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I usually recommend the original coil. But of course I am using a Hybrid GM setup myself, so whatever you choose. The harness does have the resistor made into it, but you have to use the correct wire from the harness. Not the white/lightblue that the TFI coil used.
I'd prefer to replace as few parts as possible, so I'll try this out. Thanks.
If i keep the old coil, do I have to do something to feed the coil through the ballast resistor, or is that already present in the wiring harness?
As noted it is in the harness already. Double-check you got the right feed the coil should be seeing about 8V in run and 12V in start. With the original TFI set up the coil got 12V in both start and run.
There are no issues running the TFI coil with the Duraspark II module it is more than capable of handling the extra amp or 2 theTFI coil draws as long as it fed the 8V in run.
There is another option and this is to use the DS I Module it is true HEI module and you can keep the 12V feeds for the TFI coil. The DS I module is the red module DS II is blue. The DS I is a true HEI set up, unlike DS II that is just electronic ignition. DS I modules are not always on the shelf of the local parts store (except maybe in Cali) unlike the DS II module and may have to be ordered in but they are easily available.
Well I had purchased that Duralast Gold distributor, but I didn't do any research on it. I didn't realize that is basically the cheapo Autozone make, and I read a lot of posts on various sites about the trouble people have with those parts. I also read a lot of bad things about the Cardone remans. I returned the Duralast. As long as I'm doing this I'd like to do it with a quality part that I have more confidence in. But, there doesn't seem to be many options. Everything I've found is the low price remans or Duralast (spectra, cardone etc..) or there are a bunch of $300+ ones on Summit racing. Does anyone have opinions as what I should do here? $300 is a lot more than I was hoping to pay, though it is still doable, especially if I can get by with keeping my old coil and spark cables. The cheapest higher-quality dist on Summit is this: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...rd/model/f-150
Rockauto has a reman brand called Autoline, it's price is more in the middle, at $133. It doesn't list much info here so I'm not positive it is the right dist: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...1121353&jsn=14
Any opinions as to what are the more reliable brands here, both for the cheapos and higher end? Is there a reman brand people have a lot of success with, or should I spring for one of the Summit dists? Does anybody know about Autoline?
Well I had purchased that Duralast Gold distributor, but I didn't do any research on it. I didn't realize that is basically the cheapo Autozone make, and I read a lot of posts on various sites about the trouble people have with those parts. I also read a lot of bad things about the Cardone remans. I returned the Duralast. As long as I'm doing this I'd like to do it with a quality part that I have more confidence in. But, there doesn't seem to be many options. Everything I've found is the low price remans or Duralast (spectra, cardone etc..) or there are a bunch of $300+ ones on Summit racing. Does anyone have opinions as what I should do here? $300 is a lot more than I was hoping to pay, though it is still doable, especially if I can get by with keeping my old coil and spark cables. The cheapest higher-quality dist on Summit is this: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...rd/model/f-150
Rockauto has a reman brand called Autoline, it's price is more in the middle, at $133. It doesn't list much info here so I'm not positive it is the right dist: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...1121353&jsn=14
Any opinions as to what are the more reliable brands here, both for the cheapos and higher end? Is there a reman brand people have a lot of success with, or should I spring for one of the Summit dists? Does anybody know about Autoline?
To be honest you will not find a better rebuild than the Autoline. The only way you will is if from a shop specializing in dist rebuilds and even then it probably won't be any measurably better.
In certain instances, Cardone is the only game in town. Sounds like you have some choices, I didn't with my conversion and while I have had problems with Cardone, they are the only ones that had the particular dist I needed (1978 2.8 v6) so I had to use them. This time it turned out ok. So it's a crap shoot really.
Have you considered a aftermarket HEI setup? You would not need the external module. You would have some custom wiring, but it sounds like you are going to do that anyway. And you would not need to hunt up the resistor wire in the harness, you would use the original white/lightblue wire feeding your TFI coil. You would not even need the TFI coil, the HEI has the module and the coil built into the distributor. Just check the feedback on what you buy, like everything else some people have had problems with these also.
