wire should be spliced according to the EFI Installation manual. Will need to call them and ask for assistance on this.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Sorry for interrupting again,.. I called on Howell and this is what they replied: You could still use that Red wire of the Dura-Spark module once it is removed, that Red wire will still have power with the Key-On and Cranking which is coming from the Ignition switch on the column, just verify when wiring our Pink wire into it. An alternative would be from your Vehicle Fuse block or from your ignition switch. Which red wire is he referring to on your opinion? is he referring to those you have cut out?
My guess would be the red 10 gauge wire coming from the fuse box. It sounds like you would splice the pink wire into it. But im not 100% sure on that. Thats really the only hot wire that you could spoice into that I'm aware of.
I want to back track here a little. What pink wire? Is it coming from the stock ICM? Or the bulkhead? I want to learn about how to hookup an EFI for future reference.
Great video, just one question- you mention that you do not have a TAC? In your CJ... are you referring to the the ICM. The box with the 2 connectors? Thanks for this great help.
No. Tachometer for the engine RPMs. That would be the green wire on the pigtail for the distributor. I'm working on a Golden Eagle trim that has a Tach in it. I will have to figure it out then. Amoungst many other benefits, you can get rid of the ICM, the ECM (emission control module) and a large part of the wiring and vacuum hoses. Good luck with your build. Reach out with any questions.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Tach,.. okay , why did I not understand you :) I got a howell and an hei waiting to be installed. I taught I should start with the hei first, being the easiest install. I am not a gear head, But do plenty of repairs thanks to your videos. Thanks a million for offering your help. In my country these rigs are aliens....
Nope. Didn't miss them. I never did the videos. As I was putting things back on, I was really moving fast. I didn't take the proper time to slow down and document it. Now with that said, I'm going to be starting on a 79 CJ7 Golden Eagle trim in the next month. I will video everything that I didn't do on the first CJ7. Hopefully by the end, I will have a video for everything. 😁
Cool Guy cool! I will look forward to you videos from the GE CJ. I have an 84 CJ 7 that I restored and I loved doing it and I love driving it. Have a great day!
I have a inline six, 79 258 . Installed white performance HEI distributor, wiped out camshaft gear. After total rebuild of engine, I have installed Summitt racing HEI . Notice distributor wobbles when cranking over. Any thoughts?
Well that doesn't sound good. When you say "wobble", is it just the top portion or the whole distributor that is outside of the engine that is moving? Also, are you getting any oil leaks around the base of the distributor?
Hey CoolGuy, I just installed my new HEI unit which I got from CRT performance distributors. I've got the firing order and plug wires correct. I'm able to start it and it will idle. I set initial timing at ~12° BTDC with vacuum line plugged. It will idle "okay". Problem is as soon as I hookup vacuum advance from the carb vac port to the distributor, the Jeep dies. I have tried this with both manifold and carb vac ports. Did you have any issues like this and if so, can you help me? Thank you.
First thing I'd do is set the timing to 8 degrees BTDC. After adjusting, I have mine set at 7 degrees. Secondly, I would work on adjusting the air/fuel adjustment screws on your carburetor. That should help dial in the idle. Lastly, some of the higher end HEIs have an adjusting screw inside the vacuum advance module. Did your distributor come with instructions that reference that? Let's start there.
I attempted this swap on my 1982 CJ7 and am having trouble... My oil pressure, temp, and fuel gauges are no longer working. The overall engine power is also diminished. I set the timing based on feel and sound, so it could be related to timing. Any thoughts or advise for either problem?
@@coolguy_CJ7 I didn't remove it but it appeared some wiring changes had been done previously, so it may have already been done -- not sure. All the gauges were working before I installed the new distributor.
@@camscott2249 the reason I ask is none of those gauges have anything to do with the distributor. Have you tested the gauges for voltage/signal? I have a video that can help with the temp and fuel gauge. My bet is somewhere along the line, a ground wire got disconnected or lost contact.
Having trouble finding that Alternator diode... wondering if you had a link... or could point me in the right direction? Thanks for the video... it was very helpful!
Man I have my wiring all messed up. Can’t get my Jeep running right for nothing. I put an hei in and took my carb off and sent it out to be cleaned and tuned. I can’t seem to get it running good now, it’s extremely rough, fouls plugs with black carbon. It’s a mess.
Cool Guy yep I never even thought of any of this, I thought I simply take the red tracer wire from the coil and hook it to the hei, tomorrow I’m gonna gut it all and start over. Thanks for the info! Much appreciated.
Have you noticed a difference in performance after the HEI install? Also, did you perform a Nutter Bypass prior? Great vids by the way. Really appreciate them, even the simple ones. Nothings too small.
To be honest, the CJ was in pretty rough shape, stalling, bad idle, and other such ailments. Come to find the fuel lines had rotted through, carb was bad, and vacuum lines were a mess. Plus it's an AMC 258 so you can only have so much of a power expansion. But I will say, it gave me the opportunity to get rid of the coil, 1/4 mile of excess wires, 50 feet of vacuum lines, almost instant start-up, and a lot cleaner idle. So that is my experience. It's totally worth the money.
@@DavidBrown-qt1rr Completely. You can remove everything connected to the computer and the ICM. The only thing that I kept was the wire that connectes to the electric choke on my carburetor.
@@DavidBrown-qt1rr Well that is a different discussion. If you asked 10 people, you would get 10 different answers. If you want to spend $300-$400 then go with the DUI or anothe high priced unit. I went with the A-team performanxe one. About $100 total. It's been over a year and runs like a watch.
I'm a big fan of Disney. I like to see how long they last after the trip to see the big mouse. That one was after the Food and Wine Festival, which I highly recommend.
9. I have had no issues thus far. Been 8 month or so. I keep tinkering around with it to adjust timing, but outside of my own issues, I think it's great.
It operates as a switch for transfer of power at consistent flow and amperage. It’s more technical than my explanation, but there are tons of videos on how relay switches work on CZcams.
Now with that said, the wiring that is connected to the alternator might be a good place to start. Try and go back and set it up the way that 3i did and let me know what the outcome is.
Hi I am in the mist doing this up grade new web carb and her can you email me wiring schematic .I have 86 cj7 4.2 .Also can I do alway with computer emissions hoses. thank you
Ayuh !! First time I've seen one of your videos, and just saw that you've make MANY of those... I just bought a 87 yj 4,2l. For sure, I'm going to watch many of those in the coming weeks.... I'll order an HEI in the coming weeks, and even if the Nutter bypasss is not usell with the HEI, I want to try it just to see the difference (mine dies on idle)... I didn't have time to see through all your videos yet, but what carb di you have... on 87 yj its carter and I want to swap it to motorcraft 2150... Again , you're video is giving A Lot of good infos... pretty well made....
