Want to improve ignition....

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Joshua Suehs

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hey everyone! While waiting for my springs and torsion bars to come in the mail I was pondering ignitions. Obviously I could get an MSD, but I feel like that is overkill on the street. I wanted to know if anyone has any suggestions to whether or not it is overkill, or if I should be looking at just a newer ignition with coil and cap and rotor. I am interested to hear what you wise sages have to say! Thanks!

73 dart swinger / 360 with a big purple cam and true 2 1/2” straight exhaust, edelvrock performer intake and Holley 4bbl carb.

Let me know your thoughts!!
 
I just use the stock cheap box and a stock coil for my old 360 and my 413, been working flawless since 2014.
 
Pertronix!

The II version should be plug and play with minimal changes like a bypassed ballast.

My III is basically a GM HEI but requires a low ohm coil, and all hidden from sight.
 
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If you go to slantsix.org and the electrical forum there is a sticky about the GM HEI. Member Trailbeast has a kit to install an 8 pin HEI too. Search on this site for HEI conversion too.
 
If you go to slantsix.org and the electrical forum there is a sticky about the GM HEI. Member Trailbeast has a kit to install an 8 pin HEI too. Search on this site for HEI conversion too.

Sorry, I stopped building those awhile back.

FBO coil and box. Best money I have spent.

THIS is the best option for the money in my opinion.
It all plugs right in to the factory harness and even has a built in digital rev limiter AND the total timing limit plate for the distributor and matched hot coil for $219
@Joshua Suehs Call Don at 541-942-5920 and talk to him about it.
He's a great guy and knows his stuff.

The website is www.4secondsflat.com
 
Sorry, I stopped building those awhile back.



THIS is the best option for the money in my opinion.
It all plugs right in to the factory harness and even has a built in digital rev limiter AND the total timing limit plate for the distributor and matched hot coil for $219
@Joshua Suehs Call Don at 541-942-5920 and talk to him about it.
He's a great guy and knows his stuff.

The website is www.4secondsflat.com
I was going to say thats the next best option, 2 guys i know are running those and love them.
 
Does the FBO kit retain the ballast resistors, or do away with that?
How does it compare to using a 4 pin HEI module with simple 2 wires to coil & 2 to distributor I’ve been reading about?
Thanks
 
Best bang for your buck is curve whatever distributor to your application.
Absolutely! And for this situation, curving the original Chrysler distributor is the best option for street and strip.
Getting the curve right is far more important than having the potential for increasing spark voltage, and increasing energy.
Since your car was a smogger, the simplest way is to shorten the inside of the slots. Then tweak the spring tensions.
Alternatively, have someone set it up who has a selection of springs and cam plates.
Halifaxhops can do that.
73 dart swinger / 360 with a big purple cam and true 2 1/2” straight exhaust, edelvrock performer intake and Holley 4bbl carb.
It would be better to know which purple cam, but that's a situation a MSD 6A, 6T or 6C would be good for. (6C is no longer made - you'ld have to buy one used).
A multi-spark CD ignition has a better chance of firing in poor combustion chamber conditions which you can pretty much count on at idle and low rpm with a cam like that.
At higher compression conditions at high rpm (5000 up) it also does well.
Of course the better you can make the combusion chamber conditions, the less need for an system that can multispark and produce higher voltage.
A good HEI module may also be a little better than stock with your purple cam. It's still an inductive ignition. CD ignitions produce a short spark duration. Inductive igntions produce a longer duration spark. Some evidence indicates a long high energy spark may work better with today's pump 'gasoline' when there's not enpough heat in the chamber to build a good flame.
HEI module's regulate the current to the coil. This is the job of a ballast resister in other inductive systems. An HEI can be, and maybe should be, paired with an e-core coil with appropriate primary resistance.
CD systems regulate internally as they build the primary energy in their box, and then send it through the coil. CD systems should be matched to a coil with appropriate resistance to take advantage of its characteristics. (and also not get cooked).
 
