Distributor and Ignition Info Thread

[TommyK]

The PO installed a proform HEI distributor which is freakin' huge. I like the electronic ignition, but it is too large for me to install a Ram Air cleaner base. So I am researching a smaller solution.

I have come across a solution from MSD that does not require a separate ignition control box and is supposedly 5/8" smaller diameter than a stock dizzy. It is called their "ready to run" distributor.

http://www.msdignition.com/Products/Distributors/Ford/Ready-to-Run/E-Curve/8350_-_Ford_351C-460_Ready-To-Run_Pro-Billet_Distributor.aspx

Anybody use one of these? Anyone recommend something else? It needs to allow the installation of a Ram Air cleaner base.

Thanks for any advice you can give!

The 8350 is nine inches tall from the block to the top of the cap. It can be made to work with Ram Air with the right combination of manifold type and carb spacers.

 

[PAPPY HAROLD]

Take a look at a ford Duraspark, it gives the best of both worlds--low profile and electronic. I'm running a recurved duraspark and altho the car hasn't had alot of miles yet it is working great, and if you need to recurve it , its simple to do. MANY OF THE fORD RACING GUYS ARE USING THEM

 

[marks73]

Anybody have the 2 female plugs to the harness for a Duraspark Blue laying around?

 

[caspianwendell]

I am not an msd fan at all. Had a lot of problems with them. I have had some good luck with pertronics and as stated nothing beats a good ole duraspark set up. I bought a brand new MSD "ready to run" and by the 3rd unit I got my money back.

 

[CZ-75]

I have installed an Edelbrock performer manifold and Edelbrock Thunder series carb... overall, they sit a little lower than the stock combination. My goal is to install Ram Air, so I may need to insert a spacer under the carb. But that won't solve the issue with the huge Proform unit in there now.

I like what I'm reading about the MSD ready-to-run distributor

 

[TommyK]

I have installed an Edelbrock performer manifold and Edelbrock Thunder series carb... overall, they sit a little lower than the stock combination. My goal is to install Ram Air, so I may need to insert a spacer under the carb. But that won't solve the issue with the huge Proform unit in there now.

I like what I'm reading about the MSD ready-to-run distributor

Measure the distance from the block where the distributor goes in to the underside of the air cleaner base as it sits now. Subtract that number from 9 and that is the minimum spacer height you will need. Maybe add 1/4" to have some clearance between dist cap and air cleaner base.

You can make a mock up spacer that height out of wood and put it under the carb to test hood clearance before you shell out the cash on the MSD.

Here is a picture I found of someone running an MSD with the ram air base. He has a Blue Thunder intake and a 3/4" spacer and says the hood closes. With a performer intake I would guess you would need around 1 1/2 inches of spacer.

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q24/tommyk_photos/351Cleveland_zps92e99045.jpg

I am not an msd fan at all. Had a lot of problems with them. I have had some good luck with pertronics and as stated nothing beats a good ole duraspark set up. I bought a brand new MSD "ready to run" and by the 3rd unit I got my money back.

MSD stands for Many Suspicious Devices LOL!

 

[wwhite72]

I do not have a ram air hood, and the 2v original air cleaner housing is full sized like most others. The msd 8477 dist i haveay use the same cap as the 8350 you are looking at. The problem is the height. I had to cut the lower front of the housing out exactly where the oem relief is located. Even with a spacer ring under between the carb and the housin there was not enough room for the wires on top of the cap. Msd now makes a lower profile ford dist, but it's for the windsor. Despite the clearnce issue the dist w/6AL works very well. NOTE- if i were to do it again i would probably try to do a duraspark system. My MSD coil failed last season and i have heard many bad opinions on msd. In contrast i have heard that Duraspark ( or is it duraspark II?) is flawless.


I bought he MSD because i wanted a billet dist with bearings but i have read that there are independent guys that offer rebuilt ford distributors with bearings and duraspark setups. I do not have any personal experience with these distributors.

 

[cazsper]

I have an MSD on my 393w in my '68. I honestly don't know the difference but I bought it when I had my engine build. I woukd like to get one for my '73 Mach-1. If the fitment if the Ram Air wasn't an issue, woukd that be a good way to go? I still have points in my Cleveland.

 

[PAPPY HAROLD]

cazsper: Heck yes nothing wrong with MSD. Just cz was wooried about hieght and I and others offered our best info.

 

[clevelandcoupe]

Guys,

I am running a Mallory Unilite in my cleveland powered Model A and have had no issues for 10 yrs and 30K miles. The diameter of the cap is 3 1/8" and 8" high from the block @ thermostat to the top of the cap. The unit is self contained and very easy to wire.