If your YJ dies at idle, it's probably not the distributor. It's more likely the carburetor, fuel filter, or fuel pump. I don't know much about the YJ because they are Chrysler and they changed a bunch of stuff in 87, but I would start there.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Indeed, differents animals, however I've already look at some of your videos and it is helping me to understand things on the Jeep.... Not a hudge job as you did, but I want to completely refresh my Jeep. Up here in canada rust is tough on trucks/cars... Look at the job you did on your frame, I'm thinking of doing it. I will have to do some welding too to repair the frame...
The blue wire connects to the "s" post on the solenoid. It goes over to ICM (ignition control module) on the drivers side fender. The plug that it connects into has your main power wire coming out to it and feeds the ignition. The red with black tracer wire connects to the "i" post and runs over to the igintion coil plastic clip. The original configuration has a rubber bridge that holds the two wires together at the solenoid posts. Does that help?
@@coolguy_CJ7 So that “I” post wire is no longer required with the new HEI set up? Am I able to DM you about my CJ7 issue I’m having and see if you have any input? It’s a little long to type here.
The timing could help, but that is only going to set when the spark plugs fire. It sounds like you've got something going on with your fuel pump or carburetor. What do you mean by "flooding"?
Unfortunately i do not. Once Chrysler bought the Jeep brand in 87 and changed so many things that used to make a Jeep a Jeep, i lost interest. I do know that the engine stayed the same but I don't know for how long. If it is a true 258 4.2 then I'm willing to bet the process is the same. I'd trace the wires in your harness first and compare it to mine. Let me know what you find out.
Could you elaborate further on the V8 gear/cam problem? You'd think the new distributor would have the correct gear and specs. that it wouldn't be a problem. This leads to another thing. Hopefully the new distributor would take the old distributor drive gear and eliminate the possible problem. With there being several different brand HEI units on the market now there is probably a difference from model to model/manufacturer to manufacturer. I am looking at the HEI conversion now due to there being low cost units available. Do you know anything about the different brands, good/bad, issues/etc? Thanks.
If you're doing the HEI for a V8 then I would definately switch out the gear with the old one. As far as what brand, that is a whole conversation to itself. I went with one from amazon. Under $100. It has been great for the past few months. Some guys talk about finding a used one at a junkyard off a GM vehicle. But that is something I'm not very familiar with.
The issue is a differne t material used in the V8s for the cam shaft. Apparently it was softer for the AMC v8. Don't know why, just what it is. You would think that the gear would be correct for the useage, but apparently not. Thats why it is recommended to switch out the new gear with the old.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Thanks for replying so quick. I've been looking at various brands and sources. Some of them address this gear issue. They specifically say their gear is correct and won't have issues. But yeah, I can swap my old gear assuming the new shaft is dimensionally the same. Also it seems like I used to hear about Bronze gears although that's 30+ years of forgetting stuff now lol. You'd also think that if you have good oiling it shouldn't matter. We know that AMC suffered in that department on V8 engines though. Luckily I have the low mile 304 in the jeep and an extra 360 and 401 on pallets that are complete should I need extra dist. parts.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Sorry I didn't see this reply. I actually have a GM HEI distributor left over from the V8 Powered Vega I did way back when. I don't think the GM and AMC housings are interchangeable but I've never actually compared. Maybe I should pull the GM out and do some measuring. Hadn't even thought about it until I read this post.
A lot of the really smart Jeep guys I've talked to have said that they are interchangeable. See if you can dig it up and compare. I'd love to know. I'm getting ready to start on a 79 304 V8 t150 3 speed Golden Eagle trim CJ7. I will be looking to put in an HEI for that one also.
If you've installed the HEI, the ICM should not be connected to anything. You should have it to where there is just the one 10-12 gauge wire comjng from the fuse box to the HEI.
I started at 10 but found that I had engine knock under stress so i moved it back to 8. It is a much cleaner acceleration now. It seems every engine is a little different, but that seems to work the best for me. You just have to have patience and do it over the course of a few days. I'm also adjusting the air to fuel ratio on my carb. Don't know if I'll ever get it just right, but im going to try.
For your future videos, using indefinite terms like "here", "this", "that" and "there" are useless without a finger pointing to whatever that term refers to. More confusing than helpful without a pointer.
I have a 84 CJ7 with the 4.2 l I have been troubleshooting it for a few months now and I still can't figure out why I only get spark when my ignition key is turned to the start position then when it goes back to the on position it turns off. I can hold my key on the start position with the starter running and my engine will run. I'm starting to think maybe I just need a new distributor and a new ICM. What do you think or if anybody in the comments knows please help me out. I have already put a new key ignition switch and the switch at the bottom of the steering column and I have performed the nutter bypass
I don’t think it’s the distributor or the ICM. If they were bad, you wouldn’t get any spark or ignition. Let’s start with the key ignition cylinder. If you turn the key to “Start/ACC”, do any of your gauges activate? Voltage, fuel, temp?
Also I’d like to add that’s the most detailed video I have seen on the hei, really great video. Nice Jeep to super clean wiring. Thank you!
Awesome! Thank you!
Did the hei swap 25 years ago. Used a Chevy straight 6 hei. Swapped the gear on the hei to an AMC V8 gear. Voila. No more points or ignition box
Your video was a great refresher forgetting an engine running that's been sitting after putting an HEI distributor in it you must have been a teacher or something thank you he helped me get my 64 Buick wildcat coupe started
Glad to hear that it helped. And nope, I’m just some guy who wanted to help out others not experience what I did. :) if I made your life easier, then I did what I set out to do.
That plastic glove trick works pretty well! I did it this morning and I heard the POP when it shot out of the spark plug hole.
Kind of fun, wasn’t it.
This video is awesome. For what it's worth, I went the relay route, but a lot of it was the same. All I did was cut the ignition control module pigtails out and used the same red 10 gauge ignition wire as Cool Guy did, but used it as the relay switch source. Cut that leaving maybe 4-5 inches sticking out of the fuse block. Soldered in new red *10* gauge wire (not 12) to that ignition feed and ran it across the firewall to the #86 on the relay. Grounded the #85 to the inside fender. Ran a 10 gauge hot wire off the solenoid (because it's right there) to the #30 on the relay (it's fused). Then I ran a 10 gauge wire from the #87 pin straight to the plug on the HEI. My HEI is from CRT by the way. Then I installed my anti-feedback diode plug. There are 2 reasons I ran 10 gauge and not 12 or 14. For one, it's literally bulletproof and can handle higher current, obviously. Secondly, if my relay fails, I can unplug the #86 switch feed (formerly the main ignition wire) and jump it directly to the #87 feed to the dizzy by using a male to male spade connector wire I made up. Leaving all wires at 10 gauge allows me to do this to get the maximum amperage, which from what I hear actually isn't much, but oh well. All is great now. Thanks Cool Guy!
Wow! Great build and wonderful detail. Thank you for providing that alternative. Long live the CJ!
Did you install a new relay altogether or reuse the one that has a green wire on 85, orange wire on 30, red with white stripe on 86 and a 10 gauge wire running from the bulk head (coolguy nearly pointed at it in the video, it was the red wire towards the top of the bulkhead).
@@MrHeirthorn There was no pre-existing relay in my CJ. I ordered a standard 4 pin one with a built in fuse slot (85, 86, 87, 30). Ran 10 gauge all around - switch wire, power wire, control wire, and wire from the relay to the HEI unit.
@@georgeadolf666 I believe its the heater relay but ive since removed the old carb and no longer have a purpose for it. I might just repurpose it.
That's smart. Im currently in the process now of rebuilding my heater box. It's in super rough shape and doesnt work but Ive got everything I need to do the blower upgrade and pull cables, etc. Also noticed my battery plate is almost completely rotted so I'm going to weld myself up a new one probably out of stainless or aluminum. Hell might even make it big enough for dual batteries!
i just bought my jeep on saturday and so thankful i found your page especially since mine needs the trans replaced! I will be doing this in the future too!
Welcome to the club. Reach out to me if there is anything you need help on. If I don't know the answer, I do know who does. I'm getting ready to start on a 79 CJ7 Golden Eagle with a 304 V8 and t150 3 speed transmission. Will be really interesting to see what the differences are.
Ok I musta royally screwed up... HEI is installed but jeep refused to start. Was at TDC and compression side with distributor lined up on #1. Ran a 12G wire from the 10G ignition wire at the bulk head. Wired it to the distributor and have the "I" post wire hooked to it and the 22G signal wire to the alternator. I have 12v all the way to the distributor (has an inline fuse amd all voltage test were done in the run position) I test the spark with a pulled brand new spark plug gapped to .045 it did spark but it seemed rather low. Everytime my buddies and I finish cranking right as we let off it sound like it tried to fire for just a second. Then wed try again and it would just (my best typed recreation) crank crank crank bogg down crank crank crank bogg down (continued like that while trying to start with jumpers hooked to a 7.3 ford truck.) For the life of me I cant figure it out. Could we have thought we were on compression side and not off been, therefor being off 180° (had a friend hold his finger to the open spark plug whole to feel for air)
Ok I fixed it my cap was off a quarter turn. I forgot the diode and needa get one since it wont shut off now. Seriously your video was spot on if I hadn't messed up the cap is been fine cept for the run on.
@@Liam12747 Makes me feel good. Congrats on your success!
@@Liam12747 sorry i didn't see this earlier. CZcams doesn't seem to give me up to the moment responses.
your video reminded me why I went back to POINTS
Just wanted to remind anyone doing this upgrade about a safety feature of these "big cap" HEI distributors. If you attempt to start the engine with no fuel in the carburetor bowl (no fuel getting to the cylinders), the module will sometimes shut down and the engine will not fire or run. From that point, as long as the key is not turned fully off, the safety will remain turned on, and the distributor will not function. To reset it, turn the ignition key fully OFF (no power to the distributor), wait 8-10 seconds, and then try again, this time, making sure fuel is getting to the cylinders. Even foreign made versions of this distributor have this feature.
This happens because inductors (coils) pull more current when the resistance it sees increases. If there is no fuel in the air around the plug, the resistance seen by the coil increases greatly, which in turn means the coil in the distributor will try to "sink" a much higher current. To prevent overheating and destruction of the ignition coil, as well as damage to the electronics, a type of auto-reset circuit breaker was implemented in the module. Once activated, it will remain "on" as long as there is power to the module, and can be reset as described above.
My guess is that it was too expensive to implement current limiting in the module and this was the solution used. I can't tell you how many guys I know who thought the distributor went bad and got rid of them because they did not know the above.
Man this video helped so much on my 64 Buick wildcat now head engine he explained very well as what was going on with these dang wires thank you so much so all my grandma Lynn's are coming to to an end
Awesome video. I referred to it many times installing my HEI. One thing I learned, the resister wire is calibrated to 15 ohms. Cutting that wire will lower its resistance. My experience was that my engine would not shut off when I turned off the ignition. Instead of getting a diode, I spliced the brown resister wire back together and connected it closer to the bulkhead panel. Now my engine stops when I turn off the ignition.
Well that’s a great build. Thank you for providing that insight. We learn from this kind of stuff. I will have to go and test the resistor wire to see what kind of resistance I have since I shortened mine.
i’m having troubling finding a replacement to that resistance wire because mine was getting too hot . any ideas ? i cut the plug to the alternator and found a ford replacement close to a match just without the resisting wire.
@@johnbird9742 are you talking about the brown “signal” wire that goes to the alternator?
yes sir i ended up splicing it back in didn’t find another option lol
I run a 304 in my CJ5, and have installed an aftermarket big-cap HEI distributor. I know nothing about a resistor wire; I hooked the distributor straight to the "run" 12V supply (ignition on-off). The only time I ever worried about a resistor wire was when the motor had a points distributor. It needed one then because you could toast the coil if you left the ignition switch on while the engine was not running. It was called "ballast," and was either a resistor or a length of resistive wire.
Just installed on my 258 engine in my 1978 J10 Jeep what a difference.
Did the video help? Or are you just that good? :)
Whoo u saved my jeep. I installed a hei after the fact and got lucky apparently. I had electrical probs and decided to rip out all the old wiring and do it over. My ICM was still mounted and thought I needed it for some reason..followed ur wiring and I'm back in business. Waiting for my new fuse box and then ill play with lights etc
Wow! I'm so glad I saved you, your house, and your Jeep from certain doom. :)
@@coolguy_CJ7 jinxed it. It starts and runs but it acts like it only fires after letting go of the start position. Never starts while cranking ,only when I let off. I need to review your video and make a diagram and see if it lines up. I dont have a fuse box atm so the red striped cables im pulling directly from ignition switch
spliced in the remaining red white stripe wired and now i fire up on cranking. woot.
@@ruellerz Sweet success!!!
and dead again..attempting the ignition module next czcams.com/video/Py9TcUqpa4w/video.html
great video.. Did this same thing last week.. Going to wire as you did.. For know I have it wired off the original positive post that went to the coil.
Good to know the video helped. The coil wire i think is only 16 gauge, so you're missing out on a lot of voltage until you go with the 10 or 12 gauge. Let me know it goes.
i haven't even gotten a chance to start restoring mine....stilling in our barn at the moment but gotta thank you because when i do start the frame off resto im going to reference your vids lol its much appreciated
Great to hear. Take your time with the restoration. I found mine to be an obsession 😁. Pay attention in the next few months. I'm going to start a new one on a 79 CJ7 golden eagle with a 304 v8 and 3 speed t150. There will be a lot of similarities and also a lot of differences.
