Stock Electronic Ignition or MSD 6AL ?

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jimbo

jimbo

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I am running a .020 over '70 340 in my 65 Cuda. I have the option to go either way. Which do you think will perform better and why?
I have 2.02 valves and am running 550 CFM w/3.23 gears.
 
Multispark will give you better throttle response, idle, startup, help with economy. Nothing dramatic, but its there. Consider something that is digitally triggered over the analog MSD (AL or A). The analog can't keep the multispark up past 3-3500rpm, where the digital can. It triggers faster. Summit's ignition system is digital and about $160, id just call them and double check that its mopar friendly.

Just my 2cents
 
I would go with the Mopar performance Ignition , works great on the 340 in my dart sport. I tried a MSD box and had issues with it failing to work once it got hot, the Mopar stuff has been more reliable for me. even when the MSD worked it did provide a performance increase in a 12 second race car.

I would stay away from any Summit or other (like an HEI made to fit a Mopar SB) system, most of those house brand items are made to work with chevys and fords (mopars and others brands are sometimes included as an afterthought).
 
Check out the Mallory stuff. I am very pleased with mine. Its all digital and its less expensive compared to the msd stuff.
 
I have been using MSD for over 10 years. It has once refused to start, a MSD 6a which was 1 year old. Shipped it back under warranty and MSD said it was just fine ?? Well it worked good for 7 more years. Had no rev. limter thou.

So I got a MSD 7al, its been working even better than the old 6 box. Motor idles good-but rough-when cold, in gear, no choke, Holley 750 with the proform main body, HP metering blocks. With the 6 box it would stall a few times till after it was warmed up-2-3 mins.

As for the spark boxes being for a Ford, Chevy, etc. So what. It could care less. You rewire it to the battery, use the old 12 volt on-off "run, crank" wires and fire it with a Mopar dist, or aftermarket dist. Makes no difference at all what the name on the car is.

Now with MSD stuff, you do need top notch spark plug wires, dist cap-all brass inside and matching rotor. MSD sparks are stronger than stock and will misfire easier, it will leak to ground from a weak spark plug wire or crossfire in the dist cap. I use Accel cap and rotor but others-which have brass inside is good as well.

PS, Mopar even had its name on MSD stuff a few years ago. Summit still has the 6 boxes left, but the 7al have been sold out long ago. They are painted black and say Mopar right on it, for you Mopar freaks :farao:
 
if its a mild car just go with the stock style set up... i have been running the MSD for years now.. great system but what happens if it takes a dump.. the stock set up is easier to get parts for.. i'm gonna be switching over to the stock set up and putting the digital 6 on the shelf for a future track project.
 
Just FYI: One of the guys at Summit Racing told me that the Electronic Conversion kits - both the Mopar Performance version and Summit's in-house brand for Mopars - are made by Mallory. Just in case anyone was concerned that either wasn't built by a reputable company.

I've got the Summit version on two of my cars - no problems other than the air gap setting from the factory was incorrect and consequently there was no fire from either initially. Knowing to look for that on the second set-up resulted in a two second cure...which was considerably less time than it took me to diagnose the problem on the first installation...

Ray
 
Summitar said:
I would stay away from any Summit or other (like an HEI made to fit a Mopar SB) system, most of those house brand items are made to work with chevys and fords (mopars and others brands are sometimes included as an afterthought).
Click to expand...

The ignition doesn't know if it's hooked up to a Chevy, Ford or Mopar. Electrons are Electrons so i wouldn't worry about compatability, just assess on price, reliability and support.

IMHO, I would invest in a better distributor before worrying about purchasing an ignition box. The stock distributor is not phased well and the vacuum advance tends to hang up, plus it's not easy to tune the mechanical advance.

One of the all in one distributors from MSD, Accel, Mallory, etc. are better made and provide full adjustability plus they have a perfromance ecu built right in so you don't need a seperate igntion box.
 
I like using a GM 4 pin module, with a GM e-coil, and the Mopar electronic dist.
Works reliably, and if a part should happen to fail, it can be purchased anywhere. CHEAP.
 
Charrlie_S said:
I like using a GM 4 pin module, with a GM e-coil, and the Mopar electronic dist.
Works reliably, and if a part should happen to fail, it can be purchased anywhere. CHEAP.
Click to expand...


I just did that setup on my 1987 Dodge W150 plow truck, works Nice.

If I could figure it out, most anyone can.


I bought an HEI module, at Advance Auto Parts for about $16.
I bought the .187 (3/16) and .250 connectors there also.

I used a 4 plug Trailer light connector to hook to the Mopar Electronic dist plug.
{I cut the 2 unused wires short.}

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=HOP&MfrPartNumber=48035&CategoryCode=4062

48035.jpg


This linked site has some good info.

http://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15779&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight

This drawing helped a bunch.

4-pin_s.jpg
 
Is anyone running a D.U.I. setup? I've heard really good things and they can really clean up the engine compartment.
 
Check out the tech info at:http://www.4secondsflat.com/

I use their ignition setup, and have had no problems in going on two years. Not as expensive as MSD, etc., stock wiring setup, can use generic auto parts for temporary fix in case of emergency. I'm going with the rebuilt distributor as soon as finances permit.
 
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