Thanks, Jay

 

[droptop73]

I'm running a duraspark with a small cap. It has performed very well with a Ford Motorsports MSD box for over 3 years now.

 

[CZ-75]

Too many options...

I guess I really need to determine my overall height and width limitations with Ram Air installed.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Well, a Duraspark distributor is actually stock Ford equipment (albeit from other vehicles) that can readily be found a local parts stores, should the need arise for replacement of components.

There's a thread elsewhere discussing this to many different ends, and I believe the part numbers for the items I'm about to list are there as well.

My set-up consists of:

- Duraspark distributor ('80s 5.0 Mustang) + cap & rotor ($50-ish thru Summit)

- Duraspark Ignition Module w/"Blue Strain Relief" wire terminals (dual socket - also around $40 @ O'Reilly Auto Parts)

- Duraspark conversion wiring harness ($120-ish through National Parts Depot)

- Accel Super Coil (stock cannister style - $40-ish thru Summit)

- Edelbrock Performer 2750 intake & Performer 600cfm carb (together around $600+ thru Summit).

That's it. I went with that set-up because I also want my Ram-Air to fit and function with no weirdness or modifications. The Duraspark conversion harness I got through NPD was expensive, but worth it IMHO - it took pretty much all of the guesswork out of wiring it all up.

Hope that helps.

 

[CZ-75]

Eric, we have the same intake and carb. Did you use a spacer to raise your carb?

 

[Mister 4x4]

No, I did not use any kind of spacer.

Be advised that I also have not installed a Ram-Air air filter yet, nor have I had my hood back on since Sep 2010. As far as knowing that it will fit, I believe it was Don65stang (from Alabama) that turned me on to the Duraspark distributor idea [fitting under the Ram-Air air cleaner] and Don (OMS) that answered additional questions about the Ram-Air air cleaners.

Based on that reliable information, along with supporting comments from those others with Ram-Air and/or Duraspark set-ups, I am 98% certain that this set-up will work with a factory Ram-Air set-up... which is why I'm going that way - there's always room for something to not be quite right, which is why I'm allowing 2% uncertainty. rofl

Jeff (Droptop73) has a nice set-up as well that also works great. It would be a slight variation on a standard Duraspark set-up, but he's got a good solution as well.

 

[CZ-75]

Haha... I would have felt better if you were 99% certain.

Alright... the more I research, the more I'm liking the Duraspark setup. Are there any issues with connecting to a tachometer? I've read there are issues with other makes.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I can't comment on that, because I have a non-tach car. When I have my non-tach cluster converted with the RocketMan Tach conversion, even then it'll hook up like an aftermarket tach - which is very different than how a factory tach is connected.

Having said that, the Duraspark module only has 2 wires to wire into the system that are not direct to the coil and distributor. The red and white wires are tapped into the following powered sources:

- white: ignition 'Start'

- red: ignition 'On'

In the installation instructions, there is a provision to disconnect the 'pink' wire, which may or may not be the tach feed (again, I don't have a factory tach-equipped car). If not, I would expect that the Duraspark ignition system will go right in without messing with the factory tach at all.

 

[cazsper]

Oh ok. There are just so many options out there..

 

[wwhite72]

I can't comment on that, because I have a non-tach car. When I have my non-tach cluster converted with the RocketMan Tach conversion, even then it'll hook up like an aftermarket tach - which is very different than how a factory tach is connected.

Having said that, the Duraspark module only has 2 wires to wire into the system that are not direct to the coil and distributor. The red and white wires are tapped into the following powered sources:

- white: ignition 'Start'

- red: ignition 'On'

In the installation instructions, there is a provision to disconnect the 'pink' wire, which may or may not be the tach feed (again, I don't have a factory tach-equipped car). If not, I would expect that the Duraspark ignition system will go right in without messing with the factory tach at all.

the pink wire is the resistance wire which had to be bypassed to install my MSD ignition. OEM Ford points system used lower constant voltage to the coil. The pink wire lowered the voltage.

 

[kblackav8or]

You can wire the duraspark system without using all the plugs, you can use ordinary spade connectors. I have had mixed results with some aftermarket ignition components. I like the duraspark distributer for mostly stock use, they are simple and you can run one off a 460 on 351C's or 429's. With the normal magnetic trigger you can choose any number of boxes for your ignition. My MSD-6AL has been on my 71 for probably 15 years and has always worked fine. Some people love Pertronix, I haven't had great luck with them. With the duraspark you can run a big or small cap which might resolve the clearance issue.