Edelbrock Max-Fire

[JM_ART]

Has anyone used an Edelbrock Max-Fire distributor? Would it be a viable replacement for a stock distributor on a 440? Just doing some research on electronic distributors to move away from points. I know there are a lot of folks who value points. I appreciate that, but I’d prefer staying away from that debate and want to move away from those to an electronic system. Your impressions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Davea Lux]

This is going to depend some on if you are looking for a performance ignition or just an upgrade to electronic. Rick Rehrenberg sells US made electronic conversions complete with the harness and distributor that are very high quality and those are the ones that I use. He is on E-bay, seller 39806. He has been around a long time and is highly informed. The main reason I use his electronics is that a lot of the repop ignition conversions are now sourced from China and most of them are crap, most notably the ChiCom orange box units.

With any electronic conversion, be sure if your vehicle has a mechanical regulator, that also needs to be replaced with an electronic unit. Static from a mechanical regulator will fry the electronics in the ignition conversion. There are a lot of posts on this site about electronic ignition failures. Tight connections and good grounds are also of paramount importance. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Dave

 

[Turboomni]

I hate the idea of being at the mercy of ONE specific manufacturer that nearly no shop has parts for.

 

[JM_ART]

I hate the idea of being at the mercy of ONE specific manufacturer that nearly no shop has parts for.

That’s certainly a consideration, and a valid point.

 

[Turboomni]

That is why I carry a few extra ballast resistors , a few condensers, and a few sets of points ,a few tools and some fine sand paper ,so I wont be stranded. Even on my 505 ci stroker. I hate being owned by any company.
That really sucks.

 

[Dsertdog]

That is why I carry a few extra ballast resistors , a few condensers, and a few sets of points ,a few tools and some fine sand paper ,so I wont be stranded. Even on my 505 ci stroker. I hate being owned by any company.
That really sucks.

Or one country that supplies those parts....Sorry, just 'jacked the thread.

Are you building an engine that requires something like a max fire? I believe the affinity to points systems on the forum stems from the feeling that most stock or mild engines really don't need something super trick.
An MSD box gives you burn free points, a multi spark discharge at low rpms that solves many inefficiencies of a carburetor, and if the box dies, can simply be disconnected from the system. I'd consider that before a max fire, again if the engine was stock or mildly built.

 

[JM_ART]

Or one country that supplies those parts....Sorry, just 'jacked the thread.

Are you building an engine that requires something like a max fire? I believe the affinity to points systems on the forum stems from the feeling that most stock or mild engines really don't need something super trick.
An MSD box gives you burn free points, a multi spark discharge at low rpms that solves many inefficiencies of a carburetor, and if the box dies, can simply be disconnected from the system. I'd consider that before a max fire, again if the engine was stock or mildly built.

The main things I’m after is reliability, Using something that will provide good performance under daily and routine conditions, and ease of maintenance. It’s not a performance engine, and I’m not planning on setting the rear tires ablaze or drag racing. At this stage of my life I don’t have time for constant fiddling with things, so ideally I want to install systems that are going to move me away from that.

 

[Dsertdog]

The main things I’m after is reliability, Using something that will provide good performance under daily and routine conditions, and ease of maintenance. It’s not a performance engine, and I’m not planning on setting the rear tires ablaze or drag racing. At this stage of my life I don’t have time for constant fiddling with things, so ideally I want to install systems that are going to move me away from that.

I'm 64 and found the single point system with a good distributor to be quite reliable even with Chinesium parts. Changing points every 12k miles would be 12 years at the thousand miles I drive a year. For me, adding an MSD box stops the point arc so all I have for wear is the rub block.
You might consider a Pertonix conversion, it has a lot a fans on here... and yet most of them carry a point distributor as a spare "just in case". Why? Because you won't find Pertronix parts at most parts stores. The same goes for OEM electronic conversion sets. Parts that used to be commonplace are rare on store shelves today.
If I'm going to carry a spare distributor I might as well use what I got and keep a spare tune up kit in the center console.

 

[FURYGT]

My 2 cents. By a rebuilt electronic ignition distributor from member Halifax or find an NOS one on eBay. Buy a Mopar Performance wiring harness and buy the Marine rated ignition module that I sell on eBay - search user FURYGT. You will also need a heavy duty ballast resistoer. Alternatively, I have heard good things about Rick Ehrenberg's kit. For a street car using the MOPAR style iginition system makes sense since you can get a replacement ignition module at most parts stores if it fails.

 

[JM_ART]

This is going to depend some on if you are looking for a performance ignition or just an upgrade to electronic. Rick Rehrenberg sells US made electronic conversions complete with the harness and distributor that are very high quality and those are the ones that I use. He is on E-bay, seller 39806. He has been around a long time and is highly informed. The main reason I use his electronics is that a lot of the repop ignition conversions are now sourced from China and most of them are crap, most notably the ChiCom orange box units.

With any electronic conversion, be sure if your vehicle has a mechanical regulator, that also needs to be replaced with an electronic unit. Static from a mechanical regulator will fry the electronics in the ignition conversion. There are a lot of posts on this site about electronic ignition failures. Tight connections and good grounds are also of paramount importance. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Dave

Hi Dave, thanks for your thoughts. I’m primarily interested in reliability, good performance under daily routine driving, lower maintenance, and making things simpler. No plans for heading for the local strip to see what my ET would be, just normal driving. This isn’t a “high performance” engine.

