Ignition question

[sbartel]

I'm building a 327 Chevy for my Stevens and have kinda come to a halt with the ignition setup. I've built cars, but the marine aspect throws me a little. Looking through Summit I see "marine" parts. Do I need a marine distributor? The boat had a points style, but my thought was to change to a HEI. I'm not going for high horsepower and I'd like to keep the boat fairly dependable (as dependable as boats are!). I do like having the coil on the cap with the HEI. What's a good setup? Do I need to use marine parts, or does it matter?

[RiverRacer]

All that marine stuff is for "enclosed" engine compartments where gas fumes could accumilate and could cause an explosion, no concern with open boats. An HEI is the way to go plain simple and reliable, I would put an Accel coil and module in it and a good curve, it'll give you long trouble free service!..

[AquaCraft]

For the small block Chevrolet in my crackerbox I chose the single points Mallory Marine distributor. I liked it because it's made for a marine environment (wet); it's small in size; has straight mechanical advance and looks right in a vintage boat. It has performed perfectly for 5 years running up to 5,500 RPM, the max this little 283 powered ski cracker ever saw. I am not an electrical expert but I think it requires less power than a HEI which was important for my application with no charging system.

[flatbroke]

I agree with Art, the HEI is a good choice. Simple and effective plus it is all in one piece. The downfall of the standard HEI unit is the limits of advance curve adjustments. It is designed to use the vacuum advance to gain full advance and on a boat you will never get that to move. The Mallory Unilite is fully adjustable but has a seperate coil.

[RiverRacer]

But that's just as easy to change as any factory point distributer with weights and springs, bushings, the one in my dually is at 10* initial with a total of 36* all in by 2800 and the vacuum pulls it to 42*, and I run 87 skunk piss!..:D

[RiverRacer]

That is an awesome pic and looks like she's having a blast, she's very cute!..

But that POS distributer will let you down sooner or later!...

http://www.v-driveboat.com/vweb/attachment.php?attachmentid=236&d=1209240589

[Flatmvn]

I would like to know what kind of distributor is in it at this time. If it has the stock chevy points dist in it. Why don't you just convert it to electronic ignition with a Pertronics Ignitor and coil for around $150.00 bucks and you have a very reliable dist and no need to buy another dist. Come on guys lets keep it simple here. Not to mention it keeps the original vintage look of the boat intact if this is part of it. Just My .02

Louis

[RiverRacer]

I would like to know what kind of distributor is in it at this time. If it has the stock chevy points dist in it. Why don't you just convert it to electronic ignition with a Pertronics Ignitor and coil for around $150.00 bucks and you have a very reliable dist and no need to buy another dist. Come on guys lets keep it simple here. Not to mention it keeps the original vintage look of the boat intact if this is part of it. Just My .02

Louis

Look at the pic it's a Mallory, and you're right stock point distributer converted would be better than the Mallory, but you can get a very reliable kit for $60 done deal, I'd still go with the HEI though!..:D

[Flatmvn]

Look at the pic it's a Mallory, and you're right stock point distributer converted would be better than the Mallory, but you can get a very reliable kit for $60 done deal, I'd still go with the HEI though!..:D

Art,

The Mallory is in the cracker box not the Stevens. I want to know what is in the Stevens.

Louis

[Terrible toy]

Here is my two bits worth of personal bias in ignition systems. For all my ski boat, street rod stuff I use Mallory Unilite distributors, fool proof, inexpensive, simple and reliable and accurate (no bouncing points). And, you can use them with your favorite coil. For racing I've used both Mallory and Vertex mags and MSD systems with enough power to light the east coast. They all worked well, The MSDs had to be heavily isolated, especially in hydros, (those cleaver props running half out of water send shock waves up the prop shaft that will flat destroy an MSD box).

[RiverRacer]

Art,

The Mallory is in the cracker box not the Stevens. I want to know what is in the Stevens.

Louis

Oh ok gotcha!..:D

[RiverRacer]

Here is my two bits worth of personal bias in ignition systems. For all my ski boat, street rod stuff I use Mallory Unilite distributors, fool proof, inexpensive, simple and reliable and accurate (no bouncing points). And, you can use them with your favorite coil. For racing I've used both Mallory and Vertex mags and MSD systems with enough power to light the east coast. They all worked well, The MSDs had to be heavily isolated, especially in hydros, (those cleaver props running half out of water send shock waves up the prop shaft that will flat destroy an MSD box).

