Distributor Recommendations

[daltmcintyre]

As the title says, I’m looking for suggestions on a distributor for my BB FE. As always, I want something reliable, but I want it to be look period correct. I’ll be honest, I’ve never looked into distributors much until the past couple days so I’m still trying to educate myself. Every time I think I’ve got my head wrapped around it, I see I need to learn something else.

431 CI
Hydraulic rolller cam
AL heads
Holley double pumper

I was thinking of a Pertronix Flamethrower or Duraspark. The duraspark uses OE housings but requires an ignition box. Not that I’m against that, but it’s just something else to add that potentially can go wrong. There seems to be some mixed reviews on the MSD distributors for the FEs so I need to keep looking into that.

Thanks in advance.

Joey

[CraigS]

MSD has a bad enough rep there is no way I'd buy one. I see no need for a box either. 4-5 years ago a friend had gotten an MSD setup and he was all excited that he could change the timing curve using a laptop. No need to do anything mechanical. I talked w/ him a month later eager to hear how the tuning was going. Answer; it's back at MSD because it died. Didn't surprise me at all. My 351 and 408 run the same Mallory dist since 2005 w/o a box and I never had any ignition problems.

[JETAV8R]

Went through 3 distributors of a brand I will not mention. The module died in all 3 with fairly low miles on each. Switched to Pertronix and haven't had a problem!

[jeremustang]

Joey,

Great to see someone else building an FE!! I'm building a 482 FE right now. I'm also trying to avoid using an external ignition box, and I want to keep something that has a black cap to look sort of original. Here are the two I'm torn between:

Summit Ready-to-run with vacuum advance:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-850309-1

or MSD Pro-billet ready to run:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/msd-8595/make/ford

I love the way the Pertronix stock look distributor looks, but I've got bad personal experience with Pertronix - I got left on the side of the road once with the 302 in my mustang when a Pertronix module failed out of nowhere. I upgraded to the MSD distributor, and ran over 90,000 miles with zero issues. But that was a 302. No idea why the MSD FE distributor gets bad reviews.

All that being said, I'm probably going to give the Summit one a shot since it gets good reviews and looks OK.

Good luck!
Jeremiah

[mike223]

I don't know if it's as big an issue on FE motors - but the SBF community has had a lot of trouble over the years due to cam / distributor gear mismatch.

As in running a cast iron gear against a steel gear.

So you might want to research and be sure your cam gear is metallurgically compatible with your distributor gear.


Because they don't live long if you get it wrong (at least in SBF) - and it's a major PITA to pull all that back apart in short order.

[GoDadGo]

I'm running a Davis HEI and have been happy with it; however, it won't give you that Period-Correct look that you desire; however, they do have other distributors that aren't the HEI type so you may want to check them out.

https://performancedistributors.com/product-category/distributors/ford-distributors/

Good Luck Finding Your Solution!

[RoadRacer]

I'm running a Davis HEI and have been happy with it; however, it won't give you that Period-Correct look that you desire; however, they do have other distributors that aren't the HEI type so you may want to check them out.

https://performancedistributors.com/product-category/distributors/ford-distributors/

Good Luck Finding Your Solution!

Davis HEI for me too. So good and incorporates the coil. https://performancedistributors.com/shop/

[skullandbones]

Hi Joey,

Since you are in the research phase of this, have a look at this item on gearspeedwholesale.com at part # GS-TSP 7708 $184.99. Looks OEM to me but modern distributor features.

WEK

[Jim1855]

SBF, no problems with the MSD Pro Billet distributor., proper gear selection is important. Planning on a MSD box that will be shielded from weather and properly wired.
Jim

[Big Blocker]

What mike223 said; Big blocks are just as susceptible to the gear mis-match as SBF's. Don't currently know of a hydraulic roller cam that isn't steel so get this right the first time or plan on an engine tear-down in its future.

FWIW, if you are looking for the factory look, get whatever dizzy you like that "looks good" and have it fit with the Petronix module.

Looks like the one skullandbones suggested for your situation works perfectly - Looks "original", has modern electronics, has a steel gear for your hydraulic roller cam - not a bad price . . .

