Hei Gears

I'm about to change over to a HEI ignition. I have read in a couple of places the the gear on my distributor will work on the HEI distributor.
Has anyone here done this.

I have a 1975 258 with the prestolite distributor.

 

I am gathering the parts to do the same, but I have read that you must use the gear off of a V8 not the one off the I6. Be interesting to find out which is right.

 

I used the one off the old 258 l6 and it seems to be working fine?

 

you can use the original 258 drive gear, but you'll need to grind off some material from the gear in order for it to work. i've done it, and it's sitting in my jeep right now, and works fine. i used nothing more than a bench grinder with a coarse and a fine wheel to remove part of the collar from the gear. there are several good writeups on the net.

wally

 

I am using the gear off my stock distributor and didn't do any grinding. My stock distributor was a delco-remy points type. I don't know about prestolite but I know the motorcraft gear from newer jeeps will not fit

 

What would be the problem with the I6 gear? I did not grind the gear at all. The dizzy set down into the engine fine with out any problems. I did need to work on the oil pump drive to match it up with one on my old points type dist.

 

There wouldn't be any problem with the original gear, if it fits. The original gear is probably better since it's already "set" to the cam gear.

 

i believe the problem with the original 258 drive gear is that it fits, but the "collar" prevents it from properly engaging with the cam when installed on the hei distributor. you may get some engagement without grinding. either that or the dizzy shaft doesn't reach to the oil pump with the collar still there. i can't remember which......hmmmm.

i agree with re-using the 258 gear. most of the motors are old and the dizzy gear/cam are worn together, so they match up well, plus, why shell out $30-$50 for a new gear on an older motor?

 

I just did the conversion a week ago on a '74 258. I had to take a little off the shaft to get the dizzy to seat into the block/oil pump all the way. I had an AMC V-8 dizzy on hand for the gear but just used the 258 gear anyway.
It runs smoother, starts faster and puts out more power. And if it didn't do all that and ran the same I'm still happy just getting away from points.

 

Another upgrade is going to Ford TFI. Uses existing distributor and electroincs but gives you a hotter coil and larger dist. cap. Did it to my boy's Eagle wagon and runs great.