Distributor / Ignition question..

[POPS6T6]

So I am approaching the home stretch with the motor and trying to figure out what ignition/distributor set up I should be looking at. I was looking at a complete MSD kit but not sure if I need everything included. The kit I am looking at has the following MSD Ignition components: Digital 6A-L Ignition Contorl Box w/Rev Limiter #6425, Billet Distributor #8534, 8.5mm Ignition Wire Set #32749, Blaster 2 Ignition Coil #8202 and Coil Bracket #8213.

Here is a basic rundown of the motor I have put together so far..

360, .30 over, roller rockers, stock Jheads

COMP Cams Xtreme Energy Cam Cam/Lifters/Valvetrain, Hydraulic Flat Tappet, Adv. Duration 268/280, Lift .477/.480

B&M FLEXPLATE 360 W/727 EXT BAL

Edelbrock Performer Carburetor 750CFM

Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-Gap Intake

Hooker Super Competition Headers

Hughes Performance Street Master Torque Converter 2500 STALL

Keith Black KB Performance Pistons

Any suggestions on whether or not that kit is a good idea, or do I even need a control box? This is more of a semi-aggressive street car, not for the strip.. Just hoping for a nice running motor with a little pop to it.

 

[Abodybomber]

Converter & gears ? Nitrous?

 

[tekslk]

Im using trailbeast hei conversion with a mancini distributor that is real easy to curve the way you want it. Saved tons of cash that way and everything is simple and works great.

 

[BrianT]

Looks like a good ignition set up to me. Do you need it? Not necessarily. Do you want it and can afford it? I say go for it. I bought the MSD E-curve distributor, Blaster 3 coil and the same wires as you for my 408.

That distributor runs HEI style leads so you'll need to use the Blaster 3 coil which has the same lead.

 

[POPS6T6]

Do you need it? Not necessarily. Do you want it and can afford it? I say go for it.

That's my daily dilemma in everything in life.. "Need vs Want". Not made of money, but would rather buy what I need now and be done with it instead of wishing I had done this or that later. I thought it seem d like a pretty good setup and about the right price for everything (about $610)..

Thanks for the input and it does come with the coil as well, but says "blaster 2"? So now wondering of maybe I should be looking for a kit with a blaster 3 as you stated?

 

[diymirage]

im putting together a milder 360 and im thinking of going with the skip white dizzy

 

['66Cuda]

I just bought an MSD E curve, and a Blaster 2 coil. I liked the fact that you don't need an external box and you change your advance settings digitally. It cleans up the engine compartment. I haven't got it in yet, and there really isn't that much info out there on them yet, so the jury is probably still out on them.

 

[AJ/FormS]

Stock dist. body with custom timings, Orange box, Accell Super coil. Thats all you need. Mine has been flawless for around 10 to 12 years. Has worked on cams up to the 292/509, on c/r up to 11.2 , at least to 7200rpm, 4-seasons, survived an underhood fire, dozens of recurves, and must have at least 150,000 miles on it. I run it off an underhood relay, signaled by the ig. switch.I might be into it for 80 bucks or so.

 

[POPS6T6]

I just bought an MSD E curve, and a Blaster 2 coil. I liked the fact that you don't need an external box and you change your advance settings digitally. It cleans up the engine compartment. I haven't got it in yet, and there really isn't that much info out there on them yet, so the jury is probably still out on them.

I will have to look into that, I don't really see the benefit of a control box for a weekend cruiser?

 

[Rodzilla]

I'm running the same setup you mentioned on my 416 Demon, works excellently. I have Sweptline Lowrider that I'm just finishing up with a 340 in it, im using the 8388 ready to run dizzy that doesn't need a box. Haven't Fired this engine yet but it worked ok on a previous smallblock.
I like spending extra $$$$ on ignition, it's worth every penny to me not to have issues. I run box and coil under the dash to clean up engine bay.

 

['66Cuda]

I'm running the same setup you mentioned on my 416 Demon, works excellently. I have Sweptline Lowrider that I'm just finishing up with a 340 in it, im using the 8388 ready to run dizzy that doesn't need a box. Haven't Fired this engine yet but it worked ok on a previous smallblock.
I like spending extra $$$$ on ignition, it's worth every penny to me not to have issues. I run box and coil under the dash to clean up engine bay.

