Electronic ignition conversions

[65sporty]

GM 4 pin module hidden in a old Mopar ECU with bypassed ballast and MSD blaster canister coil works great.

View attachment 230516

I like it, any issues with heat having it mounted in the ECU box?

 

[cantflip]

The Lean Burn on my 78 New Yorker was removed at some point in its life.
Its 400 engine now has a points distributor and a 1406 Edlebrock carburetor.

I cant say it runs poorly now ,but I was thinking of converting it to electronic ignition this summer.
One reason I want to convert is that the non original distributor is a pain to get at .
Even removing the distributor cap is a lesson in patience .

So if I were to order the Mopar performance kit, what would you recommend using instead of the orange box that comes with the kit?

IMHO doing an electronic ignition conversion is the first thing to do for dependable, trouble free driving.

You want to mount the ECU on a bracket (several options are available on eBay) or with spacers behind it for air flow to keep it cool as heat is the enemy of an ECU. I like mounting them underneath the battery tray where they are hidden and are away from the engine heat.

If your kit has the blue Mopar Performance constant output voltage regulator DO NOT USE IT as it is a constant output VR designed for racing applications. If you are looking to keep your engine bay looking stock, consider this VR that I sell:

Mopar Voltage Regulator - Electronic Solid State with Correct Restoration Look 724469250010 | eBay

Alternatively and depending on what size/amp alternator you are using you could convert to the '70 & up style voltage regulator or as noted above in another post use some type of solid state voltage regulator.

The quality of the Mopar Performance Orange ECU can be spotty and they commonly fail and I would recommend purchasing a spare ECU. I sell a high quality Marine rated ECU on eBay but am currently out of stock and should have more in stock in a week or so. There are a lot of junk ECU's out there and some, when they fail drip black goo out of the back so don't go cheap on a spare ECU. If you are doing any high performance upgrades to your car, consider the Rev-N-Ator ECU. It's not cheap but it works great and as an adjustable built in rev limiter that has saved my butt on a few occasions.

Just my 2 cents on this topic based on my nearly 30 years experience with C Body's.

I bought my "lifetime supply"(3) of spare ballasts and ECUs from Bill... I haven't had need of any, but am happy to have a spare with each car. My Formals came with these... so I'm doing nothing but maintaining them. I do understand the change from a faulty lean burn system, but IDK if I would go there with a good points distributor (or good lean burn). I did pick up a very good price on a spectra Chinese distributor, I toss the box in the trunk for bigger road trips... but doubt I'll ever use it for myself. I figure it may eventually help out a friend, but will work mostly as insurance that I won't have distributor related problems when I carry it.

 

[cantflip]

It's pretty simple. Use a Chrysler distributor with the GM HEI module.

I've seen this done a few ways. It all comes out the same though. You don't need the ballast resistor anymore and you can use an "E" type coil if you want. Everything else is just how you decide to mount the HEI module.

Some reading...

Mopar HEI Conversion
Mopar HEI Conversion
HEI Electronic Ignition Retrofit How-To - Slant Six Forum

Heading to the Porcelain Throne wth my Tablet right now. Thanks.

Funny you mentioned that working on one of those inside a mopar ecu box right now. I use one with the distributor machine and it definitely has a cleaner amplification signal then a stock mopar box.

My only real issue with this idea... once upgraded to a true 12volt coil, you will likely need to screw around with plug heat ranges and/or gaps a little bit... not rocket surgery, but not something I would consider a plug and play replacement either.

Huh? This seems to be brought up at least once a week.

I hope you realize this component does no more than turn your coil on/off? So unless you're planning to touch the higher RPM bands while racing or ignore a relatively simple maintenance item on a hobby-car, this change won't do anything but expose you to questionable aftermarket parts.

If you were ditching a Lean Burn system, I could see more merit.

I would also reconsider any suggestion to mount wiring or components under a battery tray. I'm sure you've seen destroyed battery trays even on otherwise super-clean cars... I sure have.

Agreed...

 

[The Captain]

I like it, any issues with heat having it mounted in the ECU box?

No issues in 1,000 miles this summer. Use heat sink compound between the module and ECU body.

 

[Rainy Day Auto]

I must be Extremely lucky with Chinese junk. I installed a proform kit (probably all Chinese) on my daily driven 68 dart, back in 2013 and 82,000 miles later it still works great.

I drive like an old lady, and it's a ton of highway miles, so maybe that helps.

The kit I have for the fury is another proform kit from ebay because of past experience. Maybe it's junk??? .... to be seen.

However i do like the solid state, old style voltage regulators, that is absolutely brilliant.

 

[The Captain]

I always thought the original Mopar electronic ignition was good but after having Pertronix on my 300 and now a GM 4 pin module in my Charger there are better alternatives.

 

[Dobalovr]

I must be Extremely lucky with Chinese junk. I installed a proform kit (probably all Chinese) on my daily driven 68 dart, back in 2013 and 82,000 miles later it still works great.

I drive like an old lady, and it's a ton of highway miles, so maybe that helps.

The kit I have for the fury is another proform kit from ebay because of past experience. Maybe it's junk??? .... to be seen.

However i do like the solid state, old style voltage regulators, that is absolutely brilliant.

I am running Proform on 3 cars but my last go round with them on my 79 wasted half a day and resulted in using the old conversion 30 year old distributor when the “new” Proform shaft was 3mm short and wouldn’t engage the cam drive gear. I’ll trade @Tobias74 for a good one when he’s not looking....