You can use an HEI module with a Duraspark distributor. Holley makes a pigtail that you could use to connect it for like $15. Do it up really slick and mount it to a TFI fender heat sink
You can use an HEI module with a Duraspark distributor. Holley makes a pigtail that you could use to connect it for like $15. Do it up really slick and mount it to a TFI fender heat sink
Contrary to popular belief the GM HEI module run off the DS pick up is not ideal The Pickup profile is less than ideal for the HEI so the HEI modules can get a little scattered in terms of spark delivery.
The Ford pick up delivers a near digital signal while the GM one is more analogue with a ramp and ramp down not having the ramp up and down can scatter spark delivery, especially at higher RPM's
Sorry, what is an HEI? I'd like to go with the simplest option here. I'm already in a bit over my head, and I've already purchased the Painless wiring harness.
HEI is a GM ignition, but a great ignition. The aftermarkets adapted it for Ford and many others. you'll find a ready to run distributor for $50-100... Run 12v to switched power, hook up your plug wires and turn the key. you'll have to time it of course but it's that easy
Sorry, what is an HEI? I'd like to go with the simplest option here. I'm already in a bit over my head, and I've already purchased the Painless wiring harness.
If you already purchased the Painless harness, then you are now committed to the original duraspark II dist and module. So don't worry about the HEI options.
I have the Duralast Gold on my truck now. I also had one on my 351w Mustang for a period of time, running with an MSD box. Ran it out to 7000rpm many times before taking it out to put a Holley Hyperspark system in. It was in good shape when I pulled it and I had no complaints, which was why I got a new Duralast Gold one for the truck.
I got the Autoline dist in the mail today from Rockauto. It looks like the wrong cap was included. But I want to make sure I didn't actually get the wrong dist too. Maybe you guys can help. If you look at the photo below, you can see the cap is not deep enough to fit over the dist. Looking at photos of the 83 i6 dist, I see a few different versions. Some of them have a cast housing on the dist itself that cups around the rotor, in which case this cap would have fit. Some of them have a plastic housing that the cap clips on to, and some of them have a deeper narrower cap that would fit over the dist like the one I received. Are all of these versions of the same dist? If you look at the photo for the Autoline dist I ordered, it has the deep narrow plastic cap, but that is quite a bit narrower at the cap than some of the others I see, so the dist itself must be narrower. Will either of these work with the Duraspark II setup?
I got the Autoline dist in the mail today from Rockauto. It looks like the wrong cap was included. But I want to make sure I didn't actually get the wrong dist too. Maybe you guys can help. If you look at the photo below, you can see the cap is not deep enough to fit over the dist. Looking at photos of the 83 i6 dist, I see a few different versions. Some of them have a cast housing on the dist itself that cups around the rotor, in which case this cap would have fit. Some of them have a plastic housing that the cap clips on to, and some of them have a deeper narrower cap that would fit over the dist like the one I received. Are all of these versions of the same dist? If you look at the photo for the Autoline dist I ordered, it has the deep narrow plastic cap, but that is quite a bit narrower at the cap than some of the others I see, so the dist itself must be narrower. Will either of these work with the Duraspark II setup?
I contacted Rockauto and they said there was a mistake on their website, and I should return the whole thing and purchase a different brand. I don't think this cap will work with this dist even with the adapter. I put the rotor in the underside of the cap, and it's not long enough to reach the metal contacts. It looks like it was made for the narrower style cap like in the picture. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's the wider style cap and distributor that I need for the Duraspark II, right? Again, if you look at the cap here: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...1121353&jsn=16 the dist is narrower at the top, so it would have to work with a shorter rotor.
I'm picking up a reman from Napa today, their brand. I feel a bit more confident in Napa brand over Duralast or the other remans, as I figure this is the part they'd use in their own shop. I'm purchasing this adapter for it, I I'll throw it on the Autolite before I ship it back to see if it works: https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NRD4...ut=distributor
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