Good idea! I bet that truck engine bay shows that 340 off nicely! A Sweptline shortbed, lowrider is on my "list". I would love to see some photos of that.

 

[Rodzilla]

Here you go, click on images.

 

['66Cuda]

Very nice! Was the E Curve simple to figure out?

 

[d55dave]

Stock distributor, re curved with less mechanical advance. Use the vacuum advance to help fuel economy. Orange box and msd blaster coil. Nothing fancy is needed, IMO. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the factory distributor.

 

[roccodart440]

Go with an MSD digital 6. It has 2 rev limiters built in and a start retard. It also has a single timing retard if you ever decide to go with NO2. There will be no add-ons or addition boxes, modules or wiring needed.

I would highly recommend the MSD pro billet distributer for many reasons over the factory dizzy.

 

[ir3333]

..listen to AJ and d55
the trick is to control your hobby,not have your hobby control you.
spend the extra cash on something worthwhile.

 

[roccodart440]

the trick is to control your hobby,not have your hobby control you.
spend the extra cash on something worthwhile.

Agreed, and spend the extras money on parts that are MODERN and WORK.

 

[Rodzilla]

Anyone who says the factory stuff is just fine or ok have never built a motor that's beyond factory specs or shouldn't have bothered. MSD (or other high end brands) are considerably better dizzys and ignition systems. It IS money well spent, and you will never regret it. Even if you aren't using it to its full potential now, you will be happy to have it for a wilder build later(and there's always a bigger build later )

Another note on the ready to run dizzy, it also has a rev limiter that you can set. This isn't the e-curve dizzy, it's the more basic unit that can be run without a box. When I bought #8388 the e-curve wasn't available yet, but for the $40 more I'd be inclined to go with the e-curve instead of the ready to run. And like Rocco mentioned if you were planning to drag race or spray your motor a digital 6 with more bells and whistles would be the ticket.
Cheers.

 

[d55dave]

Guys, re read the initial post.......he is building a SLIGHTLY warmed over 360. This is not a 12:1 race motor with nitrous and a wild cam. Sheesh.....what's next, does he need hand fabbed aluminum valve covers and billet serpentine pulleys to make it run right as well? As was said, control your hobby and don't get sucked in by glossy magazines and TV commercials telling you that you need **** you don't. And yes, I have built and driven 500 HP small blocks and big blocks and learned a lot through good old fashioned hot rodding, not just throwing money at it.

 

[Rodzilla]

Does the OP need it? No. Is it a good idea over stock? I'm sticking with yes. It's not throwing money away to buy quality parts. The first time I went to MSD, even on a mildish 360 I built a long time ago, I wished I did it sooner. Less headaches, no more Mopar ignition modules and ballasts that always gave me grief. I also hate monkeying around with old stuff that I'm not 100% sure on its quality, like is there a hidden crack somewhere or something else I can't detect about to ruin my day. I like the the increasing tune-ability and expand-ability of future ad-ons, and then there's the biggest reason for me to go with MSD....Plug n play and fugatabowit. My $.02
Cheers

 

[AJ/FormS]

Multi-spark units have their place.No doubt for a track car they are a nice building-block system.One of their most attractive features, the multi spark below 3000rpm can really tame a big cammed engine.
But for a streeter, with its moderate cam,its way overkill, unless your pockets are full of money,and you just dont know where else to spend it.
The factory system is so simple, so reliable, so cheap, so find a replacement anywhere, its so hard to justify getting anything else.And when your fancy big Red Amp takes a dump, and you have to wait half a summer for it to come back, I guarantee somebody is not going to be happy. If youre worried about the OEM reliability, carry a spare resistor and ECU in the glove box. If you wire it for a 5pin,ANY old ECU will fire it.
Like I said;Mines 15 plus years old, revs to 7200 minimum, starts right now, every time, idles anywhere, hot/cold, in the carwash,what more can you ask for?
Theres just one concession I can recommend, and that would be a fully adjustable vacuum advance dizzy.With that, if youve a mind to, you can really make that engine sharp.
Lets see; how many oem systems can I buy for the price of one Big Red Amp?

