New Guy Got a Couple Questions

fordman125 · Post by **fordman125** » February 28, 2008, 9:47 pm

Im the new guy hear I have a 1965 f-100 swb. I will be doing the front disk break and power steering swap out of a 79 ford rear pretty soon. along with that im going to put a 351W that i build with my dad several years ago with a C6 trany. any how the question that i have is my current 302 that i have in the truck now has a points distribtor and the 351 came out of a 1984 bronco thus it has an electronic ignition. so i would like to know what the best way to make all this work i have thought about a MSD ignition kit but im not sure how all the works I have also seen the DUI distributor witch looks really slick and i have also been to http://www.ignitionplus.net/ and they have the same type of set up as the DUI but for 40 bucks rather than 360 or did i miss read that web page. i would sure enjoy any help any one could offer i came over from FTE and they didnt seem to help much thanks in advance

P.S. sorry i cant spell for poop small town learning.

look at that there is a spell check button but i sill think i messed up some words so bad it cant help me.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » February 28, 2008, 10:16 pm

you can hook up the electronic ignition quite easily, you will need the brain box and that part of wiring harness from the bronco or something else with the same brain.

there is a link i thought in the tech section about that.
click on the fordtruck.com Home up top.

66fordtrucknut · Post by **66fordtrucknut** » February 28, 2008, 10:28 pm

Can't help ya much with your with your question, but welcome to the club from the other coast.
Charlie

fordman125 · Post by **fordman125** » February 28, 2008, 10:58 pm

im sure i can get the silver brain box and are you refuring to the harness that goes from the brain to the distributor as the part i need what is the diff between that brain and the Blaster Ignition, PN 5900 ignition box that MSD has i guess that is my real question the diagrams that i seen made it look like i could just hook that msd box to my key or a switch and then to a coil and the distributor and go to town so i get lost between that brain and ignition box

racerx1699 · Post by **racerx1699** » February 29, 2008, 8:33 am

I mad the switch from points to electronic on my 302 in a 66. Accel makes a distributer for this, you don't need a box, just follow the wiring instructions that come with the dist. it easy. Part number 49206.

Rustbucket · Post by **Rustbucket** » February 29, 2008, 9:17 am

I did the same thing Iceman did. Real easy,just find the diagram of which wire goes were on the control box. Dale WELCOME!

FORDBOYpete · Post by **FORDBOYpete** » February 29, 2008, 10:43 am

Fordman 125
Hello there & welcome aboard here at the Slick 60's site.

In my opinion there is really no reason to spend all the extra $$$$$$$$ putting aftermarket, breakerless (aka) electronic Ignition, such as MSD in your 351W unless you need/want it for "Bragging Rights" or you run a full competition set up, where you're cranking out extreme RPM all the time.

Ford's OEM "Blue Struck" Electronic Ignition set up, aka Duraspark II will do more than you expect, and do all you want for many many thousands of miles to come and it will do it for a lot less money than an aftermarket high performance electrronic Ignition set up.

I suggest using a good set of magnetic suppression rated Plug Wires. Ones made for street use (opposed to competition use, which can't sustain heat or use over time & mileage of everyday street use).

Also get good Platnum Tip Spark Plugs, properly gapped & a "Fresh" /new Ignition coil for the Duraspark II system I am recommending here. You'll be suprised at combined performance/ reliability & longevity you'll get.

I run a Duraspark II "Blue Struck" (blue stripe model) with a Box Stock FoMoCo, off the shelf, factory, OEM Distributor. The Advance Curve has been "reworked" to run better with my cam, engine set up & operational needs. I get into the 12's all the time with my 460 powered "Street" built 66 F-100. It's a driver, not a race only truck.

Another thing I would mention is the C-6 altho a virtually Bullet Proof A/T, has a high power loss coefficient. That can tax smaller CID engines as a general rule of thumb. It's also a physically heavy unit which means more dead wieght to carry around all the time. If I plan to "Work" a truck I run a C-6 & take the loss for longevity & work horse performance I will get.

But if I'm doing a "Sport Truck" type project, I choose another A/T to use.
AOD's fit 351Ws. There's alao Version of C-4 Type smaller, light A/T that is often called a C-5, which is bullet proof, but only a 3spd Direct(not AOD)
A/T, and then there is the C-4 which when built right can sustain more power than 351w can make.

In round figures a C-6 uses about 20% power, while C-4 family of A/T's only uses 10%-12%. If you are making 300lb/ft torque, a C-6 will take roughly 60lb/ft of torque, especiall at lower RPM, while C-4 based A/Ts will only cost you 36lb/ft of torque from the same engine. Just a footnote of course, but at 3.50 & 4.00 a gallon it is something to consider for me.