Well, here's my experience with those!. I bought a brand new Unilite for the ski boat, lasted almost a whole summer, while pulling a skier the motor just quits, get towed in, pop the cap on the distributer and everything just literally fell apart, funniest $hit I ever seen, so back to the plain ole point deal.. In the race boat I put a brand new MSD setup(because everyone said I needed that), the third race in the semis it quit at half track, ok so I send it all back to MSD and a whole new package comes back, second race in the finals(I was winning)it took a $hit again at about 3/4 track(I lost), get towed in, on the trailer I took the whole package off threw it all in the river, it's somewhere between Bluewater and the dam, LOL!.. So on went the Vertex(a used one)ran it for 25 years in the race boat and ski boat never missed a beat, I finally had to rebuild it two years ago, and now it's good for another 25 years!..:D

[flatbroke]

Obviously the Unilite didn't work for you, but I like the ability to easily adjust timing curve and the HEI doesn't lend itself to easy adjustments. You can change the springs and weights making the total come in sooner or later but changing total advance requires filing and bending. And actually I don't use the Unilite either because I don't trust electronics in boats. I have the dual point version of that distributor firing a Jacobs ignition system. It works for me but this is a ski boat.

[Terrible toy]

Well, here's my experience with those!. I bought a brand new Unilite for the ski boat, lasted almost a whole summer, while pulling a skier the motor just quits, get towed in, pop the cap on the distributer and everything just literally fell apart, funniest $hit I ever seen, so back to the plain ole point deal.. In the race boat I put a brand new MSD setup(because everyone said I needed that), the third race in the semis it quit at half track, ok so I send it all back to MSD and a whole new package comes back, second race in the finals(I was winning)it took a $hit again at about 3/4 track(I lost), get towed in, on the trailer I took the whole package off threw it all in the river, it's somewhere between Bluewater and the dam, LOL!.. So on went the Vertex(a used one)ran it for 25 years in the race boat and ski boat never missed a beat, I finally had to rebuild it two years ago, and now it's good for another 25 years!..:D

Art, I talked to the guys up in Carson City about your Unilite. They said they remember the Unilite that Art Anderson bought because he was unlucky enough to get the only bad one out of the 4 million they've built.:D

I have to admit that mags (Zigs did my Vertex mags) worked very well in boats and were the only ignition I used in the flats. In hydros I went to the MSD for the rev limit and timing module features. I found some gains in moving the timing back at the top of high gear. Also, the only engine I ever lost in boats was because the B&J lost pressure and shifted back to low just before the lights. Not sure if a rev limiter would have helped in that case but I thought it was worth the try.

Speaking of mags, I accidently touched one of the metal balls on the kill switch as I was heading for the ramp after a pass. It felt like someone had hit me in the elbow with a sledge hammer.:eek:

[sbartel]

I'm thinking of going with the HEI. It DID have the Mallory points dist in it, but I'm not sure where it ended up. The boat's been sitting for almost 10 years.

[ls6vdrive]

That is an awesome pic and looks like she's having a blast, she's very cute!..

But that POS distributer will let you down sooner or later!...

http://www.v-driveboat.com/vweb/attachment.php?attachmentid=236&d=1209240589

Is that a bungie cord clinging to the steering gear hub? might want to clear that before it causes the chain to jump ship

[AquaCraft]

...nothing on the steering gear, 'just a chrome dipstick handle in the foreground of the picture...

'Thanks for watchin' out for us!

[RiverRacer]

Art, I talked to the guys up in Carson City about your Unilite. They said they remember the Unilite that Art Anderson bought because he was unlucky enough to get the only bad one out of the 4 million they've built.:D

I have to admit that mags (Zigs did my Vertex mags) worked very well in boats and were the only ignition I used in the flats. In hydros I went to the MSD for the rev limit and timing module features. I found some gains in moving the timing back at the top of high gear. Also, the only engine I ever lost in boats was because the B&J lost pressure and shifted back to low just before the lights. Not sure if a rev limiter would have helped in that case but I thought it was worth the try.

Speaking of mags, I accidently touched one of the metal balls on the kill switch as I was heading for the ramp after a pass. It felt like someone had hit me in the elbow with a sledge hammer.:eek:

Yeah right, LOL, I knew quite a few that had nothing but problems with them to!..:D That is the only drawback to a Vertex is the retard feature if you need it, although I've heard of a mechanical device for that but I've never seen one myself!.... Yep, I've had the opportunity to test their strength before and it's a kicker,LOL, the nice thing though is they never kill plugs!..

[hm66Howard]

I don't trust electronics in boats. I have the dual point version of that distributor firing a Jacobs ignition system. It works for me but this is a ski boat.I agree. I want something I can rig to get me home in a pinch if it breaks on the water. Just like everyone was telling me to convert my Tecalemit-Jackson fuel injection to EFI. I said "No way". Those "black boxes" can't be fixed MacGyver style. :D

[RiverRacer]

I agree. I want something I can rig to get me home in a pinch if it breaks on the water. Just like everyone was telling me to convert my Tecalemit-Jackson fuel injection to EFI. I said "No way". Those "black boxes" can't be fixed MacGyver style. :D

The HEI is about the most reliable electronic unit going, I've got one with about 200,000 miles on it and I only replaced the module once, that's about the only thing that will take a $hit, and usually it's from excessive heat under the hood, I always keep a spare in the glove box!. One drawback though is size they are bulky and won't fit with a lot of after market intakes!..