The FBO box and coil runs 12v , no ballast resistor. And the plate lets you limit total timing so you can run more initial timing. No real rewiring needed from a stock Mopar electronic ignition system, just bypass the resistor.
 
I love all the options. Looking through the latest comments I have a few comments. The purple cam is a fairly mild cam so I still feel like and MSD would be overkill at this time. I don’t plan on taking it to the strip so I like the idea of not over upgrading. I also like conserving the budget with 2 young kids and a little one on the way. The GM HEI conversion looks like a cool idea as I am good with electrical, but I haven’t seen a clear walkthrough on what exactly I would need. (Ie coil, ballast bypass, etc) I like the Distributors that they sell but have read some articles that they fit tightly if at all on 360 a bodies. That makes me a little nervous. The fbo kit looks like a cool option but it’s 220.00 and it looks like there is a lot of install on the distributor side. Does anyone have any very thorough walkthroughs on the HEI UPGRADE and or other ignition upgrades? I like to actually see the upgrades instead of listen too people talk about them. Also,
I like the idea of having cheap replacement parts as Murphy’s law follows me.

I also agree that the curve is vital!
 
For the distributor then I'd simply put a little weld bead on the inside of the slots. The file back to get the advance needed with the initial going to use.
You'll have to spill the beans on the cam to make a guess on a better initial than whats in the original distributor for '73 emissions, if its still in the car.

For the rest, for what you want, might as well just stick with factory amplifier. If it croaks you can pick up a Standard LX101 or similar at most any parts store.

If you want a nice example of how to set up a HEI module with a magnetic pickup distributor, I think Mike's description at the following link is pretty complete.
More on E-core coils, TFI and Duraspark.
Obviously you'll have to adapt it to a Chrysler but the operations are the same.
 
Not considering the Pertronix?

Flamethrower III + coil. All hidden, ballast bypassed from behind, absolutely no fitment issues. Must run resistor wires, solid core is a no,no!

I have run MSD, Mallory, Chrysler Orange,Chrome and Gold in every fashion. This has been the best. Hot Multispark and Fires on will. My plugs have never looked better. Lost MSD and Mallory on just a few WOT runs. Mopar lasted well but the Pertonix has outlasted them all. Rev limiter built in to boot!

E35A2D08-91A9-4551-A28B-F33B9235B7B2.jpeg
 
Not considering the Pertronix?

Flamethrower III + coil. All hidden, ballast bypassed from behind, absolutely no fitment issues. Must run resistor wires, solid core is a no,no!

I have run MSD, Mallory, Chrysler Orange,Chrome and Gold in every fashion. This has been the best. Hot Multispark and Fires on will. My plugs have never looked better. Lost MSD and Mallory on just a few WOT runs. Mopar lasted well but the Pertonix has outlasted them all. Rev limiter built in to boot!

View attachment 1715302501

What Pertronix kit are you referring to? I am seeing a lot of different options. Do you have a link?
 
Just the Flamethrower III module that fits my Chrysler points type dizzy based on the dizzy part number. Bought the coil separate after realizing it was required. Read and understand the instructions. One extra wire that is included and I shrinked wrapped to hide it from the dizzy to coil based on a pure stock point dizzy! A short piece of #12 solid copper soldered in to bypass the ballast from behind. Pure simplicity and awesome performance!
 
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Module and module installed. It reads the points cam.

885518A7-079D-435D-924B-C832C465F1F1.jpeg


2DB1FAEB-6F6E-42EC-9AE2-261CAC56A99B.jpeg
 
Show me and ignition system that performs as well with no extra holes anywhere and no real wiring mods in stock Chrysler form and I will consider using it. No e-coil, no external modules that can be seen or aftermarket dizzies!

As well my stock point plate and a simple screwdriver in the glove box should it fail and I will get home!
 
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i like the Mopar HEI Conversion . on a small block you won't even notice it back there. chap over the counter replacement module too.. plus it eliminates all that extra crap around where the ballast used to be..
 
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