Anyway Fordman, Welcome to our forums & we'll see ya on the Boards.

FBp

Phil · Post by **Phil** » February 29, 2008, 1:46 pm

Slick Fan · Post by **Slick Fan** » February 29, 2008, 2:31 pm

Show us some pics of your project, if you have any.

FORDBOYpete · Post by **FORDBOYpete** » February 29, 2008, 3:36 pm

Great Graphic there Phil. . . .

It even makes it easier installing a Sys' with harnesses when one has Graphic's like that to work with.

FBp

Phil · Post by **Phil** » February 29, 2008, 3:49 pm

FORDBOYpete wrote:Great Graphic there Phil. . . .

It even makes it easier installing a Sys' with harnesses when one has Graphic's like that to work with.

FBp

Thats a Mustangsteve.com thing. Lots of great classic ford car swap/mod stuff on his site. If you have a classic stang he has lots of brake swap kits and clutch mods. It helped me do up my Torino ignition,

Just remember to get the Duraspark box with the blue strain relief/grommet.
Its Mustang/Torino specific as far as where to tie in the module (pink wire).
It has to be tied in there on those vehicles due to a resistance wire after that pink one. Hopefully 99% of this will translate to slicks

FORDBOYpete · Post by **FORDBOYpete** » February 29, 2008, 7:30 pm

Phil,

I had a 351W in a 64 Falcon Futura 2D Sport H/T. I ran a "Blue Box" Dura Spark II" w/ ECM module hidden in air space in cowl Vented area. It was pretty clever and worked great.

That was back in early 80's No diag's or graphics then. But it wasn't really hard to figure out. Only thing was "traveler wire" on 2nd, small, post of start solenoid so there was 12V in start position. Worked like a charm once I realized that requisite. It was a different ride for sure.

In fact the car was so "Kewl" somebody had to have it more than me. It was stolen from my yard while I was gone one week. Never saw it again. Had a C-4 & a 3.89:1 FoMoCo 9" Detroit Locker. It was a Sweet, Nasty, Little car.

FBp

crewzinforabrewzin · February 29, 2008, 9:09 pm

my mom and sisters are from winlock

f100matt · Post by **f100matt** » February 29, 2008, 10:23 pm

blackagatha · Post by **blackagatha** » March 1, 2008, 1:32 am

FORDBOYpete wrote:Phil,

In fact the car was so "Kewl" somebody had to have it more than me. It was stolen from my yard while I was gone one week. Never saw it again. Had a C-4 & a 3.89:1 FoMoCo 9" Detroit Locker. It was a Sweet, Nasty, Little car.

FBp

aww man. those sons of bitches... that sucks dude.

fordman125 · Post by **fordman125** » March 1, 2008, 4:51 am

thanks for the diagram there i think i can learn from that. i put a couple picts in my profile ill get more in a couple weeks been working lots but ill update as the project moves along

Jonas · Post by **Jonas** » March 1, 2008, 8:17 am

I like the duraspark II. Plus you can by the box for 15.00 bucks at the parts store. I put one on my 66. I just made the wiring harness, it's easy. Ran it for years, no problems

Question about the diagram. I thought the "12volts on start only" wire connected to the second small terminal (I) on the starter soliniod.

This what I think the I terminal does.
Full 12 Volts to Coil on Start(If ballast resitor is being used). If your running 12 volts directly to the coil anyway, this will do nothing

12 Volts to Dura Spark Box to retard timing during starting

The diagram shows it being connected to the (S) terminal. I guess basically it would still send 12vdc to the ignition box and coil while the starter is working.

Wonder what the advantage of using the "I" terminal is? Or not?

The only one I can think of. 12volts does not run throught the ignition switch on the "I" terminal. Deirectly from the soliniod/battery.

FORDBOYpete · Post by **FORDBOYpete** » March 2, 2008, 1:54 pm

The systems will work as diagramed but I don't wire them that way for myself.

Actually the "S" terminal engages Starter Solenoid when Ign Switch is in start position & all else is denied Voltage/Amperage.

"I" delivers a 12V Source to Ignition System whether it is a Duraspark II, MSD, Accel, Unllite, or Pertronix.
The "I" terminal is only hot when Solenoid is in Start Position/ mode.

This is because when FoMoCo solenoid kicks juice to starter & all other terminals in an OEM FoMoCo Ign' switch go dead.
They will not be hot again until key is releases & returns to"run" position. This set up prevents damage etc.
Everything & anything else goes off while all available amps are dedicated to cranking engine over via the starter.

It saves Starters, Alternators (& Generators in old days) digi' equipment and so forth. Look at starter problems
GM's have. Didja ever wonder why? There are 3-4 basic reasons and cross voltage & amperage issues are 1.

Or so I learned.

FBp