Nice cj7! Love the original clean look. Thanks for the HEI install.
Plan on doing to my 85 cj7 renegade.
Be sure to check back and let me know about your success with the install.
So I’m in the middle of putting my cj7 back together. I have a painless wiring harness and the previous owner HEI. Thought I had an electrical problem, forgot all about the timing. I’ll work on that tomorrow. Amateurs…am I right. Love your videos!
Did everything check out? Was the timing way off?
After I installed the distributor like you described with the timing, I tried to start. It still wouldn’t fire. I got cylinder one to TDC and took off the distributor cap. The rotor was 180 degrees off. I took off all the wires and basically renumbered the cap. Runs great. Thank you for all your videos, more than helpful to a handy but very amateur mechanic.
the "grooves" you feel as you spin the distributor is actually the magnetic attraction between the pick up coil/pole piece and the magnetic armature of the shaft. remember how it feels because the magnet can become weak over time and cause problems, if you dont have that strong detent as you rotate it, youll know its a weak magnet on the shaft. All magnetic pick-up distributors have this feel but its most prevalent in the hei design
Thank you for the improvement. I need people that know more than I do (low bar to hit) to add to my knowledge base whenever possible.
Very good descriptive video. I so want to add this to my Jeep. I have a 83 CJ5 with the same motor.
When you get into it, if you have any questions, last me know.
I just wacht this video like 6 times, thanks for taking the time to filmed help me out to get my cj7 done today thanks
Only 6 times? Imagine how much help 10 times would’ve been :)
This is an awesome video. I wish I could find one for the 360 v8, although, the wiring seems to be the same as the 258 in your vid.
The 401, 360, and 308 all use the same distributor. The only difference between those engines is the displacement. Almost all the parts are interchangeable.
My '84 fried the computer so I hot-wired the Ford ignition and put a junkyard carb.took a bushel basket full of wiring out. Never had a problem afterwards.
Amazing how much extra stuff was put in there, huh? Did you do the same with all the vacuum lines?
You did a fantastic job! I’m getting ready to switch over to HEI before I have to and video helped me out. Thank you
Excellent to hear. Just happy that it all made sense.
Great detailed video
Thanks for sharing
Happy to help.
Add this to my list of things to do!
Never ending list, eh?
Nice vid . One wire alternator time !
Get ‘er done :)
Hey, Cool Guy. A couple of questions. Great video. If I am watching this correctly, why do you splice the resister wire (red w/wht stripe) to the main power wire to the distributor and then back to the starter solenoid? Just curious if there is a reason for that. Also, do you have any videos about adjusting automatic transmission shifter rods after replacing body mounts? I replaced my body mounts with factory size replacements and now it only wants to start in neutral (sometimes with constantly playing with the shifter lever) and never in park. It’s not the neutral safety switch or the ignition switch.
Good job Cool Guy! Love your CJ
It does become an obsession at times. I’m currently scouting out my 3rd prospect.
Excellent looking engine bay. Nice work.
Thanks. I just found an original air cleaner and got that powder coated and installed. I love the look of the original with all the stickers in the right place.
In a haste I eliminated too many wires I believe. I have no smog/emissions. Had power to starter before. Used wire nuts to temporarily check everything. No power to starter now. I pulled all the wires that wasn't connected to anything from the bulkhead. Maybe an open loop now somewhere since I "pulled" wire through/removed from bulkhead connector. Thinking maybe the blue ignition wire has an open somewhere in the dash loom and up to bulkhead inside cabin. So frustrated! I should have just left all the wires alone and delt with the mess. I had power to a bad starter before this. Just to be clear, I have power after doing all the steps in your video it was after I cleaned up what I thought was extra wires is where I start to have a mess again
Well, that sounds like fun. I think going back and trying to figure out that was cut and what is needed would be too hard. Email me at dellis6914@gmail.com and i will send you a wire schematic that should help. Then we can work through this easily enough.
Amazing
Mine has been on my n258 for 12 years never had an issue
Are you taking the wire from the eye terminal and jumping it from the from the I terminal to the distributor
Great vid thank you, question, just clarifying, the idle module and ignition module both can be removed and tossed, correct?
Nice work! 👍
When I run my wire from the alternator to the distributor, like it was originally, it will not allow the Jeep to turn off because the wire from the alternator is sending power to the distributor
When I run the wire from the alternator straight to the battery so we can get a good battery voltage it’s not telling the alternator to come on
@@chrisbrigham6800 you will need the diode that I reference in the description of the video. It’s what tells the alternator to stop sending power when you turn the key off.
@@coolguy_CJ7 I hate to be annoying, but is there anyway you can send me a link for that?
@@chrisbrigham6800 ebay.to/2wgJRQD
Your firing order on that distributor seems to be much different than mine you have cyl 1 going to 4, 5 to 1, 6 seems to be right, 2 to 5 and 3 to 5. The 258 is 1-2-3-4-5-6 from radiator to firewall. The Cap is 1-5-3-6-2-4 clockwise. #1 is to the left of the wiring at coil.
Well that's all kinds of interesting. I don't know if you could be that far off and still have the distributor working correctly. There's no way that the firing order could be out. I'd know it if it was.off.
@@coolguy_CJ7 That's what I was thinking but mine is running fine in the order by the specs
firing order is determined by the camshaft not the distributor, you can start the firing order on the distributor from any wire tower and it will work but look different
@@kedrichafstrom5976 Not when it comes to the AMC 258 The order I stated is OEM
Did you add that fusible link to the pigtail that goes to your HEI distributor? I bought a HEI pigtail, but it doesn't look like the wire is a fusible link.
Hello. I looked for the resistor wire connected to the red 10 gauge wire that runs to the ecm and the bulk head and I cannot find the resistor wire. Am I missing something?
Could it have been removed by a PO? You could install a new one pretty easily.
Hey Cool Guy!
I followed your HEI wiring install and everything worked out great. Jeep starts, shuts off.. all cool. My only concern is the brown excite wire stays super hot and I’m afraid it’s going to burn up if it runs hot all the time. I do have the diode installed. Mine is an 84 CJ7, 4.2 as well.
Interesting. And a little concerning. Email me at dellis6914@gmail.com with picts of your hookup. I want to see what you’ve got going on.
With your configuration, how and where would i go about wiring in a relay? Would I run the red w/ white tracer from the firewall to the switch on the relay. Then power out of relay to distributor + brown to alt and red w/ white to I post ?
Check back through the comments. George Adolf, about 3 months ago, used my video and installed a relay. That should give you all the details. He was very informative on how he did it.
If I am understanding your video correctly, once you install the HEI distributor you no longer need the ICM? That's awesome! Also, is the only timing you really have to do is make sure you are lining it up on the compression stroke. Also the 0 timing mark and the mark on your harmonic balancer. Do you even need a timing light or have to rotate the distributer to fine tune anything?
