What's new
Old Chevelles

Welcome to OldChevelles.com, built by Auto Enthusiasts for Auto Enthusiasts. Cars are not our only interests so please feel free to post about any subject the community might enjoy or you just feel you need to air.

We respect free speech and constructive dialogue however we don't allow threatening talk against members, nudity, or pornography. Threads are monitored and trolls are not tolerated.

This site is completely free and there are no costs. Please enjoy and provide feedback.
  • We've enabled the website app for anyone who wants to use it on a mobile or desktop device.

  • We've changed the header logo to display our Member's Cars.

    If you'd like your car to show up there, go to the forum Site Bugs & Feature Requests and post your image in the "Member's Car Pictures for the Header Logo" and we'll add your car into the lineup.

Getting rid of the distributor without going EFI?

Richard150MPH

Veteran Member
It seems the Megasquirt system I was going to use for my El Camino with 327, 4xWeber 44 IDF, solid lifters, etc. has evaporated. Simply cannot find it despite several hard searches.
It may have grown legs when "Contractors" were working on my house, the aluminum flywheel is also MIA.
Megasquirt may not have been the best solution in any case, but I had gotten a very good deal on it.

So now looking for another way to eliminate the distributor.
Parts to take the place of the distributor body/pump drive are available off the shelf so that is not problem.
ALL I need to do is control and fire ignition.
I do not need to control a bunch of relays for Launch, fans, fuel pumps, or other widgets.

Hoping to find a way to do this at modest to moderate cost.
The shaft rockers I had not expected to need are expensive enough!

Anyone done this successfully, and what do you recommend?
 
Saw those, hoping for something more budget friendly.
Only had $200 into the Megasquirt and it had been used on a 350 before I got it.
 
I would concentrate on putting the money in the car, not the engine. You'll never get your money back after investing in engine stuff. JMHO
Bodywork, paint and interiors, etc are expensive !
Plus modern ignition systems are more about emissions than all-out power. A good HEI will give up almost no power to an LS style ignition.
 
Get my money back?
LOL, only way this one gets sold is that I am dead or in the old folks home.
I've already taken it so far from being a common El Camino as most people think of them that it will never fit into any standard category.
I knew when I started that "Custom" cars never sell for as much as stock or lightly modded versions. No plan to sell so no worry.

This is to be my replacement for the Jaguar XKE I can no longer afford to buy at $100K.
Sold my E-Type roadster decades ago to help fund a business that did not go as expected.
Did teach me a lot about international supply and exchange rates.

So this El Camino gets a radical high winding 327, 4x44 IDF Webers, M20, GV OD, 3.92 gears, IRS, all wheel disc brakes, fiberglass front clip to shed weight and improve balance.
Still may not handle as well an E-Type, may not match the top speed either.
But should be close enough to make me smile every time I fire it up.

HEI is a tight fit with the Webers, and I have had poor luck with them.
My last Chevy build and not holding back. :)
 
I was looking at the Megasquirt offerings a couple of months ago for my Corvairs use. Apparently they have eliminated their low-end offerings. You can piece your needs together. Have you looked at simply replacing the missing Megasquirt parts?
 
The whole system is in a single box.
Now looking at Megajolt and Electromotive as other options.
I have no need at all for FI features.
 
Well lo and behold!
Found my Megasquirt parts, behind some gun cases.

So I will be back to going down the MS 3.0 rabbit hole.
Not happy with the crank trigger wheel I have, it is too large and has been hacked on in the past.
Main board is dated 2005 so this is not a recent version.
Ignition only, so I hope that it has all I need.
I also have a MS Power Relay dated 2007.
MegaStim V2.21

Have to solve the crank trigger issue right away.
 
Looks like I may have found a better trigger wheel.
Holley 556-126, 7.25" to go with my low mass 6" dampener.
But getting parts from several manufacturers to play nice with each other is being a challenge.
 
Id love to see a write up of what you had to do to pioneer a solution such that you are undertaking.
 
Looking like many a twist and turn!
DIY Autotune has lost their roots as DIY, now they seem to be turnkey for late model and big $$$.

There are a couple of "Just write the check" solutions available but I am not happy with them due to Ugly and Price.

I got my MS3 with MS2 daughterboard pretty cheap a few years ago.
Originally I was going to set it up with a crank trigger and wasted spark Ford EDIS coils as the cheap/easy way out.
My engine budget and goals got away from me so the EDIS coils may no longer be good enough as I have read that they do not handle high RPM well. Some of the aftermarket version$ may do better?
Now looking at possible Vortec type Coil Near Plug systems.
Big issue there is that most of those coils are about $50.00 each!
But some of the OEM type are under $20.00 each.
My challenge may be mounting them without making my engine as ugly as an LS.
Summit wants around $300.00 for a 36-1 trigger wheel, DIY has then for about $36.00 and $25.00 shipping. :rolleyes:
Hope to confirm a decent but still inexpensive setup in the morning.
DIY site seems incapable of comprehending ignition only use.
 
Top Bottom