Mopar Perf Elec Conversion Kit

[ClarkDart70]

Hello,
I am currently running a stock coil and stock distributor (with a Pertronix points eliminator inside) on a stock 318.
I am considering upgraded the ignition for a better start. I might be looking for the wrong result in the wrong category, but my starts are sluggish at best and it drives me nuts.
What benefits could I possibly expect by upgrading the iginition to the Mopar Performance Electronic conversion kit? Will it even make a difference with my stock setup? I don't want to get too crazy with all the aftermarket options out there as I want the installed product to be clean, simple, and stock appearing.

Thanks,
Clark

 

[67Dart273]

Many, many ways to go about this

One is certainly the "purist" Mopar breakerless

Many guys LIKE the Pertronix. My only comment there, is, you have "non standard" parts, so you might just as well buy TWO of the Pertronix kits, in case you get stuck somewhere

Another good way, and it's what I'm doing, is the Mopar breakerless distributor --which you can pickup up lots of places, "good shape" used, "rebuilt", or an Accel "look alike"

and then use that to trigger a GM HEI module. Very simple to hook up, cheap, and you can throw an extra module in the glove box

Other than a Mopar breakerless distributor, this is all there needs to be to it, although you CAN use better coils

 

[wjajr]

I have had points, and currently an orange box equipped engine, and they all started easily and idled well.

What 67Dart 273 said is good time tested info, however, you may want to investigate one more possibility before you spend time and a bucket of money on ignition parts to reengineer the system. Take a good look at your carburetor’s choke function. If choke is not performing correctly, you will have hard starts, poor idling until there is some heat generated in the manifold. Most choke repair is dirt cheap, and easily accomplished with a screwdriver and pair of plies if you get my drift.

Form a cool start, that is an overnight cool-down before getting in car, remove air cleaner and note position of choke butterfly. Is it fully vertical, half way open etc.?

Second, with your hand, rotate the throttle open about 3/4th open or greater while observing the action of the choke butter fly, and its linkage. Did the butter fly snap closed with authority, or just sort of lazily flop over not making a good tight seal full closed?

If it snapped shut, than choke stove is doing its job, and “perhaps” the linkage is adjusted correctly.

If the choke made a halfhearted attempt at closing several causes are possible: one, choke stove bimetal spring is broken, adjusted improperly, or linkage to butterfly is binding. (By working choke by hand you can reset it to cold start condition by opening throttle a little bit, opening choke by hand, and pulling off high idle cam). Repeat cold start choke set as first described several times until you see where or what is happening.

Depending on which carburetor you have there may be a “U” shaped bend in the choke riser rod that can be opened or closed to adjust the closing action of choke. Or, you may have to replace the choke stove bimetal spring if broken.

Test choke pull-off diaphragm by sucking on vacuum line to see if it holds a vacuum, and retracts the choke. If not functioning correctly, replace it.

Now that the choke is closing correctly with engine off, once again reset choke to cold start conditions, leaving air cleaner off, get behind wheel to start car. Before turning key, fully depress accelerator to floor to set choke, let off than push accelerator about 1/4th way down, and then turn key to start. The engine should fire right up.

Get out, observe choke’s butter fly position, it should be cracked open about 1/4th inch by choke pull-off diaphragm once engine fires, and as engine warms up, the choke slowly opens until full vertical from action of bimetal spring in choke stove.

Once you are confident that choke is fully operational, and engine is still acting as previously described, address ignition electrical issues. One thing that you should check is that all ignition devices, such as voltage regulator, and spark controller are well grounded by testing for voltage drop between them and negative battery terminal. If there is voltage drop 0.10 volt or more you need to correct the problem by running a #14 gage wire attached to one of each device’s mounting screws, and back to negative battery terminal. Removing voltage drop in ignition circuit will greatly improve idle quality.

 

[slantsixdan]

I like the HEI upgrade much better than Mopar electronic. But as WJAjr says, if your engine is hard to start or runs poorly, then something's the matter. You ought to do some systematic diagnosis to find and fix the problem(s) rather than guessing and throwing parts at it. A good electronic ignition is better than a points ignition, but a points ignition in proper repair works fine.