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

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

OK, Point made! 

I have four of the Petronix running right now, the first I installed over 12 years ago, and have had no problems. I do however carry in each car the old points, cond. and other parts for a roadside conversion if nessisary.  I think in the future I may convert an extra dizzy to the Duraspark just for S and G  to see how it works.  Always fun to try something new.

Thanks guys!

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

That's what appeals most to me.


Lawrenceville, GA

Tim /Ted - thanks for the credits, I just try to pay back what I get from the site, in kind.

Tim - the troubles with the Pertronix - I believe are mostly people troubles. Like leaving the power on and cooking one a bit while troubleshooting, that sort of thing. Some guys have tried to get them to switch too heavy a current - not enough combined OHMS in the coil and resistor to protect the transistor. Under-voltage feed to the controller. The directions you get with them are reasonably clear, but we all stumble once in a while.

I have seen several mystery problems that finally went back to having a crummy ground between the swivel plate and the distributor base. Which, when coupled with a less than perfect ground between the base and block - makes for chronic under-voltage at the controller (or a set-up that stutters when the vacuum advance operates). Running a ground wire to the pivot plate clears all that up - and it needs to be in their directions.

The little black controller can still die for all the old reasons electronics finally die - mostly heat and age - and unexpectedly leave you at the side of the road....... 'till you break out the spare points and re-invent the wiring at the side of the road. And then buy and install a new controller.

The trouble with the Ford sytem - is the same stuff. Power left on and cooked it, too small a resistance in the coil and ballast, crummy ground.....its all there.....

But- the Ford reluctor and stator set-up in the dizzy just about never ever die. The one in my Bird did 165,000 miles in an F-150 before I "liberated" it. So if the seperate Duraspark II controller conks out - you pull out your spare controller, plug it in and drive home. The controllers also have the handy dandy 6° auto-retard feature that you connect to the starter soleniod. Bumps my 12° initial down to 6° while it cranks. Parts are at every salvage yard, chain store and on the internet - and on Sunday afternoon too.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Hey Guys,

Is there something I should know about the Duraspark, i have the Petronix Ignitor in my dizzy and it works great. Easy to install too.  Is there some advantage to going the Duraspark way?

I agree with Ted,  Steve you do an beautiful job with the diagrams and the explanations.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

Steve.  As always, your diagrams and explanations are always top notch and professional.  Thanks for being such a great asset to the site.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

I did this conversion last year with the help of Steve M. It has been trouble free ever since. When it comes to duraspark, Steve's the man.

John F

Ballwin, MO

Hey Bill,

I got your PM but for some reason I can't get one to go back to you.

To answer your question, I think its 6 of one and half dozen of the other. Whichever distributor you use, the results will be similar. I just used the older style because that's what I had and I couldn't seem to put my hands on the later version. Holun went to Autozone or one of those guys the next day and got the "right" newer dizzy on the first try. I know of one guy that went and got a remaned Y dizzy and a remaned Duraspark II for a 351 (on a company discount deal) and screwed one together with clean parts one evening! Its just whatever you have the patience for.

At least one other fellow told me he thought the early advance set-up with the bushed "kidney" shaped fly weights was superior to the later version - this could be.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Hi Bill - I was off on a job in New Mexico and no computer......

The "upper rotor shaft" of the old style distributor can be modified by machining off the cam and turning a proper height seat for the Duraspark reluctor. Like the one in this picture. Send me a PM with your email address and I'll send you a PDF print that has all of the dimensions.

 

It has also had its slots reduced in length to limit the total mechanical advance from the centrifugal mechanism.

With the point cam removed - use the newer base plate swivel, stator and dog leg vacuum can out of the later distributor. It all will fit.

There are later model editions of the Y distributor that utilize the 70's mechanical advance system. They will allow swapping out the upper rotor shaft to the "reluctor" version (that you have) directly. I modified my older version because I didn't have one of the newer Y types to work with.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona