Advice on Ignition Upgrades

[Colin]

Sent: 3/3/2002

I came across a posting on another message board about an ignition modification to 70's big block Dodge V-8's with the 1st generation electronic ignition.  The author stated that when Dodge went to electronic ignition, they retained the same coil used with the points system. (I checked this with my shop manual and this is true.)  The author said that this resulted in only 12,000 volts or so of secondary voltage and that this is less than half of the industry standard for similar engines.  He gave the example of the GMC HEI system at 60,000 volts and the Ford Dura-Spark output of 30,000 volts.  He stated that the Dodge ignition doesn't produce enough voltage for proper ignition at increased cylinder pressures when the engine is running with a wide open throttle under load.

His suggestion was to buy a single ballast resister of the type used with the points ignition, and attach it in parallel with the wires attached to the compensating side of the double ballast resister that is used with the electronic ignition.  He said that this will result in a system that will deliver around 24,000 volts which will produce a spark that's adequate at high cylinder pressures.  He stated that this modification was made to a fleet of Dodge vehicles and they ran "decently" with no ignition failures.

( If you happen to be the author of that message, I hope I have represented your information accurately.)

It does seem to me that my '72 Indian (413 engine, 4 barrel carb) could use a boost of some kind when I run it at wide open throttle under load (mountain driving up steep grades.)  The engine, carburation and ignition are all running and tuned to factory specs.  Is it true that the Dodge ignition system has substandard secondary voltage?  What do you think of the suggested modification?  Would it double the secondary voltage and will this improve performance?  Do you have any other ideas that would increase ignition performance?  Maybe a high performance coil, or increasing the spark plug gap?

Thanks for your opinions and advice.

[Lowellyn]

Sent: 3/3/2002 

     I also experienced some power problems with the 318 in my D-24.  It ran fine under "normal" driving conditions but as soon as I wanted more it just wouldn't deliver.  Friday night I finally ordered the MSD ignition system.  My rig has the points set-up so I ordered the spark box, distributor, a set of taylor wires, and coil from summit racing.  The cost including shipping and handling was $324.00.  My buddies sold me on the idea telling me no more messing with points, better fuel economy, and more power period.   SOLD!!!  The stuff should be coming Wednesday and I'll get it put on Saturday.  Then I'll have to wait for my freshly built carb to find it's way home and I'll run her and let everyone know how it went

[Colin]

Sent: 3/5/2002

Thanks for everyone's info and advice.  I talked with some dodge mechanics who agreed that the secondary output from the dodge ignitions isn't enough for the engines when under heavy loads.  They recommended a high output coil.  They thought Mallory was one of the best.  I bought one and will see if it makes any difference going up over the divide. (I'm in Colorado)   I've already had the heads rebuilt and the cylinders check out o.k., although I probably should have just rebuilt the whole engine while I was at it.  Lowell, let us know how your ignition makeover works out.

Colin   

[Lowellyn]

Sent: 3/6/2002

I've got the box of goodies right in front of me.  Now to find the time to put it on.  I'm a little busy looking to buy a home (tired of renting no place to park MH).  Hopefully will get into this nice mobil home I looked at yesterday.  My girlfried and I are ready to get married and I think that is as good as any place to start.  Only temporary, will have a house within 5 years.  Something with a big detached garage for the MH.
Will let you know

[Lowellyn]

Sent: 3/8/2002

Minor setback: Summit sold me the wrong MSD spark Box.  It seems that I need the MSD 6A box in order to use the pro-billet distributor.  So now I had to send the 5 box back and get the 6A sent.

[Colin]

Sent: 3/9/2002 

Good Luck.  What's a pro-Billet distributor?

Colin

[Lowellyn]

Sent: 3/9/2002

Colin,  I'm not exactly sure what it does exactly.  My buddy expalined it to me.  It uses "Magnetic pick-up" to fire the plugs.  What ever that means.  It's also built so that it will handle the power of the msd ignition box withe the hich voltage coil.  It will also spin up to 10,000 rpm with out missing a beat or flying apart.  HA, HA, HA.  Don't think the 318 will spin 10 grand !!!  It's supposed to be one of the best distributors that you can buy.  My buddy Brian had one on his drag car.  It a fully rollerized chevy 355 small block.  The engine makes a lot of its power at about 8,000 rpm, and this ignition system helps to supply the power need under heavy load, or high rpm.  The reason you or I would need it is for the power under load.  I've been told my 318 will handle any job that I can throw at it because it's a "grunt" motor.  Just need the voltage up there.                             
Will keep ya posted.  Supposed to arrive Tues.

[Lowellyn]

Sent: 1/26/2006

Turns out the MSD 6A ignition system showed no noticeable improvement on this vehicle.  It's supposed to control the plug firing to meet the best advance curve and it increases the voltage output to the plugs from OEM 30,000 to 45,000 - - which a Blaster 2 coil does for @ $40!

[thebluesliner]

I had, I repeat had a Blaster 2 coil which I thought worked well until this summer it let me down. Maybe it was my fault as I hadn't changed the ballast resister yet. I had bought it but not installed it as it (MSD Resister) has only two prongs on it where my original has four and summer in Canada is too short to be messing around with these things, or so I thought.

The  best part of this story is I live from pay to pay and was broke because I bought my new to me Norcold fridge and the price of gas this summer and  was going to visit a band mate at his cottage when I was almost there in another province the newly freshened motor lost power. While changing all the parts I had for these emergency's rotor,cap, ballast resister a local resident, older gent arrived, interested in the rig and had figured out I had broke down so we figured out all that was left was the coil so I told him I would have to phone my son in law to bring my old coil up to me (wasting hours of the few nice weekends we get) he said to me bring the coil and we'll go into the village to the garage there and get it tested so embarrassed as I could be I had to tell this stranger I was broke till next payday and would get my son in law to bring the old coil to me, he said no let's get it tested so into the village we drive in his vehicle, got the coil tested and it was bad so this complete stranger, who I just met an hour previous bought me the coil, drove me back to the rig, waited while I installed it enough to see if it would run. Sure enough she started right up. I then thanked him for his trust in me, a perfect stranger, and said I would send him the money( getting his mailing address). The next weekend I bought a card, wrote in it that he went above and beyond for a stranger, thanking him again and put the money in it and sealed it up. I drove back up there and gave him the card W/ money, I had put a little extra in for his gas and his time.

Thank God for good Samaritans     

[bluebird]

They have had some trouble with the blaster coils recently. Was it made in the usa model? or the china model? A higher volt spark will give a better burn if a wider gapped plug is used.  That's the reason behind the larger voltage coils and wider gapped plugs brought out in the 70s, emissions, and unleaded fuel.

Chuck

[henryblair]

This eBay listing, 260331260526, is for an HEI self contained distributor that works with an external coil as its only power supply.  No ballast resistor, no orange box, no old wiring.  I have bought one, but have yet to install it.  Friends have told me it is the best buy out there to improve 440 big block ignitions and is only $70!

[ClydesdaleKevin]

That was a great and inspiring story, Bluesliner!  Not often will a stranger even stop for anyone in distress, but he went way over and above the call of a friendly passerby.  Hats off to this older gent from Canada!!!

Kev