I’ve heard of Rick, read some of his posts elsewhere, and I’ve seen his parts offerings on eBay. I’d have to contact him to see which of his electronic ignition “kits” would be most appropriate for my car since he offers several for 440s which are apparently different, or at least are priced differently. Are they that much better than, say, the kit offered by Summit? And, yes, anything along these lines would require an electronic voltage regulator. I’m not terribly concerned about “stock” appearances, but I’ve read a lot of folks are pretty happy with the one sold by @FURYGT on eBay. Thanks.

 

[Turboomni]

quote:I'm 64 and found the single point system with a good distributor to be quite reliable even with Chinesium parts. Changing points every 12k miles would be 12 years at the thousand miles I drive a year. :quote


I don't run chineseium points,condensers. I only buy new old stock stuff from Halifaxhops where I bought my distributor that he rebuilt and set up for me.

If points are not up to the task on my stroker then it is easy enough to go electronic. With a redline of 5500 or lower rpm's if it works correctly [points] I don't anticipate any problems.

 

[JM_ART]

You might consider a Pertonix conversion, it has a lot a fans on here... and yet most of them carry a point distributor as a spare "just in case". Why? Because you won't find Pertronix parts at most parts stores. The same goes for OEM electronic conversion sets. Parts that used to be commonplace are rare on store shelves today.
If I'm going to carry a spare distributor I might as well use what I got and keep a spare tune up kit in the center console.

I’ve read good things about the Pertronix kits, but I also want to replace the distributor as a whole, in addition to upgrading the system. All parts break eventually, but I don’t plan on hauling a parts store around with me, hence the need of making updates in favor of more reliable parts that need less servicing.

 

[Turboomni]

I have heard good things about Pertronix especially the base model.

 

[CBODY67]

Generally, the closer you can stay to OEM-spec items, the better off you will be. Which is probably why a MOPAR distributor was mentioned. Plus the Mopar Perf wiring harnesses and such. Only deviation would be to get an electronic voltage regulator in the mix for an earlier model that didn't come factory with one.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[Dsertdog]

I don't anticipate any problems.

I'm not having any issues, at the time I wasn't aware that NOS parts were around.
Not sure I'd trust a 50+ year old condenser that spent time in non climate controlled storage, but it's your ride.
I still trust my points over aftermarket ignitions, but everyone I know runs either a Pertronix or Mopar ECU that came with the car. I like to be different.

 

[JM_ART]

My 2 cents. By a rebuilt electronic ignition distributor from member Halifax or find an NOS one on eBay. Buy a Mopar Performance wiring harness and buy the Marine rated ignition module that I sell on eBay - search user FURYGT. You will also need a heavy duty ballast resistoer. Alternatively, I have heard good things about Rick Ehrenberg's kit. For a street car using the MOPAR style iginition system makes sense since you can get a replacement ignition module at most parts stores if it fails.

Is this the marine-rated ignition box you’re talking about?

Do you mean an entire wiring harness? Or is there a part/part number specifically for retrofitting an electronic ignition for our C bodies? (Yes, my ignorance is strong, which is why I seem like I ask goofy questions sometimes.)

Given the responses, it really sounds as though either I may be better off looking at the more OEM-type updates than running to the shinier aftermarket solutions, like the one I mentioned in my original post. It also sounds like there’s a lot of reluctance to do anything other than that, which is okay, too, since those things have proved themselves worthy in the past.

I do need to buy one of your electronic voltage regulators though. I can’t even find a part number in the one the last owner installed. It just says, “Japan” on the casing. Ha!

 

[Davea Lux]

Hi Dave, thanks for your thoughts. I’m primarily interested in reliability, good performance under daily routine driving, lower maintenance, and making things simpler. No plans for heading for the local strip to see what my ET would be, just normal driving. This isn’t a “high performance” engine.

I’ve heard of Rick, read some of his posts elsewhere, and I’ve seen his parts offerings on eBay. I’d have to contact him to see which of his electronic ignition “kits” would be most appropriate for my car since he offers several for 440s which are apparently different, or at least are priced differently. Are they that much better than, say, the kit offered by Summit? And, yes, anything along these lines would require an electronic voltage regulator. I’m not terribly concerned about “stock” appearances, but I’ve read a lot of folks are pretty happy with the one sold by @FURYGT on eBay. Thanks.

Not positive, but I am pretty sure the summit orange box kits are china made. Both Rick and Fury GT are into selling quality parts. I like the buy American idea so I use USA parts, not everything made in China is junk, but enough to make me avoid their parts. For you application, a stock ignition conversion is probably all you need and that is one of the cheaper options.

Dave

 

[JM_ART]

Not positive, but I am pretty sure the summit orange box kits are china made. Both Rick and Fury GT are into selling quality parts. I like the buy American idea so I use USA parts, not everything made in China is junk, but enough to make me avoid their parts. For you application, a stock ignition conversion is probably all you need and that is one of the cheaper options.

Dave

Well, I just bought one of Rick’ kits off eBay after he answered a couple questions I had. Should be at the house next Friday. Now for an electronic voltage regulator....

 

[Davea Lux]

Well, I just bought one of Rick’ kits off eBay after he answered a couple questions I had. Should be at the house next Friday. Now for an electronic voltage regulator....

I think Fury GT sells those and they are an electronic unit that looks just like a mechanical one for a stock appearance.

Dave

 

[JM_ART]

I think Fury GT sells those and they are an electronic unit that looks just like a mechanical one for a stock appearance.

Dave

Just bought one from @FURYGT off eBay.