Tim - When you are ready to try this - send me a note....I'm running a Ford (actually Wells) Duraspark II controller with an MSD "TFI" coil (.88 OHMs) and an MSD ballast resistor (also .88 OHMs). The Wells control sits at about 25° dwell and cracks right along. Plus the starting retard arrangement.....

Waiting in the wings is this:

The HEI controller (really cheap too - carry two spares in the ashtray) controls heating by varying the dwell (15° at idle to 30°+ at revs) so you don't use a ballast resistor. I've tested it (briefly) on my outfit by just switching the connections and jumpering out the ballast resistor and it seems to work just fine. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Steve, what about the spark plugs?



What type of spark plug do you use? Is spark plug life shortened with the 'performance' modules?



I tend to use Autolite extended tip plugs where I can. I had a 223 that would not run with the Champion plugs. That 223 had an issue with its cam, but the extended tip plugs really made a difference.

Best regards,



Paul Menten

Meridian, Idaho

I've got Autolite Platinum AP46's in there now - AP45's awaiting their chance. .040 Gaps

So far no big deals to report - but no trips down the track either....What was the high perf 289 plug? It would seem like a good choice for higher compression / higher rev use.  

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

is any year/application better than the others to get the parts from to install in the Y dizzy. 

55Birdman  Hickory NC

I don't think there's any magic year - 1976 and up maybe - the dizzy parts just need to include the upper rotor shaft that mounts the reluctor, the swivel plate that mounts the stator, and the "dogleg" style of vacuum pot. What Bill has lying around in his earlier post. I wouldn't use an old grungy reluctor - NAPA's got them for $4 or $5 all new and shiny. This diagram calls the reluctor an armature - and really it is. It spins through a permanent magnet "field" and makes AC - 8 cycles per revolution.

 

Doesn't really matter which engine either - I've made up a system with 351-C guts - and another with 429 guts. You are going to use the Y distributor body for a base anyway.  

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

The newer vehicles have a different distributor with different internals - I think the timing is controlled by the computer in those applications.  I'm not sure what the year is, though.  I'll guess late 80s on.  I noticed this while looking for duraspark parts.

If the cap is held on with those two clips, it's a good donor distributor - I think the newer ones are held on with screws.  Also look for the triangular shape of the narrow part of distributor body - it can kinda be made out in the drawing Steve posted.  Once you've spotted one they'll be easy to... spot - sorry, too tired to think of another word right now.

Lawrenceville, GA

Those modifications seem to be more complex than installing Crane Xr-i ignition module to Ford distributor. With Crane you don't even need to take your distributor out of the engine. Just replace the module holding / vacum advance plate in place of an original points holding plate ( and of course you need to remove the vacum module and install it again ) and install that Xr-i module with heat resistant grease and set the air gap between the module and the rotor. Only two wires to connect to the coil and it runs. And it has a rev limiter up to 8000 rpm and it is simpy adjusted by turning a small adjster with screwdriver. And one benefit of that Crane is that if your dist shaft has some slack, it still works fine. Our 330 hp / 630 Nm 292 efi-turbo engine is fitted with that Crane, so it really works.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CRN%2D750%2D1700&N=700+400078+305229+115&autoview=sku

That last picture shows a well burnt module caused by a false wiring to the coil. Only two wires and LordMrFord managed to hook them wrong...

 Seppo from Järvenpää, Finland
www.hollowheads.net (just click the hole in the head to proceed)

I have MSD 6AL electronics . Will the electrical hook up of the duraspark conversion be normal?

55Birdman  Hickory NC

Yes it will - in  fact MSD sells a patch cable that connects the modified distributor directly to the system. 

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?Ntt=msd+&N=700+400122+4294841558+115+4294847538&Ntk=KeywordSearch

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Just want to be sure . This cable connects to duraspark wiring then to MSD coil ?   

55Birdman  Hickory NC