 

[cantflip]

I must be Extremely lucky with Chinese junk. I installed a proform kit (probably all Chinese) on my daily driven 68 dart, back in 2013 and 82,000 miles later it still works great.

I drive like an old lady, and it's a ton of highway miles, so maybe that helps.

The kit I have for the fury is another proform kit from ebay because of past experience. Maybe it's junk??? .... to be seen.

However i do like the solid state, old style voltage regulators, that is absolutely brilliant.

The solid state VR is brilliant... the Chinese stuff is probably hit or miss. It doesn't seem like much of anything new has the quality the older parts had.

I am running Proform on 3 cars but my last go round with them on my 79 wasted half a day and resulted in using the old conversion 30 year old distributor when the “new” Proform shaft was 3mm short and wouldn’t engage the cam drive gear. I’ll trade @Tobias74 for a good one when he’s not looking....

Gee... do you think he'll catch on?

 

[Dobalovr]

The solid state VR is brilliant... the Chinese stuff is probably hit or miss. It doesn't seem like much of anything new has the quality the older parts had.

Gee... do you think he'll catch on?

Nothing worse than finding out you are short shafted....gonna go read some more Kenny posts....

 

[Larry Jett]

So is it a common thing for C body owners of 1972 and back cars to convert their cars to electronic ignition?

In the A and B body world it is mega common but I have not heard too much about it from the c body crowd.

I have an electronic ignition conversion kit and I was thinking to convert my 68 fasttop fury.

Any ideas on the ideal mounting spots for the ECU and updated VR?

Indeed, it is a great idea. I wrestled for a year on the 413 in my 300L because of 'pinging'. After the conversion, with its new distributor and advance systems, car was docile as a kitten. Hid the orange box under the battery so it didn't show. Also, after more than a year of owning a 300F with it's factory tach drive oem distributor, I was surprised to find the restorer had replaced the oem points platform with the guts of the EI from Mopar and put the orange box under the battery tray. Clever!

 

[1978 NYB]

I went all out with a total MSD ignition on my 78 NYB. MSD Pro Billet electronic distributor, 6AL Ignition Box, MSD Power Blaster II coil. I have started it about 100 times during the build doing different unrelated wiring fab, cooling fans, 1 wire alternator, A/C mods, fan regulators, aftermarket gauges, etc. I've driven about 250 miles so far and she fires right up and I haven't experienced any problems so far.

 

[Big_John]

I was surprised to find the restorer had replaced the oem points platform with the guts of the EI from Mopar

Mopar Performance offered a tach drive electronic Prestolite distributor in the seventies. I believe it may have been available in some of the larger trucks too.

 

[halifaxhops]

Yes they did, Has the racing reluctor also easy to tell it apart.

 

[cantflip]

Nothing worse than finding out you are short shafted....gonna go read some more Kenny posts....

Kenny posts WORDS???

 

[1978 NYB]

Kenny posts WORDS???

Lol!

Yeah! Two at a time......

 

[slappys garage]

I ran a Mallory unit for years on my 383, it was an under the cap direct replacement for ignition points, and it performed flawlessly. Has 3 wires and works with your stock coil. Just make sure to bypass the ballast resistor!! There are also several ready to run distributor options available through the aftermarket that are easy to install. I had already converted my charging system over using a 3-wire, Toyota alternator with a built in VR so I didn’t need to fiddle with that.

 

[BillGrissom]

Nothing different than in A-bodies, indeed some Darts had a factory big-block engine, so read posts there. Easiest is the GM 8-pin module and their coil, plus cables which connect them. TrailBeast on the A-body site has a website selling those new as a kit, or junkyard is cheap (1985-95 V-8 trucks). If you want to keep the factory look, Pertronix fits under the cap of a points distributor. Get ver II to be equiv to HEI (no ballast) or III to add multi-spark and rev limiter. Simplest and cheapest is probably the Ningbo ready-to-run distributor ($60 ebay) w/ an e-core coil ($20 ebay).

 

[barbee6043]

Heres is a funny. The 79 volare, very original, I have tuned it to plugs, wires, everything, etc.. BuT had not replaced what looks like the oem ECU box that had done the "melt all the black insulation out and nothing left to the insides " but the electronic stuff. The car ran pretty good after tune,but still had a slight miss. I changed the ECU to a new one and of course, runs great now. It was so funny how this car ran with the old ecu in that pitiful condition!! Car has 97,000 that looks to be correct.
I admit I keep using the currently available mopar EU system and have no problem, BUT I am no doubt lucky. I hate the looks of the GM HEI and using bastard parts, but I admit they probably are a good alternative!! ( I rather be lucky than good!)...

 

[65sporty]

Easiest is the GM 8-pin module and their coil, plus cables which connect them. TrailBeast on the A-body site has a website selling those new as a kit, or junkyard is cheap (1985-95 V-8 trucks).

The module I have seen used the most often is the 4 pin used from about 1975 in all GM's to about 1985 in some trucks. The modules with more pins are usually for EST from the computer.

 

[fjr]

You will need a computer to run an 8-pin HEI module. The 4-pin HEI module is a standalone ignition system. I converted my 65 Barracuda over to the Mopar EI system back in the mid-80s and, other than couple of burned out modules over the years, it was a big improvement over the points system. I converted to the 4-pin HEI system this year and it works great. I found that it has a hotter spark that allows me run leaner cruising fuel mixtures with my Quadrajet for better fuel economy. The Mopar EI system had a lean limit and would misfire.
See HEI Ignition Upgrade