 

[roccodart440]

You know advice without facts are called opinions so let's look at the distributers.

The MSD is built to stricter tolerances and is a ball bearing design vs. bushing. It is FAR easier to change your timing curve Vs. the MPP. I guess we could also mention it looks 10x better as well if appearance means anything to you. It uses a common ford mustang pickup. So if the magnetic pickup fails you can get one on the spot at any parts store on a Sunday.

The whole argument of what is NEEDED for a mild or moderate build (which is subjective in itself) is invalid. Look at the ignitions that come in even the most generic economy cars today. HO ignitions with a single stage rev limiter. You can't really begin to compare the orange box to an MSD as it's not an apples to apples comparison. The orange box still uses the ballast resistor. That is enough to toss it to the wayside. Limit power to the coil and create a weak link in your electrical system. (sounds smart?) The MSD capability is actually much more important for any street machine that will see around town use not a race car that see mostly WOT use. The MSD comes with a rev limiter which seems kind of worth while conspiring the cost of the engine. It comes with a start retard. It also comes with a 2 step. Now how may people have built an engine and eventually "want a little more..." Last time I checked pretty much every guy on FABO. So having something that allows you to grow saves money down the road. It's called spending smart and spending once. That orange box is rated to 6,000 RPM and they fail. I can attest to that.

Let's talk cost.

MSD Digital 6 (yes you can spend less) on a lesser MSD but i'll use my recommendation for comparison. $357

Orange box with start retard and 2 step $276.

Difference is 81$, a whole lot more space taken up and more complicated wiring. You'll still have the ballast resistor and you'll never have the MSD function or as hot and efficient of an ignition. The Orange box is rated to 6,000 RPM. MSD..15,000RPM. I know, you'll never see that but will you ever see near or past 6,000? I do on my "mild build"

I don't care what the OP buys it's not my money but I'd be hard pressed not to recommend any modern MSD style ignition to him over ye olde orange box.

 

[AJ/FormS]

Well, that right there is your opinion.
Like I said; My Orange box goes to 7200 minimum,is 15plus years old, never fails to start, hot, cold, in the carwash,replacements anywhere, and Dead cheap.Those are facts.
And the Accell super coil is really hard to beat.
I dont need a rev limiter. I dont need a 2-step. I dont need Multi-spark. I dont need start retard. I dont need a purty dizzy.I dont need a builder system. I dont need to park my car for 3 or 4 wks in prime cruising weather,waiting for my failed MSD to come back.
I built my engine to take a licking ON THE STREET.It has seen north of 8000 on missed shifts, back when I still had a crappy shifter.The Orange box kept up.Engine hasnt been apart in 11 yrs.I built my engine for street, with occasional track T&T.As such, just about any old ignition will work.At around 70,000 miles, it still went 93mph in the 1/8th, on that crappy 15 yr old Orange box, recurved 42 yr old factory dizzy, 15 yr old Accell Super coil, and 47 year old oem ballast.
Per post#1,the Ops engine is pretty much same as mine, and his stated usage is pretty much same as mine as well.I can think of lots of better places to spend the little amount of money I have.

 

[roccodart440]

AJ, I've had orange boxes fail and ballasts fail. As have friends of mine. I've never had an MSD fail, ever. Not in 20 years. I'm glad your orange box revs clean to 7200. Mine wouldn't and its' not meant to.

Don't need a rev limiter? God luck if you ever miss a shift or break something. A rev limiter is cheap insurance. I can't afford a new engine. Maybe you can?

Maybe you don't need a start retard. I don't either..now. I like having one because once upon a time I did when I ran a MPP dizzy. If I put race gas in my car now and bump the timing to 38deg I do. It's a nice option to have.

The 2 step. Very nice to have of you plan to run NO2. Mines attached to my line lock. So my burnout RPM is slightly lower than whacking to the floor and hitting the box at 6500.

What you need and what I need and what he needs may not be the same. But a rev limiter is something everyone should have.

If you want a plug and play tat is a happy medium I guess check this out.
http://4secondsflat.com/Ignition.html