best distributor?
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From: boondocks, tennessee
best distributor?
what is the best disributor for the 400's? i am building 400 from a 79 F250 its mildly built, nothing crazy. i have a ProComp HEI unit that i got off of Fleabay. but the more i look at it the more i dont lke it. its huge and bulky and just kinda ugly. i was looking at the MSD Billet series. are they any good? maybe Mallory?
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Delaware
The Davis Unified Ignition (DUI) is good, but it is a bulky HEI like the Procomp, but costs more.
http://www.performancedistributors.com/forddui.htm
MSD makes excellent distributors. I like MSD better than Mallory, but I ran a Mallory Unilite for several years with no problem. I needed the smaller Mallory Unilite to clear the raised 351C-4V intake manifold because I had 4V heads on my 400. Currently I have a Procomp TFI distributor, since my motor is EFI.
There is nothing wrong with a Duraspark distributor either.
http://www.performancedistributors.com/forddui.htm
MSD makes excellent distributors. I like MSD better than Mallory, but I ran a Mallory Unilite for several years with no problem. I needed the smaller Mallory Unilite to clear the raised 351C-4V intake manifold because I had 4V heads on my 400. Currently I have a Procomp TFI distributor, since my motor is EFI.
There is nothing wrong with a Duraspark distributor either.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Montana Territory
DUI, ProComp, MSD, Mallory, and the factory unit are all excellent distributors. I've used MSD and Mallory units personally and they are great units, the factory Duraspark is a good unit too, I almost always switch it out for a MSD or Mallory, but I've never had one fail me.
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From: western montana
Eric promotes the factory set up (duraspark) as it has everything a typical motor needs performance wise and has the advantage of retarding timing during start and having the parts in every parts store etc.
I've owned several duraspark systems and nearly all of them have given me headaches...but i'm not really up on trouble shooting. It's one of the most frequent problems on the site...problem could be anywhere in a rather complex system compared to others.
So far i really like the HEI system that is no available...yea, it's a bulky top and you will likely need to raise your stock air cleaner or carb...but thats not a bad deal anyway...then you have ONE wire from the ignition..Two if you hook up a tach. It's also a very popular system so parts are everywhere as well as internals and they are cheap enough you can buy 3-4 complete units for what a complete msd would cost. And you could go with the curved distributor as stated above for a bit more.
If money were not an object i'd probably have the msd with adjustable timing in the cab.
I've owned several duraspark systems and nearly all of them have given me headaches...but i'm not really up on trouble shooting. It's one of the most frequent problems on the site...problem could be anywhere in a rather complex system compared to others.
So far i really like the HEI system that is no available...yea, it's a bulky top and you will likely need to raise your stock air cleaner or carb...but thats not a bad deal anyway...then you have ONE wire from the ignition..Two if you hook up a tach. It's also a very popular system so parts are everywhere as well as internals and they are cheap enough you can buy 3-4 complete units for what a complete msd would cost. And you could go with the curved distributor as stated above for a bit more.
If money were not an object i'd probably have the msd with adjustable timing in the cab.
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Originally Posted by COLEnMICHAELS66
what is the best disributor for the 400's? i am building 400 from a 79 F250 its mildly built, nothing crazy. i have a ProComp HEI unit that i got off of Fleabay. but the more i look at it the more i dont lke it. its huge and bulky and just kinda ugly. i was looking at the MSD Billet series. are they any good? maybe Mallory?
http://www.performancedistributors.c...dduraspark.htm
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From: Coal Country, ND
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Unrulee,
I just bought a hei for my 400m, came with no info, what is the firing order for the cap on the hei? and how do I wire it up?
Thanks
I just bought a hei for my 400m, came with no info, what is the firing order for the cap on the hei? and how do I wire it up?
Thanks
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From: Coal Country, ND
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 898
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From: southeren Oh
What is so wrong with factory eletronic ignition? I'd never had a problem with the duraspark or duraspark II systems being reliable.
If you need more ignition power just use something like the new Crane cams ignitions boxes. They have much more moderen eletronics than most of the MSD stuff.
If you need more ignition power just use something like the new Crane cams ignitions boxes. They have much more moderen eletronics than most of the MSD stuff.
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From: Emmett, ID
so did you eliminate the brain box on the fender well? what other wires did you eliminate?
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From: Louisville,Ky.
I have one in my 63 F100 351W. All you need is one hot wire from the key and if you have a tach, a wire for that. It's a nice set-up.
It fires much better than my Duraspark from a 84 F250 did, because with it ibstalled it burns cleaner and I have to turn the idle screw down with them both set @ 12* BTDC
DUI Ignition Installation In A Ford 351W V8 .: Articles
It fires much better than my Duraspark from a 84 F250 did, because with it ibstalled it burns cleaner and I have to turn the idle screw down with them both set @ 12* BTDC
DUI Ignition Installation In A Ford 351W V8 .: Articles