That is correct. No ICM, coil, or ECM. You will need a timing light because you will still need to set the timing correctly. Depending on your carb, engine age…etc, somewhere between 8-10 degrees should work. Look up distributor/timing adjustment on YT. I didn’t film it, because there a 100 videos on it already out there.
Just received my new HEI today. My 75 doesn't have all those wires or a computer.
True, but it will have an ignition module. Your wiring system will be much simpler.
I have the problem that I can just run the engine with a 12,5 mm wire connected on the battery + and the distributor coil batt connection. no spark without this method
Did you get this resolved? Are you able to replicate all of the wire connections that I have in the video?
Clean engine, nice.
You should see my 79 golden eagle. Talking about clean… :)
Great video! I just finished mine last night on my 81. Can I also remove the idle control module? I do have an aftermarket non electric carb. You made this conversation an easy task! Thanks!
Are you asking about the Ignition Control Module? If so, then yes. That is all controlled by the HEI. Did you get the alternator diode that I reference in the video?
Awesome resource!!!
Hope it helps.
Please help, I installed what the video suggested, wired according to video, now works great at first timing done, smooth as silk, BUT will not stop after ignition is turned off, even disconnects the battery, still running, only way to shut down is to disconnect the distributor. Thx
Did you get the diode for the alternator that I linked in the description?
What breather is that installed right behind the oil fill cap?
A simple valve cover breather. Got it at the local auto parts store. The breather post was the right size to fit in the valve cover grommet.
Hi Cool Guy. I saw this video’s thumbnail, and saw the dipstick. Do you have a video on how to install the dipstick tube into the block? Is there a bushing that it goes into before going into the block? Reason I ask is my tube is very loose in the block and oil is leaking out.
Thanks!
The dipstick housing is nothing more than a press fit tube and inserts into the block about 2" IIRC. I would recommend trying to expand the tube end a touch so that it seals when driven back into the block.
When installing a HEI conversion and deleting the old motor craft/ AMC system dose this also delete the need for the computer control box Under the dash.
Absolutely. When you pull the wire harness and remove the computer harness, carefully trace every wire that comes from the computer bracket to the end connector. If it’s not connected directly to a component or the engine harness, cut it out. IIRC, the only wire that I didn’t remove completely was the red wire that goes to the electric choke.
@@coolguy_CJ7 thank you for the info
So first go round I have a no fire situation. I just want to double check. I took a picture of my old distributor, the vacuum advance location and wire routing. If I put my engine at TDC and the HEI drops down in and the Vacuum advance is still pointing in the same direction as the old distributor...should I be good? Just wire up the distributor going clockwise around the distributor. If I turn the main crank with a wrench and bring it around to the zero mark, should the rotor on the distributor be pointing to the # 1 cylinder?
Nevermind! I figured out what I did wrong! IT WORKS NOW!! I LOVE IT!!! The response time for the throttle is amazing!! I think I have to fine tune it a little, but for the most part...it works GREAT!!! MUCH better than the old ICM method!!
Sorry I didn’t respond sooner. Been excessively busy. Super excited that you figured it out. What were you missing?
@@coolguy_CJ7 I didn't have the HEI distributor lined up right with TDC. I had to remove it set it back down in and then re-do the sparkplug wiring.
Great video, where did you splice in for your electric choke? PO of my Jeep had a Holley carb that was way too big for the 258 with a manual choke. I put in a MC 2150 and can’t find a definitive location on where to cut into the wiring for the electric choke that I would like to use. THANKS!
Depends. What year is your CJ? The year will determine if it has a wire for the choke or if you need to splice/use another wire to power it.
Thank for this vid! I know it took u a lot of time to do this! My question is concerning the transmission harness, I just purchased an 82 cj5 w 258 and to say wiring n the engine bay looks like a rats nest of wires is an understatement! I found a loose plug harness that sits on top of the transmission but it has two plugs on the one end, I know u addressed the two plugs, but where does the third go? Thank u again.
Send me a picture at dellis6914@gmail.com
@@coolguy_CJ7 Thank you for the reply! I found that theres one plug to harness, a second plug to top of tranny and third plug on transfer case. I’m now in process of removing dash and all wiring. i tested the speedo temp gage and fuel gage following ur instructions and im good….. im really struggling trying to figure out all the after market wiring that was done with no source… but, thats the fun of it figuring it all out! again thank you so much icy for all that u have done for us!
What is this major red I believe 20ga? Is it power for dash?
It fastens to an alternator wire which both have a ring connector as a main connector to something, no clue, I was left with a mess. Thank you for your help and patience!
@@ws56c62 email me at dellis6914@gmail.com and I’ll send you a wire diagram that will help you trace and connect everything.
thank you still having trouble getting switch installed but im trying a push button please help
Happy to help. What exactly are you trying to do?
Would this be able to be installed in a 1991 jeep Cherokee xj with the high out put
Definitely. What engine is in the 1991?
Three things I’m doing is as follows: (1) 32/26 Webber Carb Installation (2) HEI Installation and (3) Computer Removal. My question is what wire should use to feed to the Electric Choke since it comes from the computer?
There should be a red 18 gauge wire coming from a relay that is about mid way across the firewall in your wire harness. There is 3-4 wire leads coming from that. One of those should be your electric choke wire. If this doesn't help, email me at dellis6914@gmail.com and I can send you picts of my 84.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Thx for the reply and info. Your super clean wiring harness in the video is my goal to have a Super/Simple/Clean setup. Please do send pictures if you will. Thx again and God bless.
Cool Guy, love your content. I have an '84 Renegade that I bought 12 years ago and am just now getting to work on it. Previous owner hacked all the emissions stuff to hell, so I've been researching for months how to put it back together. I'm not doing a resto, so I've eliminated the computer and all associated vacuum/electrical/sensors. I digress. I decided to go with an HEI and your video was hands down the most informative and I literally had it playing while I did the install. I haven't fired her up yet, but I'm confident it'll be successful. One question I have is that everything I've seen has the distributor advanced to around 8-10* BTDC. When I went to put it at TDC, I stopped it at 8* BTDC so it's already there when I go to fire her up, at which point I can fine tune with a timing light. Is that sound thinking? This is my first time working on a distributor, so I'm a little wary.
To be honest, not 100% sure on that. Everything that you've done sounds good, but I would put it at 0 degrees. Then fine tune with the timing light. All of the engine rebuilds that you see on youtube always set the timing at 0 and then adjust after startup. Just my .02.
I'm excited to hear of your upcoming success :)
@@coolguy_CJ7 Well, that settles it! I'll run it around again, stop at 0, and reinstall. I'm figuring out the electrical and vacuum connections and i'll be firing her up. I'll let you know how it goes. These videos are life savers. Thanks again!
I've heard you do not a diode and can rob performance to the HEI and spark???
