Duraspark II guidance needed
 

Hi, I have what I believe I need to add DS II with my engine swap, just have a question or two that I am sure someone can easily help with. This is my first DSII attempt.

Just realized I didnt give any base info. Truck is a 70 F-250 currently with a tired old 302( somewhat like the owner) And I am replacing it with a 302 out of a 98 Explorer that is having all the fuel injection parts removed and replaced with a carb intake and and a Holley 1850. Hoping to get the ignition wiring straightened out with this as well, as currently, to start or turn off my truck, there has been a toggle switch added by PO.

With a lot of reading, I think I have what is needed, but my main question concerns the wiring.

I was unable to find a good condition harness at the PnP, the only thing I found was a chewed up harness, but it had the plugs still on it, so I am hoping I can work with that.

The question I have is....when I connect the 4 connector to the module, the four wires, purple,orange, green and black do not line up right.

Black to black is fine, purple to purple is fine, but the other two are swapped....orange to green and green to orange.

Now comes all my reading...it seems I read somewhere that Ford did this by design, and to leave it alone, as it is. Other places I read said to rewire it so all wires match.

My question is.....which is it?

If I follow the wiring diagram I have, it has all the wires matching from the module to the harness.

When it gets to the plug that is on the dizzy, then I have the dizzy wires of course, one is black with an orange stripe, other two are black with a pink stripe. It looks like, in the dizzy, one of each connect to the dizzy module, and the other black with pink stripe is the ground. Then it looks like the Orange from the harness connects to the black/orange stripe, which would leave the purple from the harness connecting to the other black/pink stripe.

Green from the harness of course to the coil.

The red and white wires from the DS II are pretty clear.

I will add some pictures, and hopefully someone can tell me if I am in the ballpark or way off.

Wiring diagram I am using, module with blue grommet and a pic of the blue coil in the dizzy with a top and bottom wire as opposed to the indication on the diagram of a right and left wire.

Hope at least some of what I am asking makes sense.

Thanks guys. :-drink

The first time I did that swap, I just line all the colors up and it didn't run. The last couple I did with the GM 4 pin module and the high energy coil like your 98 engine had and that is a great performing junkyard swap. Way simple. Just make sure and mount the module to a heat sink.

You can hollow out the Duraspark aluminum housing to use as the heat sink, for a GM HEI module conversion. Stealthy concealment of the GM module that outwardly looks like the regular Ford component.

TRICKY or TRICK? HEI Module Inside Duraspark Case - Ford Muscle Forums : Ford Muscle Cars Tech Forum

conversion


Here's a diagram I like better. You need a full 12v to the module so you'll need to bypass the resistor wire. If your coil doesn't have an internal resistor you will need an external resistor between the module and the coil. Not sure why your green/orange don't line up.

HMM. On one hand it doesn't make sense that Ford would reverse the wires. That goes against what color coding the wires is for. But on the other hand it seems like YEARS ago someone else mentioned this to me. See if this pic helps.
http://home.earthlink.net/~rcfaulcon...duraspark2.gif

I did a Dura-spark II many years ago I don't remember having to cut and swap any wires around. That said I don't recall having miss matched color wires ether. At least if it doesn't work you know the first place to look.

It look like you bought a new distributor. What year did you order?

Yes, it is a new distributor, for a 1985 5.0 mustang with a manual transmission....only one with the needed steel gear to mesh properly with the roller cam in the 98 5.0 I am using.

The Duraspark II module is also new.

The wiring I found lying on the ground next to a 78 F-250 in the PnP.


I guess I will just splice in new wires the way they are set up now, leaving the splices nearest the module covered but not soldered until I can test it and make sure it runs. If it runs, nice, if it don't, as was mentioned earlier, I will know the first place to check :-down.

Thanks for the input guys...it and more is always welcomed.....I just can't bring myself to put chebby parts in this....maybe as a last resort and with a hood lock, so no one will ever know I did it.

Well, got the new harness made, just need to wait until I finish the engine, then the C4 for the install, to see if everything works.

Where were these modules usually mounted...somewhere on the inner fender I am assuming.

I mounted mine on the drivers inner fender. Put spacers below the bolts to hold it slightly up so air can circulate under and use serrated washers for good ground.

Module mounting location on a Dentside but, you could mount it to the flat portion of the left inner fender apron (not my photo).

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...86ddf0283d.jpg

Duraspark modules are prone to getting hot. You can make some simple standoffs to go between the mounting surface of the inner fender and the underside of the module, so that air can easily circulate around and under the module to keep it cooler. I made these standoffs out of 5/16" fuel/transmission tubing. They're 3/8" long.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...cc5021b2d1.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...99272e6335.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...8ebca84465.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...8392e67ee0.jpg
I am unsure if wire placement and routing matter in the module, but looking at Steve's picture, wire location in the module that he shows, compared to mine, is quite different.

Is it possible that my thoughts on having to rewire the harness is because I do have the wrong module?

Are there different "blue tab" modules?

Pic of the wire locations, including different locations in the module resin, as well as in the harness.

Added a few more pics of the front of the module, the wire placement in the 4 pin module plug, and the pin location inside the module plug.

Beginning to think maybe I have an incorrect module, I purchased it going by blue tab, but it did fit the years...always a high chance it is from the Far East Junk Trading Company.

I think you are right with that Far East Junk Trading Co. Looks like the electronics inside his and your modules are different. I remember circa about 1985 Ford had a poster for we Dealers to display for retail customers, to show them the difference in the electronics between an aflermarket and Ford module. The aftermarket one had between 1/2 to 3/4 of the electronics. How about a Genuine Ford part number 1U2Z12A199AA? Still available. FTE member price is dirt cheap. I'm going to send you a PM.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...0d15ed3f5f.jpg
Jeff, this is the stud I would like to find, if possible.

Part number 391009-S2. I may have a few in my stash at home. Will have to look when I get off work.
Or, green sales shows 4 of them. 1-800-546-4959.