Ignition upgrades?

Discussion in 'Technical' started by stumanchu, Oct 21, 2017.

  1. stumanchu

    stumanchu Stuart

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    My car has a carbureted 302 with headers and torker 289. It seems to run good with points, but I have been researching going pointless. I have read pros and cons to the point my brains are leaking out. Any views you all care to share I will appreciate.
    1. About what RPM do points limit performance?
    2. Has anyone had a pertronix system that has worked a long time, and what temp thermostat are you using? I am assuming heat is a factor in their failure?
    3. I can purchase a duraspark 2 distributor, module, and coil for a little over 100 bucks at rock auto. Can these distributors be re-curved to match the curve in a points distributor?
    4. Should I keep my points? I dont drive the car very much, but I do not want to leave performance on the table if it is only 100 bucks away.

    What say you????
     
  2. Krazy Comet

    Krazy Comet Tom

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    Most points start "giving up" around 5500 RPMs... Not necessarily due to bounce but time closed(dwell) becomes so short the coil doesn't fully charge causing misfires... That's why back in day Hi-Po engines almost always used dual points, one set opened circuit, the other closed it and there was enough overlap to allow coil to charge to maybe 7K rpms...

    I've had a Pertronix on my Cobra Jet for well over 20 years, BUT it's 1st generation(now know as Ignitor 1) that has no real dwell control and will burn up a stock coil(got the T-Shirt for that one)... Also will damage coil if ign is left on... I've always ran a 180* T-stat... For the last 15 years or so I've used it to trigger A Crane Hi-6... I'm thinking of swapping back to points and trigger the Crane with those or maybe swap to TFI... I have points in Comet that are triggering a junkyard remote mounted TFI module... Approx $15 at the local pick and pull and now 800 plus miles without a hickup... Note I'm not one that has to have the latest whizbang gadget(s) on my cars...

    Recurving Duraspark is exactly like a points dist... Only issue is getting the little roll pin back in place that secures the reluctor on shaft...
     
  3. stumanchu

    stumanchu Stuart

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    Since I didnt know what a TFI module is, research led me to gofastforless....and that site has some educational value for a rookie like me. So what I gather is the TFI has dwell control, can be triggered by points, and can be mounted away from heat. There was a Pertronix system in my step van when I bought it, and both it and the coil fried. I replaced it with a reman points distributor and the truck ran better and didnt ping. The old distributor probably had issues....but it soured me on Pertronix. Besides, I almost have my current distributor dialed in as far as advance curve, so that TFI module is very intriguing. Gofastforless also had a page on hooking a TFI to a points distributor. What I am still wondering is if I do it without the large cap, will I have problems? Or do the problems with the small cap happen when other components of the system need service and the extra large spark is called upon to compensate for that?

    What plug gap do you use? I saw a 87 lincoln with TFI at P&P and it called for a plug gap of 48-51 which I think is way too big....but am trying to learn this stuff. I read somewhere that the voltage used to jump that gap would create a spark of shorter duration, and some say duration of spark is also good and is achieved with a smaller gap. It almost sounds like it will work no matter what gap you choose, but I am sure there is an optimum somewhere.
     
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  4. Krazy Comet

    Krazy Comet Tom

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    Man I love it when someone follows up with research... I should have remembered gofastforless, it's where I first got my info... Originally I wanted to trigger the TFI module with a Duraspark dist but found the magnetic pickup doesn't provide nearly enough switching signal... TFI requires a "hard" off/on pulse which points is happy to provide... Beauty is the points aren't handling the coil switching pulse so contacts will last forever... Apparently many of the early V-dubya guys are using TFI, one was reporting 20K miles with no problems...

    As far as large cap, I have one on Comet but Cobra Jet with Crane CD unit(no doubt higher spark energy) has used small cap for 15 years or so without issue(also a friend says he's never had issue with small caps)... As long as you have good wires and spark plugs the small cap should be OK... It's worn/fouled plugs that mostly causes the spark to find another path to ground... Of course that may be burning through rotor, crossfiring inside cap or burning a trail down inside to dist housing... I also have Flamethrower 7mm spiral "stock look" wires on the CJ, as maintaining as much of original appearance as possible is a priority... The high energy systems will krispy kritter the stock OEM graphite type wires within a few K miles...

    To get the benefits of hotter ignition, plug gap should be increased, both Comet & CJ have around .045 plug gap.. Original recommendation for CJ was .028-.032 as stock ignition wasn't hot enough to fire plugs at 5500-6000 RPMs with Ford's normally specced .035 gap(at least not after 4-5K miles)...

    If you decide to go large cap, the Duraspark adapter units have indents for normally securing the std cap...
     
  5. bmcdaniel

    bmcdaniel Senile Member

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    Last edited: Apr 20, 2018
  6. stumanchu

    stumanchu Stuart

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    Lol....ahem...looks like you got rid of the carburetor too!
     
  7. bmcdaniel

    bmcdaniel Senile Member

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    That's an old photo, but yeah.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. stumanchu

    stumanchu Stuart

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    I had no idea....I had to read it in your signature; reading is one of my best friends these days. That is a very nice car by the way....I envy the shock towers among other things.
     
  9. stumanchu

    stumanchu Stuart

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    Just thought I would follow up this post since the TFI is all in, plugs gaped to .045, and all wiring done. I am very pleased with the results. The car starts MUCH easier when cold, hot, or whatever and I think the exhaust is cleaner too. I tried to lean out my idle a tad more, but it didnt like any alteration from previous setting, so I left it alone. Runs smooth at any RPM I dare run it to. I used a remote mounted module and heat sink from a 95 truck. the remote module I think is specific to 94 and 95, but rock auto shows the same part number for all engines.....even the 300 six (4.9). At junkyard prices, you can carry a spare module in your glove box.
     

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  10. 71gold

    71gold Frank Cooper Supporting Member

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    I've had a Pertronix in every points car, truck, motorcycle and van I've ever owned...:thumbs2:
    only thing better is the no distributor I have now...:bouncy:
     

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  11. stumanchu

    stumanchu Stuart

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    awww, come on Frank.....you need some more wires in there. Your distributor might come home if you gave it something to have and hold. :cool:
     
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  12. baddad457

    baddad457 Member

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    I'm running the stock Duraspark for an 85 GT Stang in my 331. Coil is an MSD. Wires are Ford racing 9mm's. Cap is the stock large EFI type with brass terminals. Dead reliable to 7 grand. Never been recurved. Uses the stock spark box.
     
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