I don’t understand what you’re asking.
Where you cut the wire at the bulk head and then started the 12 gauge wire, don’t you feel like the 8” of old thin wire is your weak link?
You can rewire the feed coming out of the fuse box easily enough. It's already a 12 gauge wire if I recall correctly. Plus your dealing with a 40 year old AMC engine. They aren't exactly high performance machines so you're only going to get so much out of a 10-14 gauge wire. :)
@Cool Guy I need to know the bolt length and thread pitch for that alternator bracket and if it has washers or spacers.
I’ve lost mine and ordered one off eBay but it doesn’t have hardware. Please help!! Thank you.
Sorry for the long response. I’m
Out of town till next weekend. I will measure and give specs to you as soon as I’m back in the garage. Cool?
@@coolguy_CJ7 absolutely, thank you very much! 🤙
@@coolguy_CJ7 yes, thank you
I know it’s off topic for this video but I’m trying to figure out how to remove the speedometer gear in my 77 CJ five. I thought the problem was the cable but that has been replaced and has not corrected the fact that my speedometer does not work. I believe the problem is with the little gear that goes in on top of the transmission. I cannot figure out how to remove that. Do you by any chance have any info you can share?
You should be able to access it through the transmission inspection cover in your floor pan. Take a look at my video on the Dana 20 teardown. It shows you where it is and how to remove it.
What was the distributor that you ordered with your on your video?
Top Street Performance JM6511BK... www.amazon.com/dp/B006CRUH3K?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Must I cut the 2 wires coming out of the fuse box (and remove the wiring to the ICM) or can i simply leave that connected?
You only need the one red 10-12 gauge wire coming from the firewall to the HEI. Also, you'll need the thin, brown/greyish wire to the alternator but you can splice that back in like I showed in the video.
Thanks Man! Good Video! Excellent detail. Are you in a state that requires smog? They won't even sell one to me here in CA. Keep it up!
Nope. Live in the midwest where pollution is considered "fake news". It's too bad, because the 80s emissions control really didn't/don't do anything to help. An HEI with a catalytic converter on the tailpipe is so much better than the smog controls they have on them.
Hi cool Guy . Excellent video , one question blue/white wire that ran from bulk head hot wire to ICM then to S post . how did you re configure the S post requirements ? s Post wire goes to ? Best Tim
It should still go to the S post on your solenoid. You shouldn't have to alter it at all with this configuration.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Did it . Thank you
Can't find the diode anywhere...?? any suggestions?? Is it just called an "alternator diode plug" or am i missing something. thanks
I put a link to the ebay page in the description of the video. You have to scroll down a little to see it. If you have problems still, let me know.
Did you do a video on your Air Cleaner restoration? It looks amazing and I am sure I am missing parts for mine. Would love to see that video if it exists
No I haven't, but that gives me another video to make. Thanks for the reco.
Great Job, thank you for posting this!
Hope it helps. Reach out if you have an questions or run into issues.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Just got my new weber carb in and about to install the hei after watching your video several times. I have a tac. Would that wire coming from the pigtail off the hei just splice directly into that tac wire previously attached to the coil? Thanks again!!
Yep. The green wire from the pig tail is designated specifically to the tach. I took mine out out the pigtail because I don't have a tach since it was a Renegade.
Let me know how it goes and if you have any issues.
Hi thanks for your videos 👍my I and S post on my selenoid are switched. Should I still connect the wires as you say.
I would go with keeping the I post as the I post and S as the S. Mind if I ask what brand of solenoid do you have that has the posts different?
@@coolguy_CJ7 not sure the brand . It almost looks original. My positive battery cable is on the same side where the blue wire connects to the S post. My starter wire is on the same side as the I post.
It matches the wiring diagram in the M.R.252 jeep cj manual
I’m trying to do the same thing with my jeep if I have any questions is it ok to ask you?
Absolutely. That’s why I’m here. :) can’t promise speed of response, but will definitely make an effort.
I have 76 CJ5 with 304 and need a HEI upgrade. The one wire install is the wire to the existing ignition module, correct. Also I may have missed it but which HEI distributor did you recommend?
The one that I got was from A Team Performance. I've had it in for over a year now and no issues. The discussion around the best or worst HEI is a deep rabbit hole to fall into. :)
In regards to the wiring. The wires that you need to be concerned about I talk specifically about at the 3:15 mark. You only need the one main red with white tracer that splices in with the brown resistor wire. You can get rid of the lt. blue and the spliced in red with tracer that comes from the ICM. Does that help?
Hello Cool Guy. Perhaps you can help me? I was cleaning my firewall from wires which I no longer need. And this strange bracket popped out from behind the harness. It has two connectors on it. One white, the other one with a green head. 3 wires going into it green black and red. And it has two vaccum points. Nothing is attached to the vaccum ports. I do not remember if these vacuum outlets were attached to the old sitributors. Any idea what are these for? mine is an 86,. not sure what yours is?
Okay did some further research and seems this is called the Four and Ten Inch HG Vacuum switches. I never recall these were hooked up. No wonder my bbl carb worked so rich.
Ha! Glad i could help. :) If you're removing all of the excess wires coming from the computer and the ignition control module, then you can remove almost all of the excess vacuum lines. Email me at dellis6914@gmail.com and I can send you a vacuum line diagram for after you've removed all of the excess.
Talking about removing the ICM, that pink wire hanging out of it seems like it’s gonna conflict when installing the EFI, since that pink wire should be spliced according to the EFI Installation manual. Will need to call them and ask for assistance on this.
Good idea. I've got the standard Carter carburetor hock-up on mine
@@coolguy_CJ7 Sorry for interrupting again,.. I called on Howell and this is what they replied: You could still use that Red wire of the Dura-Spark module once it is removed, that Red wire will still have power with the Key-On and Cranking which is coming from the Ignition switch on the column, just verify when wiring our Pink wire into it. An alternative would be from your Vehicle Fuse block or from your ignition switch.
Which red wire is he referring to on your opinion? is he referring to those you have cut out?
My guess would be the red 10 gauge wire coming from the fuse box. It sounds like you would splice the pink wire into it. But im not 100% sure on that. Thats really the only hot wire that you could spoice into that I'm aware of.
@@coolguy_CJ7 That's my guess too.
I want to back track here a little. What pink wire? Is it coming from the stock ICM? Or the bulkhead? I want to learn about how to hookup an EFI for future reference.
Great video, just one question- you mention that you do not have a TAC? In your CJ... are you referring to the the ICM. The box with the 2 connectors? Thanks for this great help.
