Duraspark Module with 5 Wires?
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Joined: Sep 2019
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Ok, thanks very much for all the help.....
To recap. Buy a blue gromit DS II module, swap cap and rotor (Standard DS II) on the existing Distributor (Provided it does indeed have the stator and pickup inside like I think it does) make the electrical connections, and verify the firing order is set for 5.0l standard, and not for the EEC III crazy Cap... and i have a chance of starting?
To recap. Buy a blue gromit DS II module, swap cap and rotor (Standard DS II) on the existing Distributor (Provided it does indeed have the stator and pickup inside like I think it does) make the electrical connections, and verify the firing order is set for 5.0l standard, and not for the EEC III crazy Cap... and i have a chance of starting?
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,831
Likes: 121
From: St Albert, Alberta
Ok, thanks very much for all the help.....
To recap. Buy a blue gromit DS II module, swap cap and rotor (Standard DS II) on the existing Distributor (Provided it does indeed have the stator and pickup inside like I think it does) make the electrical connections, and verify the firing order is set for 5.0l standard, and not for the EEC III crazy Cap... and i have a chance of starting?
To recap. Buy a blue gromit DS II module, swap cap and rotor (Standard DS II) on the existing Distributor (Provided it does indeed have the stator and pickup inside like I think it does) make the electrical connections, and verify the firing order is set for 5.0l standard, and not for the EEC III crazy Cap... and i have a chance of starting?
Yup that will get ya going. You can use the standard Blue DS II Module, the DS I module with noted mods, flip green and orange. ( you can use the standard DS II Coil if you retain the ballast resistor but lose the HEI aspect of the system but retain the adjustable dwell) or the White module for crank retard. Any of those 3 will work.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,831
Likes: 121
From: St Albert, Alberta
It was, but suffered from reliability issues initially (as noted) and was considerably more expensive to produce. The higher energy Duraspark I module was needed to reliably ignite the leaner mixtures used in the Cali calibrations. They are an excellent upgrade over the DS II units and allow for the use of modern platinum-tipped plugs with none of the issues that come with their use in DS II equipped vehicles. DS I was the pinnacle of the stand-alone DS systems.
DS I was replaced with EEC III W/Dura spark III (the brown grommet module) then finally TFI W/EEC IV
DS I was replaced with EEC III W/Dura spark III (the brown grommet module) then finally TFI W/EEC IV
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 983
Likes: 49
From: Northern Kentucky
Is there any advantage to using the DS-I set-up over doing the GM HEI conversion? Not the HEI distributor; the conversion seen here and other places that uses the DS-II distributor wired to a GM 4 pin module.
I know that the DS-I would give a stock looking system but my truck is so far from stock I don't care about that at this point. I am looking to get rid of the ballast resistor and run a full 12 volt system, hoping for improved performance, and especially improved gas mileage.
I know that the DS-I would give a stock looking system but my truck is so far from stock I don't care about that at this point. I am looking to get rid of the ballast resistor and run a full 12 volt system, hoping for improved performance, and especially improved gas mileage.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,831
Likes: 121
From: St Albert, Alberta
Is there any advantage to using the DS-I set-up over doing the GM HEI conversion? Not the HEI distributor; the conversion seen here and other places that uses the DS-II distributor wired to a GM 4 pin module.
I know that the DS-I would give a stock looking system but my truck is so far from stock I don't care about that at this point. I am looking to get rid of the ballast resistor and run a full 12 volt system, hoping for improved performance, and especially improved gas mileage.
I know that the DS-I would give a stock looking system but my truck is so far from stock I don't care about that at this point. I am looking to get rid of the ballast resistor and run a full 12 volt system, hoping for improved performance, and especially improved gas mileage.
The GM HEI pick up signal is different than the Duraspark one.
The GM HEI dist pick up generates a sine wave signal (See below ) and the module uses the ramp-up and ramp-down time to calculate engine RPM for adjusting the dwell. The Duraspark dist pick up generates a square wave (see below) this will mess up the GM modules dwell calculations and you will have a less than ideal spark profile.
Yes it will work but dwell won't be correctly matched to engine RPM
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 983
Likes: 49
From: Northern Kentucky
Thanks! So it sounds like I would be better off to just switch from my current DS-II module/coil to a DS-I module/coil and eliminate the ballast resistor (and switch the appropriate wires) for optimum performance and mileage.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 75
Likes: 1
From: Spokane
Option 2
Install DS II this will be fairly straight forward and there is lots of information on the web on how to install DS II you will either have to source or fabricate a harness between the Module and the Dist.and the coil and just purchase a DS II module. You will have to add a ballast resistor The DS II system is not a true HEI system and was just called electronic ignition before the DS II moniker was attached to it. It does not adjust dwell with engine RPM nor has an available crank retard (blue strain relife box, the white strain relief box has crank retard).
Install DS II this will be fairly straight forward and there is lots of information on the web on how to install DS II you will either have to source or fabricate a harness between the Module and the Dist.and the coil and just purchase a DS II module. You will have to add a ballast resistor The DS II system is not a true HEI system and was just called electronic ignition before the DS II moniker was attached to it. It does not adjust dwell with engine RPM nor has an available crank retard (blue strain relife box, the white strain relief box has crank retard).
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