Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi guys,
My 79RR 4.4 predominately runs on gas.
With all the stuff I have been reading lately, it appears that the ignition system is very important for gas.

Currently I have a distributor of unknown source (P76 or Rover, can't tell) which I think is sus.
It originally had dodgy mechanical advance, and I stripped it and cleaned/lubriacted everything up.
The rotor still does not have a "good" feel about it
The cap is a loose fit, ie there is a little rotational play. Maybe a P76/Rover mismatch.
It has an optospark electronic ignition system fitted.
The chopper wheel is not a good design, and is held to the shaft with an O'ring. This also allows a small amount of rotational play.

I currently have a GT40R coil.

The leads are a probably not all that good also.

Have been thinking about an HEI system to replace the whole setup.
So do Holden or Chev dizzys fit?
If not, what needs to be changed to make them fit?
Being taller, do they foul the radiator hose?
HEI Holden/Chev dizzys appear on ebay occasioanlly for 2-300, so I reckon this is a cheapish alternative, than replacing my current ordinary parts.

I found a hei dizzy of ebay for an oldsmobile for $50, and used the body off a buick v6/v8 hei housing which is the same as the rover. If you search us ebay you may find one at a good price even after shipping.
There is a post here on ol about this conversion- search for hei.
You will need to do some grinding of the 4.4 intake manifold but it will fit.

Look in FAQ.
the link is there.

Michael.

If I recall correctly, the shaft in a 4.4 dizzy is longer than rover.

Thanks guys.
Might do a search before I ask the next question.

Although there does not appear to be answer about Holden/Chev HEI conversions to Rover.
Does this mean nobody has done it?
The implication is that it can't be done as someone would have by now!

Harry, the Bosch dizzy from Holden can be modified to fit Leyland 4.4, but I don't know about the HEI.

Any v8 hei dizzy can be modded to fit but a buick 350 and some pontiac v8 ones will fit right in without any mods. The holden and chev dizzies will need to be shortened and a new sleeve made to suit the rover timing cover, but after you add the price off the hei and then the mods it would be cheaper to buy a brand new buick 350v8 dizzy from the states for $125 USD. Do a search on us ebay for hei.

Loanrangie wrote:Any v8 hei dizzy can be modded to fit but a buick 350 and some pontiac v8 ones will fit right in without any mods. The holden and chev dizzies will need to be shortened and a new sleeve made to suit the rover timing cover, but after you add the price off the hei and then the mods it would be cheaper to buy a brand new buick 350v8 dizzy from the states for $125 USD. Do a search on us ebay for hei.

Loanrangie, Harry is asking about fitting a hei dizzy to a P76 block not a rover. From memory the shaft in a p76 dizzy is longer than a rover.

Bush65 wrote:
Loanrangie, Harry is asking about fitting a hei dizzy to a P76 block not a rover. From memory the shaft in a p76 dizzy is longer than a rover.

Don't tell that's different as well.

I thought the dizzys were the same, only the stroke of the P76 being longer, hence a wider engine.

Oh well, something else to consider.

Loanrangie wrote:Any v8 hei dizzy can be modded to fit but a buick 350 and some pontiac v8 ones will fit right in without any mods. The holden and chev dizzies will need to be shortened and a new sleeve made to suit the rover timing cover, but after you add the price off the hei and then the mods it would be cheaper to buy a brand new buick 350v8 dizzy from the states for $125 USD. Do a search on us ebay for hei.

Thanks Loanrangie.
Have done a search and most don't post outside the US & Canada.
One does, but uses paypal, that I'm not interested in.
Will keep looking. The prices are good!!!
Definately the place top buy.

No i dont think the p76 shaft is longer as its basically the same block only taller deck and most 4.4's in rangies use the 3.5 timing cover. Anyway if you see the post on hei's by ley269 and solihl they both have 4.4s and one is using the same buick v6 body as i am.

Thanks again Loanrangie.

I've had another read of the thread, and I reckon it's a goer.
Now to source the dizzy.

Are you after a HEI or just a factory Electronic ignition set up? Because there are a lot of factory Rover Electronic Distributors that will work.

there is a chev HEI dissy on ebay BRAND NEW...... will this be adaptable to a 3.5 EFI ? ? ? (semi-hijack)
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 65365&rd=1

RUFF wrote:Are you after a HEI or just a factory Electronic ignition set up? Because there are a lot of factory Rover Electronic Distributors that will work.

It's a 79 4.4 with an optospark electronic ignition.
Running on gas requires a good spark.
Thought I'd give an HEI a go.

AnthonyP wrote:there is a chev HEI dissy on ebay BRAND NEW...... will this be adaptable to a 3.5 EFI ? ? ? (semi-hijack)
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 65365&rd=1

As Loanrangie said, it needs to be sleeved and shortened to fit.
The US have ones that will fit, so that's the track I'm heading down (plus they are cheaper )

Try some of the local amaerican car importers/ wreckers, if you can get a buick 350 one then great but a cheap chev v8 will still be cost effective after the mod. I could machine up a sleeve on my old mans lathe easy enough.

Loanrangie wrote:No i dont think the p76 shaft is longer as its basically the same block only taller deck and most 4.4's in rangies use the 3.5 timing cover. Anyway if you see the post on hei's by ley269 and solihl they both have 4.4s and one is using the same buick v6 body as i am.

Sorry, I was comparing to original p76 dizzy. With the 3.5 timing cover, the dizzy would be rover.

Ralf the RR wrote:

RUFF wrote:Are you after a HEI or just a factory Electronic ignition set up? Because there are a lot of factory Rover Electronic Distributors that will work.

It's a 79 4.4 with an optospark electronic ignition.
Running on gas requires a good spark.
Thought I'd give an HEI a go.

Just buy a Dizzy out of an EFI Rangie or a Disco. They bolt straight in. The Disco one is a better set up as the Ignition module is mounted on the distributor. They are wired seperatly from the EFI so this is no problem. I ran a points dizzy on my 3.9EFI in my Buggy for a while.