No. Tachometer for the engine RPMs. That would be the green wire on the pigtail for the distributor. I'm working on a Golden Eagle trim that has a Tach in it. I will have to figure it out then. Amoungst many other benefits, you can get rid of the ICM, the ECM (emission control module) and a large part of the wiring and vacuum hoses. Good luck with your build. Reach out with any questions.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Tach,.. okay , why did I not understand you :) I got a howell and an hei waiting to be installed. I taught I should start with the hei first, being the easiest install. I am not a gear head, But do plenty of repairs thanks to your videos. Thanks a million for offering your help. In my country these rigs are aliens....
I'm glad to help. If there is anything else that is confusing, reach out.
Well done coolguy! It seems I missed the videos of you re-assembling the body to the frame after you painted the tub, hood and fenders???
Nope. Didn't miss them. I never did the videos. As I was putting things back on, I was really moving fast. I didn't take the proper time to slow down and document it. Now with that said, I'm going to be starting on a 79 CJ7 Golden Eagle trim in the next month. I will video everything that I didn't do on the first CJ7. Hopefully by the end, I will have a video for everything. 😁
Cool Guy cool! I will look forward to you videos from the GE CJ. I have an 84 CJ 7 that I restored and I loved doing it and I love driving it. Have a great day!
@@tomdonnelly611 i was wondering the same thing if i had missed those vids..... 82 cj7 here still in need of restoring lol
I have a inline six, 79 258 . Installed white performance HEI distributor, wiped out camshaft gear. After total rebuild of engine, I have installed Summitt racing HEI . Notice distributor wobbles when cranking over. Any thoughts?
Well that doesn't sound good. When you say "wobble", is it just the top portion or the whole distributor that is outside of the engine that is moving? Also, are you getting any oil leaks around the base of the distributor?
The whole distributor moves, quite noticeable. No oil leaks. When tightened down good, wobbling seems to go away, but ???. Thanks for response
Hey CoolGuy, I just installed my new HEI unit which I got from CRT performance distributors. I've got the firing order and plug wires correct. I'm able to start it and it will idle. I set initial timing at ~12° BTDC with vacuum line plugged. It will idle "okay". Problem is as soon as I hookup vacuum advance from the carb vac port to the distributor, the Jeep dies. I have tried this with both manifold and carb vac ports. Did you have any issues like this and if so, can you help me? Thank you.
First thing I'd do is set the timing to 8 degrees BTDC. After adjusting, I have mine set at 7 degrees. Secondly, I would work on adjusting the air/fuel adjustment screws on your carburetor. That should help dial in the idle. Lastly, some of the higher end HEIs have an adjusting screw inside the vacuum advance module. Did your distributor come with instructions that reference that? Let's start there.
I attempted this swap on my 1982 CJ7 and am having trouble... My oil pressure, temp, and fuel gauges are no longer working. The overall engine power is also diminished. I set the timing based on feel and sound, so it could be related to timing. Any thoughts or advise for either problem?
Did you remove the computer before the conversion and did you have this problem?
@@coolguy_CJ7 I didn't remove it but it appeared some wiring changes had been done previously, so it may have already been done -- not sure. All the gauges were working before I installed the new distributor.
@@camscott2249 the reason I ask is none of those gauges have anything to do with the distributor. Have you tested the gauges for voltage/signal? I have a video that can help with the temp and fuel gauge. My bet is somewhere along the line, a ground wire got disconnected or lost contact.
Having trouble finding that Alternator diode... wondering if you had a link... or could point me in the right direction? Thanks for the video... it was very helpful!
Really sorry about that. I just added it to the description of the video. Here is the link to the ebay page: ebay.to/2wgJRQD
Did you subscribe to my channel? :)
Man I have my wiring all messed up. Can’t get my Jeep running right for nothing. I put an hei in and took my carb off and sent it out to be cleaned and tuned. I can’t seem to get it running good now, it’s extremely rough, fouls plugs with black carbon. It’s a mess.
My concern is if you didn't hook up the alternator correctly you could be backfeeding the charge into your HEI and frying your spark plugs.
Cool Guy yep I never even thought of any of this, I thought I simply take the red tracer wire from the coil and hook it to the hei, tomorrow I’m gonna gut it all and start over. Thanks for the info! Much appreciated.
Could be sucking air in the carb gaskets
Do you have a link /( or name of item to search for )to the diode bought on Ebay?
I should have it listed in the description of the video. ebay.to/2wgJRQD
Have you noticed a difference in performance after the HEI install? Also, did you perform a Nutter Bypass prior? Great vids by the way. Really appreciate them, even the simple ones. Nothings too small.
To be honest, the CJ was in pretty rough shape, stalling, bad idle, and other such ailments. Come to find the fuel lines had rotted through, carb was bad, and vacuum lines were a mess. Plus it's an AMC 258 so you can only have so much of a power expansion. But I will say, it gave me the opportunity to get rid of the coil, 1/4 mile of excess wires, 50 feet of vacuum lines, almost instant start-up, and a lot cleaner idle. So that is my experience. It's totally worth the money.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Nice! If you go the HEI route does that take the place of a nutter bypass?
@@DavidBrown-qt1rr Completely. You can remove everything connected to the computer and the ICM. The only thing that I kept was the wire that connectes to the electric choke on my carburetor.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Perfect. I'm doing it! Could you send a link to a preferred HEI distributor?
@@DavidBrown-qt1rr Well that is a different discussion. If you asked 10 people, you would get 10 different answers. If you want to spend $300-$400 then go with the DUI or anothe high priced unit. I went with the A-team performanxe one. About $100 total. It's been over a year and runs like a watch.
What's the story on the Disney magic pass looking wristband?
I'm a big fan of Disney. I like to see how long they last after the trip to see the big mouse. That one was after the Food and Wine Festival, which I highly recommend.
Hey Jeepin, just curious on a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the hei upgrade on your 258?
9. I have had no issues thus far. Been 8 month or so. I keep tinkering around with it to adjust timing, but outside of my own issues, I think it's great.
Hey does your engine tilt back alot?
Depends on what you mean by a lot. Do you have everything hooked up (transmission, engine mounts, transmission cross member…)?
what is the function of relay you mentioned?
It operates as a switch for transfer of power at consistent flow and amperage. It’s more technical than my explanation, but there are tons of videos on how relay switches work on CZcams.
do you know if this works on a 1982 scrambler 258 4.2?
It works on any CJ from 76-86 with the 258 in it as well as the 232.
I can tell ya I didn’t wire my alternator up like this at all, I ran the red wire straight to my hei. So maybe that’s where I’m wrong.
Hmmm, have you double checked yiur spark plug wires? Make sure the firing order is right. Next make sure you've got the #1 in the right place.
Now with that said, the wiring that is connected to the alternator might be a good place to start. Try and go back and set it up the way that 3i did and let me know what the outcome is.
