Ignition Upgrade
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 395
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From: Everton MO
Ignition Upgrade
i am looking to replace my stock dist on my 78 300, i dont know alot about ignition but i have done some research on 300 ignition upgrades and i dont know if i want DUI HEI or just stock. if anyone can explain the differences (in English) i would greatly appreciate it. i found this... https://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-300-24...kAAOSw1DtXDu36 but i dont know about the quality of the brand and if this is something i can do. any advise and experience is appreciated.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2017
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From: Everton MO
great! how hard is an instal with a relay to get the higher voltage, instead of just going through the normal ignition switch without another relay. i know some guys do this because the normal ignition has a resistor.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
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From: Brentwood,CA
It's a easy swap, the + wire of the old coil to the new HEI distributor. Remove the duraspark wiring and remove the pink ballast resistance wire from the cab. Had my whole swap done and timed in under a hour driving.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,880
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From: Angier, NC
I got to ask what makes you think putting in a GM HEI dist. in place of the Ford's DSII is a up grade?
I know of someone that used a stock (advance locked) DSII in a drag car and ran 11 second 1/4 mile times and 10 second on spray.
So why do you think the HEI is a upgrade over a large cap DSII set up?
Now if you were running points I still would not go with the GM HEI but a point replacement kit like Pertronix.
Dave ----
I know of someone that used a stock (advance locked) DSII in a drag car and ran 11 second 1/4 mile times and 10 second on spray.
So why do you think the HEI is a upgrade over a large cap DSII set up?
Now if you were running points I still would not go with the GM HEI but a point replacement kit like Pertronix.
Dave ----
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Joined: Mar 2017
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From: Everton MO
i am just looking for an easy distributor swap and when i say upgrade its not much of an upgrade it will just have less wiring and i wont have a coil on the engine, wont have to worry about it over heating because mine is currently mounted horizontally and i have heard that they need to be vertical. i think the built in coil looks better, and i need a new dist anyways so i thought i might as well get what works, looks, and performs the best. i know its not a magic instant horsepower part, nothing is, but i have heard of better idling and better timing curve adjustment in the hei distributers.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 3,369
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From: Caraway, AR
i am just looking for an easy distributor swap and when i say upgrade its not much of an upgrade it will just have less wiring and i wont have a coil on the engine, wont have to worry about it over heating because mine is currently mounted horizontally and i have heard that they need to be vertical. i think the built in coil looks better, and i need a new dist anyways so i thought i might as well get what works, looks, and performs the best. i know its not a magic instant horsepower part, nothing is, but i have heard of better idling and better timing curve adjustment in the hei distributers.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2017
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From: Everton MO
okay so i am looking for a pertronix unit for the 78 4.9 and cant find one, has anyone used a pertronix unit in this year, it doesnt have points to begin with so i assumed it wouldnt have a conversion unit as there is nothing to convert
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 702
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Your Duraspark ignition is an electronic system without points so why go to a Pertronix?
Initially you wanted to use an HEI style system to minimize the amount of wires in the engine compartment so what changed you mind?
Initially you wanted to use an HEI style system to minimize the amount of wires in the engine compartment so what changed you mind?
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 6,289
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From: South central, Minnesota
I feel the best upgrade is just add one of the MSD 6 igniton boxes and coils to the stock distributor. I think the GM hei set ups look horrible and they have issues of their own. If you do get one make sure to get some spare parts to carry with you.
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From: Everton MO
yeah i didnt want the GM dist. i found a different kit on CRT performance that looks ok... https://crtperformance.com/shop?olsP...x-shaft&page=1
but i dont know if it is still a gm cap and rotor, CRT wont answer any of my tech questions
but i dont know if it is still a gm cap and rotor, CRT wont answer any of my tech questions
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 702
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yeah i didnt want the GM dist. i found a different kit on CRT performance that looks ok... https://crtperformance.com/shop?olsP...x-shaft&page=1
but i dont know if it is still a gm cap and rotor, CRT wont answer any of my tech questions
but i dont know if it is still a gm cap and rotor, CRT wont answer any of my tech questions
The CRT cap doesn't look like a Ford cap
Adding to what Fordman75 said. Our experience has been that the best system to add both performance and fuel mileage on a Ford 300 six is the MSD 6A or 6AL.
Just add the MSD box to the Duraspark system that you already have.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8pjhh805lx...e-001.jpg?dl=0