Doc

[Avalanche325]

I have had good luck with my Pertronix. Billet, so not 100% vintage looking.

However, they also have conversion kits so you can use a vintage distributor and convert it to electronic. Just make sure the shaft bushings and the gear are good.

You get multi-spark in the the entire range and a rev limiter. All without a box and a tow truck.

[NAZ]

If you want period correct, get a Ford distributor and learn to set the dwell like we used to do back in the day.

[chuckster]

Pertronix makes a retro looking unit d134620 cast not billet.

[daltmcintyre]

I’ve been leaning more towards the pertronix unit with the vast housing. I have a follow up question about the gear. Comp cams suggest using a bronze or composite gear. I’ve read where some people post it’s ok to use steel on steel others have stated no way. I’m not sure which is the correct train of thought.

Thanks to all of you for providing feedback and suggestions.

[NAZ]

If you have a steel cam, go with the Comp Cams recommendation. https://help.summitracing.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4904/~/which-distributor-gear-should-i-buy%3F

[mike223]

I’m not sure which is the correct train of thought.

I'm not sure either.

The Summit link is the only place I ever heard that melonized steel = "Slick surface is compatible with any type of cam".

Not that I doubt Summit, just a lot of the theories have been that you can't run a steel distributor gear on a cast iron cam gear.


It's been discussed here some but the only good thread I could find was this:https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?18717-Cam-gear-failure


Bob said metal mismatch.

Gordon said 9 out of 10 have to do with running too much oil pump.

OP thought maybe the gears didn't match up well enough.


I don't know - I ran bronze for several years and got tired of changing them annually - put in steel and kept a close eye on it until it no longer worried me...

[frankb]

I originally used a bronze gear in the Cleveland in #8317 and like Mike223 above, got tired of replacing it each year. I switched to a composite gear a couple years ago and have not seen any wear during several inspections since! Be prepared, though! They are not cheap (about $80)!

[rich grsc]

I’ve been leaning more towards the pertronix unit with the vast housing. I have a follow up question about the gear. Comp cams suggest using a bronze or composite gear. I’ve read where some people post it’s ok to use steel on steel others have stated no way. I’m not sure which is the correct train of thought.

Thanks to all of you for providing feedback and suggestions.

You better use steel on steel, or get ready to rebuild the engine. I have a Trick Flow cam, it's a billet steel cam, had a warning sticker "you must use a steel gear on the distributor". I agree with mike, NEVER heard it was ok use steel on a cast cam. I know I never would.

[daltmcintyre]

So just to make sure I’m right... my cam is billet steel and the distributor gear on the pertronix is a steel gear. So I will be fine running steel on steel and won’t need to change to the bronze?

[rich grsc]

Guess you didn't read any of the posts?

[daltmcintyre]

Actually I did. All said something different than what I asked. No need to be a dick.

[sread]

All roller cams are not billet steel. In fact most of the off the shelf cams that Comp sells (all with a -8 part number) are in fact ground on a "sadi" core - "selectively austempered ductile iron". You need to verify what you have to make the right choice.

https://www.enginelabs.com/news/video-looking-at-different-cam-core-materials-with-comp-cams/

[daltmcintyre]

Mine ends -11. Per Comps webpage that is a billet steel core.

[rich grsc]

Actually I did. All said something different than what I asked. No need to be a dick.
I give you factual advice, you ignore it. look in the mirror

[NAZ]

Mine ends -11. Per Comps webpage that is a billet steel core.

If you have a Comp Cams camshaft you should go with what they recommend as they are the experts in their field and especially with their products. They are very easy to get a hold of and discuss anything related to their products. You've spent more time and effort on this forum looking for a simple recommendation that the folks at Comp Cams would have given you in less than five-minutes along with an explanation of why they recommended that product.

[daltmcintyre]

I give you factual advice, you ignore it. look in the mirror

Facts based on you cam label. Not to mention yours was not the only recommendation.

[GoDadGo]

If you decide to go with an HEI then consider an adjustable soft-touch circle track rev limiter by MSD.

https://www.holley.com/products/ignition/rpm_and_timing_controls/rpm_controls/parts/8727CT

The HEI used in combination with this limiter is an easy installation.