Hi I am in the mist doing this up grade new web carb and her can you email me wiring schematic .I have 86 cj7 4.2 .Also can I do alway with computer emissions hoses. thank you
Email me at dellis6914@gmail.com
Ayuh !! First time I've seen one of your videos, and just saw that you've make MANY of those... I just bought a 87 yj 4,2l. For sure, I'm going to watch many of those in the coming weeks.... I'll order an HEI in the coming weeks, and even if the Nutter bypasss is not usell with the HEI, I want to try it just to see the difference (mine dies on idle)... I didn't have time to see through all your videos yet, but what carb di you have... on 87 yj its carter and I want to swap it to motorcraft 2150... Again , you're video is giving A Lot of good infos... pretty well made....
If your YJ dies at idle, it's probably not the distributor. It's more likely the carburetor, fuel filter, or fuel pump. I don't know much about the YJ because they are Chrysler and they changed a bunch of stuff in 87, but I would start there.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Indeed, differents animals, however I've already look at some of your videos and it is helping me to understand things on the Jeep.... Not a hudge job as you did, but I want to completely refresh my Jeep. Up here in canada rust is tough on trucks/cars... Look at the job you did on your frame, I'm thinking of doing it. I will have to do some welding too to repair the frame...
@@ja4476 Reach out to me at dellis6914@gmail.com if there is anything you feel I can help with.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Thank you , really appreciated....
What is the wire that is connected to the I post that has the rubber fitting also attached to S post?
The blue wire connects to the "s" post on the solenoid. It goes over to ICM (ignition control module) on the drivers side fender. The plug that it connects into has your main power wire coming out to it and feeds the ignition. The red with black tracer wire connects to the "i" post and runs over to the igintion coil plastic clip.
The original configuration has a rubber bridge that holds the two wires together at the solenoid posts.
Does that help?
@@coolguy_CJ7 So that “I” post wire is no longer required with the new HEI set up? Am I able to DM you about my CJ7 issue I’m having and see if you have any input? It’s a little long to type here.
Totally. Dellis6914@gmail.com
jeep is flooding after hei upgrade could this be timing isnt correct ?
The timing could help, but that is only going to set when the spark plugs fire. It sounds like you've got something going on with your fuel pump or carburetor. What do you mean by "flooding"?
Is the process similar on a 90 yj with the 4.2 258?
Unfortunately i do not. Once Chrysler bought the Jeep brand in 87 and changed so many things that used to make a Jeep a Jeep, i lost interest. I do know that the engine stayed the same but I don't know for how long. If it is a true 258 4.2 then I'm willing to bet the process is the same. I'd trace the wires in your harness first and compare it to mine. Let me know what you find out.
Could you elaborate further on the V8 gear/cam problem? You'd think the new distributor would have the correct gear and specs. that it wouldn't be a problem. This leads to another thing. Hopefully the new distributor would take the old distributor drive gear and eliminate the possible problem. With there being several different brand HEI units on the market now there is probably a difference from model to model/manufacturer to manufacturer. I am looking at the HEI conversion now due to there being low cost units available. Do you know anything about the different brands, good/bad, issues/etc? Thanks.
If you're doing the HEI for a V8 then I would definately switch out the gear with the old one. As far as what brand, that is a whole conversation to itself. I went with one from amazon. Under $100. It has been great for the past few months. Some guys talk about finding a used one at a junkyard off a GM vehicle. But that is something I'm not very familiar with.
The issue is a differne t material used in the V8s for the cam shaft. Apparently it was softer for the AMC v8. Don't know why, just what it is. You would think that the gear would be correct for the useage, but apparently not. Thats why it is recommended to switch out the new gear with the old.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Thanks for replying so quick. I've been looking at various brands and sources. Some of them address this gear issue. They specifically say their gear is correct and won't have issues. But yeah, I can swap my old gear assuming the new shaft is dimensionally the same. Also it seems like I used to hear about Bronze gears although that's 30+ years of forgetting stuff now lol. You'd also think that if you have good oiling it shouldn't matter. We know that AMC suffered in that department on V8 engines though. Luckily I have the low mile 304 in the jeep and an extra 360 and 401 on pallets that are complete should I need extra dist. parts.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Sorry I didn't see this reply. I actually have a GM HEI distributor left over from the V8 Powered Vega I did way back when. I don't think the GM and AMC housings are interchangeable but I've never actually compared. Maybe I should pull the GM out and do some measuring. Hadn't even thought about it until I read this post.
A lot of the really smart Jeep guys I've talked to have said that they are interchangeable. See if you can dig it up and compare. I'd love to know. I'm getting ready to start on a 79 304 V8 t150 3 speed Golden Eagle trim CJ7. I will be looking to put in an HEI for that one also.
my cj7 turns over, but doesn't crank. could this just be a faulty ICM?
If you've installed the HEI, the ICM should not be connected to anything. You should have it to where there is just the one 10-12 gauge wire comjng from the fuse box to the HEI.
The HEI has the coil, ignition control, and the computer (kinda) built into it. That's why you can remove all of the extra stuff.
Great video! What degree did you finally set the timing mark at?
I started at 10 but found that I had engine knock under stress so i moved it back to 8. It is a much cleaner acceleration now. It seems every engine is a little different, but that seems to work the best for me. You just have to have patience and do it over the course of a few days. I'm also adjusting the air to fuel ratio on my carb. Don't know if I'll ever get it just right, but im going to try.
@@coolguy_CJ7 Thank you!
8* degree base timing??
Does that seem wrong? I've done a few different adjustments and 8 degrees seems the best.
What size wire did you use for the fusible link?
General rule of thumb is to use 4 guages lighter than the hot wire. So, 10g hot wire, 14g fusible link wire. Does that make sense?
@@coolguy_CJ7 yes, appreciate the info!
For your future videos, using indefinite terms like "here", "this", "that" and "there" are useless without a finger pointing to whatever that term refers to. More confusing than helpful without a pointer.
Sorry you didn’t find the video. I will take that note as a good build for the future.
I have a 84 CJ7 with the 4.2 l I have been troubleshooting it for a few months now and I still can't figure out why I only get spark when my ignition key is turned to the start position then when it goes back to the on position it turns off. I can hold my key on the start position with the starter running and my engine will run. I'm starting to think maybe I just need a new distributor and a new ICM. What do you think or if anybody in the comments knows please help me out. I have already put a new key ignition switch and the switch at the bottom of the steering column and I have performed the nutter bypass
I don’t think it’s the distributor or the ICM. If they were bad, you wouldn’t get any spark or ignition. Let’s start with the key ignition cylinder. If you turn the key to “Start/ACC”, do any of your gauges activate? Voltage, fuel, temp?
Did you put in an HEI distributor?
Did you remove the ECM and all the wiring that goes with it?
@@coolguy_CJ7 yes my gauges work.
@@coolguy_CJ7 I have the stock distributor
That will work in a 4.0 as well right?
I believe so, but not 100% confident. Chrysler altered a lot of things after they bought Jeep in 87. I would definately do some reasearch first.