Been trying to find a reasonably priced new DS1 module.
With the red grommet, although I think I would rather have the white grommet one with the timing retard.
Not real sure the models that used the white grommet.
Ahyhoo....
Question anyone!!
In my search I came across yellow and brown.
What the hey......... never heard of those colors.
Anyone know what they are for?

You can't gain freedom by taking it from someone else.

 

Parts catalogs do not list the colors of the grommets, but I do know a few of them. However I don't recall a white grommet module.

Yellow and brown are the same module, because Ford replaced the 1978 "High Altitude" module (D8AZ-12A199-A) with the 1979/80 version (D9AZ-12A199-C). But, I cannot recall which year color is which.

D4AZ-12A199-C = 1974 module is 1974 only. D5AZ-12A199-C = 1975 module is 1975 only. One is green and the other is black, but cannot recall which year is which.

1U2Z-12A199-AA (replaced D6AZ-12A199-A & B; D9VZ-12A199-A) .. Ignition Module-Blue grommet (Motorcraft DY-893) / Available from Ford.

1976/89 myriad FoMoCo vehicles.
----------------------------------------
A FIASCO!!!

D7AZ-12A199-A .. Ignition Module-Red grommet / Obsolete

1977/79 misc sold new in CA vehicles.

This module was a total POS! Installed on 1978's, the turd was defective. 100's of new FoMoCo vehicles sat on CA dealers service lots because the turd was on D99 = Back Order Detroit (FoMoCo didn't have any)

FoMoCo informed dealers that they expected shipment to begin in a month. When they arrived, it was discovered that it was the same turd.

It was another two months before we finally received shipments of good modules.

Meanwhile, I scoured local junkyards looking for used modules off 1977's. Was available find 11, which fixed the vehicles we had sitting on the service lot.

Then when I returned from a 2 week vacation, there were more parked there.

So I called my local junkyard, asked them to put my request on their "hot line" for all of CA .. Was able to find 7 more, but that was it, so some people had to wait until we received modules that actually worked.

btw: Ford techs referred to the DuraSpark modules used in the 1970's as NeverSpark! The worst was the red module, but the black and green modules were also turds.

 

ND gave a pretty good run down of them

But here it is

COLOR
Black Grommet -1974 Technically not Dura Spark But electronic ignition 3 Power feeds.
Green Grommet-1975 Technically not Dura Spark But electronic ignition 3 power Feeds
Blue Grommet-76-86 Dura Spark II Standard module
Red Grommet-77-79 Dura Spark I Adjustable dwell no ballast resistor High Energy Ignition
Yellow Double Grommet -1979-91 Altitude compensation 3rd harness on module.
Brown Grommet -79 Altitude compensation Power wires are reversed in plug to standard
White Grommet 1979-1985, Spark retard on start.


And no need for spark retard on start just don't set high initial timing and just increase total timing, problem solved.

 

I have to disagree, the spark retard is a nice feature. Set the initial timing up and you get better throttle response and better fuel mileage. You can experiment and go as high as you can without pinging, but even the spark retard has it's limits and the engine will be hard to turn over in hot weather.

I would not mess with anything except the blue module. Only if you are really into experimentation and know the ins and outs of these ignition systems would you want to use another color module.

 

Setting the initial higher will not improve off idle throttle response that is more a function of carb settings. With a properly curved dist there is NO need to run high initial advance as you will have better acceleration and fuel economy regardless.

And you set your base timing off the the total you want at full advance and the amount you have to play with . If you have 24° of advance available and the total you want is 35° your base timing will be 11° BTDC
Ideally you want base between no less than 6° and no higher then 14° Ideal is 10°-12° If you advance the base to far it is hard on the starting system components. I like to shoot for 8° personally, but that is more a function of the environment here, at -30°c you want stuff to crank over as easy as possible.

With factory set ups where mech timing is very slow to come in, increasing the base timing will help with acceleration and fuel economy. By 2500 RPM or so you want the total timing full in, factory set ups rarely achieve this with many not seeing full advance till over 4500 RPM, so advancing the base timing will help with acceleration and economy in this instance.. . But that is masking the base problem of slow mech advance. And really for the very minimal cost and ease of adjusting the total there is no excuse not to do it. It should just about be the very fist mod you do to an engine as nothing done after wards will be able to be taken full advantage of with out it.

There is no need to use the white module if the distributor is properly curved. The White module is an advantage if you are having to run lots of initial in an application like using a stock curve dist and or with high compression or nitro methane, then it is a distinct advantage as it makes the engine easier to start and can reduce the chance of kick back which can do things like trash starters.
Other wise the Default should be the Dura Spark I (Red ) Module this is an HEI module and has all the advantages of higher energy ignitions such as more reliable starting, longer plug life, smoother operation, and more complete charge combustion , which results in more power and better fuel economy , if you wish to retain the ballast resistor then stick with the standard Dura Spark II (blue) module.

The large diameter distributor cap that was introduced in 1977 was designed for the the Dura Spark I modules as with a standard sized cap it can and will cross fire. The large diameter cap is not really needed on Dura Spark II fired distributors and was not fitted with them till 1977 when Ford just swapped all V8's to the Dura Spark I style caps.

ND is right when the red module came out it was a POS. From the scuttle butt I heard back in the day every thing was supposed to get Dura Spark I. It was supposed to replace electronic ignition, but reliability and cost issues delayed it's release giving rise to the non dwell adjusting lower cost , lower power more reliable Dura Spark II, Dura Spark I was then limited to certain Cali applications to help with emissions.
By the time the 80's rolled around Dura Spark I modules were about as reliable as Dura Spark II but the modules were horrendously costly. The aftermarket red ones are now as reliable as any of them just don't cheap out on it ,there are 2 grades available currently DO NOT buy the cheap one. The red module is about twice the cost of a blue unit now.
The Green and Black ones were also crap and were very sensitive to losing the ground and heat initially. If they lost the ground in the dist it would take out the Zener diodes, this was rectified in later revisions.

Regardless re-curve the distributor so your total is in by 2500 rpm or so. A super safe total advance for stock engines in this era under 50cui / 800CC per cylinder is 32-34°.

 

Thank you everyone for the input.
One more question on the red ones.
Seems there are different ones as I have seen red ones with different "D***" , D and 3 digits, on the top of them.
Any input?
Thanks again!

 

There is only one red grommet module: D7AZ-12A199-A .. It was installed in 1977, 1978 and 1979 CA vehicles.

Considering the problems with the POS 1978 module, it wouldn't surprise me that the ID number prefixes marked on D7AZ-12A199-A for 1977 may have changed for 1978/79.