electronic ignition conversion
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 947
Likes: 6
From: Manitoba, Canada
electronic ignition conversion
My distributor has a little slop so I was thinking it might be time to rid my stock 360 of the points. What is everyone using? I saw some HEI units on Fleabay that say one wire hook up. 190868049067 for example. Any disadvantage to HEI type? Still room for the stock air breather?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 947
Likes: 6
From: Manitoba, Canada
Ya I'd like to replace my stock 46 year old housing though.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 482
Likes: 0
From: orange county ca.
go to the parts store and get a dizzy for a 76 360. It does not have points. Then pick up a msd, crane, mallory or ever the stock control box. Hook it all up and you will have electric conversion. Very simple and makes a big difference in performance.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 891
Likes: 0
From: Mayfield, KY
By control box are you talking about something like a module? I guess you keep whatever coil you are using as well?
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 482
Likes: 0
From: orange county ca.
if you install an after market box then I would run the same brand coil but that's just me.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 795
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Do you know how well that dist. works with a gm module? My pertronixs appears to have screwed up and I was thinking about trying duraspark dist. with gm module. I have the wiring diagram for this system if you need it. Forgot if I do this this system I'am going to run the bigger duraspark cap and rotor with 8mm wires.
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Hotshot
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 12,170
Likes: 5
From: The hills of No. Calif.
I have a Land Rover that I've done the GM module conversion on, and it works great. The Land Rover Lucas electronic ignition is remarkably similar to the Duraspark, except that it has a smaller module that's even more unreliable than the Duraspark module. But the magnetic reluctor pickup in the distributor is almost identical to the Ford DS unit.
Another good upgrade to the system is to use a Ford TFI coil, so basically doing the DS conversion along with the GM module and the TFI coil will give you a damn good ignition. I even had a GM module sitting in the glovebox of my '68 F250 for a while, planning to do the GM module conversion on it.
Use a good heatsink to mount the module and make sure to use thermal paste on the back of the module, they can get hot and excessive heat will kill them. One of the good things about the module is that you can get them at just about any parts store for about 25-40 bucks, and it's small enough that you can easily carry a spare in the glovebox and change it out in about 5 minutes if you ever need to, though you most likely wont.
I'm not a big fan of using GM parts on our trucks and don't like the DUI/HEI distributor very much, but I do like this little GM module.
Another good upgrade to the system is to use a Ford TFI coil, so basically doing the DS conversion along with the GM module and the TFI coil will give you a damn good ignition. I even had a GM module sitting in the glovebox of my '68 F250 for a while, planning to do the GM module conversion on it.
Use a good heatsink to mount the module and make sure to use thermal paste on the back of the module, they can get hot and excessive heat will kill them. One of the good things about the module is that you can get them at just about any parts store for about 25-40 bucks, and it's small enough that you can easily carry a spare in the glovebox and change it out in about 5 minutes if you ever need to, though you most likely wont.
I'm not a big fan of using GM parts on our trucks and don't like the DUI/HEI distributor very much, but I do like this little GM module.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
Likes: 22
From: The Big, Oregon
I have run the DUI setup and the DSII, and my preference is for the DSII. If you're not racing or running something insanely hot, then the DUI is a waste of money. I didn't get any better performance with that than with a junkyard sourced DSII setup.
I actually put together a higher performance version of the DSII that worked quite well- I used the pink resistor wire to switch a relay that fed a full 12v through the box and coil, then used a 12v E-coil from an EEC-IV truck (88 F250 with a 351w). That had a quite hot spark, and the module failed once but that was my fault- I left the key on while doing some testing and melted the epoxy out of it. Under normal running it lasted for two years until I "upgraded" to the DUI.
I swapped a DSII setup onto the 360 in my F250 before I sold the gas engine, and it worked great.
I actually put together a higher performance version of the DSII that worked quite well- I used the pink resistor wire to switch a relay that fed a full 12v through the box and coil, then used a 12v E-coil from an EEC-IV truck (88 F250 with a 351w). That had a quite hot spark, and the module failed once but that was my fault- I left the key on while doing some testing and melted the epoxy out of it. Under normal running it lasted for two years until I "upgraded" to the DUI.
I swapped a DSII setup onto the 360 in my F250 before I sold the gas engine, and it worked great.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 795
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I have a good duraspark dist. tfi coil I picked up a few years ago. I was in the process of doing the duraspark system when I won a new pertronix cheap on ebay. Good to know the GM module works good, guess I will have to give it a try. When doing some research one guy screw a plate to the bottom of the dist and mounted the GM module to it. Nice short run and actually looked good, might give that a try since have to switch inners from one dist. to the other.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 891
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From: Mayfield, KY
Did you mount it on the dist sink? Can you post pics? I need to do something soon.
New User
Joined: Apr 2014
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Just started this forum today not sure how to add pictures if u want to send me a number message wise and I'll text ya all the pictures u want lol
Elder User
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2010
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I was running an Accel Supercoil with my points dizzy and was quite impressed with the way my engine ran. I still have the coil and plan to use it again when I get my truck back on the road. This time I plan to use an electronic distributor. I'm thinking of using the GM 4-pin module too, so, I'm glad to see that everyone has had good results with them.
I'm thinking of "sandwiching" the module between two pieces of aluminum channel which will double as a heat sink and mounting bracket.
I'm thinking of "sandwiching" the module between two pieces of aluminum channel which will double as a heat sink and mounting bracket.