I have an 85 F150, 300-6 and EFC (T-18 trans). I've read posts saying I can convert to a duraspark from earlier trucks. What do I need to grab from the donor vehicle? (Wires, modules, distributor etc.) Also, can I strip the electronics off the carb and run it normal?

 

You need the distributor, module & wiring harness. The module & harness can actually be gotten from any '76-83 truck with any engine. The modules are universal (4, 6 or 8 cylinders), but you need the truck harness as its longer. Supposedly you could still get the connections from ford to make your own harness, but I'm not totally sure. The distributor off of the donor can be used, or most places have one for a decent price (usually).
From what I understand, although ford used the TFI from '84-6 on the 300, the duraspark wiring was there as well. You should be able to just "plug & play" in only a few hours. My '84 was all ready converted when I bought it & it looks stock. I have done this conversion on a much older vehicle ('65) & can attest that even with a car not set up for it, the DSII swap only took a few hours (took longer to get the parts & work up the curage!). You will most likely need to re-time the truck when you're done, so be prepaired for that.
Your carb will work, the original was on the truck when I got it, it just won't work very well. If you're short of money, go ahead & do the DSII swap, save your money & then swap the carb later. You'll just won't get as good gas milage for a while & you'll have to fiddle with tuning a little more. If you swap out the carb, just get another Carter YF for a '79 F150 (or even earlier I guess) with the 300 & that should work ok.
Hope this helps.
Edwin

 

Not 100% sure about that for when I went for a replacement once, I was asked what color grommet was on the "Brain Box" module. I believe there are 3 or 4 colors, so a little research into that part now would save headaches later.

 

ridgerider3, you're absolutely correct. Good catch. There is blue, red, yellow... white(?), maybe more. The various colors are for emissions stuff, though I think some guys have used them for performance.
You want the blue one. The one number that I was able to find on my modules is D8VE-12A199-A2B, though you could also just ask for '79 truck module & be fine.
Edwin

 

The blue edged module is used with the Duraspark II system. I installed this module and an AutoZone distributor in my '83, and cured all the timing issues that it had using the original, but fried, DS-III system. The DS-III, if not mistaken, uses an either black or dark brown ID color. I still have the old one laying around the garage.

 

If you decide to get a new distributor, consider our custom curved Duraspark Distributor built with our new Full Length Oil Impregnated Bronze Bushing. The full length bushing improves timing stability and spark scatter. If stock appearance is not an issue, take a look at our one piece D.U.I. Distributor. Whether you choose the Duraspark or the D.U.I., we curve each on a distributor machine based on your engine combination. Please see them at:

http://www.performancedistributors.com/forddistributor.htm

Also, there is now an excellent installation article on the D.U.I. Distributor on the Ford-Trucks.com site at:


https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/idx/0/358/article/DUI_Ignition_Installation_In_A_Ford_351W_V8.html

 

fixed your link for you - first one didn't work (for me, at least)

http://www.performancedistributors.c...stributors.htm