Electronic ignition upgrade

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69dartwant

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Hi Guys, Was wondering if there is one particular book that explains in "SIMPLE TERMS"for changing over points ignition to electronic ignition? Thank you!
 
Depends on your preferences and your approach
IN NO ORDER

You can buy "Pertronix" kits that fit right inside the factory points distributor. Simple 2-wire hookup

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You can "junkyard" source a factory Mopar distributor and ECU and wiire it up, we can help with that, or you can buy new kits with those components

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pro-66995


Many of us have used factory Mopar breakerless distributors and adapted them to a GM HEI module.

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Then there is aftermarket, so called "Skip White" "ready to run" which is an entire electronic system in a distributor with an external coil

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If you have the room there are replacement distributors which "look like" the GM "all in the cap" HEI distributors, huge cap, coil in the cap. Drop it in, hookup power and go

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Mallory/ MSD/ Accel, I don't know what all else "aftermarket."
 
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Since Rusty lost his crystal ball, it would be helpful if you would tell us what, actually, you are working on. Year, make, model, engine size, is it modified, what HP level, and how much money do you want to spend
 
When I did it I used an MSD and used the points to trigger the MSD. Diagram was simple and in the owners manual.
 
I'm thinking that I should have been more specific in my goal. Looking for a simple to install, fair priced {NOT CHEAP} and very reliable system! Thank you for the help!!
 
Be willing to bet @slantsixdan would recommend the stock slant electronic distributor using the HEI upgrade and a careful distributor recurve to suit the engine and your driving style
 
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Contact "DusterIdiot" on the slantsix DOT org forum - I know he recurves distributors, or at least used to. I'm not sure if anyone on this forum does for slant six distributors.

See this thread for more info about going to HEI:
HEI Electronic Ignition Retrofit How-To - Slant Six Forum

It's a very simple setup, cheap, and widely available parts. This is the setup I have. 4 pin module. It's on the same type of bracket shown in the thread I linked. I attached it to a piece of angle aluminum mounted to the 2 holes in the fender that the stock EI module was mounted in, so no modification done to the car.

IMG_20180304_094646.jpg
 
It's a very simple setup, cheap, and widely available parts. This is the setup I have. 4 pin module. It's on the same type of bracket shown in the thread I linked. I attached it to a piece of angle aluminum mounted to the 2 holes in the fender that the stock EI module was mounted in, so no modification done to the car.
Could not agree more. This set up works awesome.
 
I had the Pertronix on my 69 Dart (1976 360 with 670 Street Avenger) for 8yrs and recently had issues. Not sure if it was Pertronix or distributor but decided to go with $130 for new distributor Mopar Licensed Electronic Distributor Conversion Kit 440-427 conversion over $80 for another Pertronix. Both Summit and Jegs carry it.

Proform Mopar Licensed Electronic Distributor Conversion Kit 440-426 | eBay

Bought an extra Electronic Control Box to keep in glovebox. Thanks Roy/SGBARRACUDA and Martin/2fine69s for your advice!
Car has never run better!



distrib box.jpg


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Mopar Licensed Electronic Distributor Conversion Kit...
Do they still make this for a 225? That's what he said he has. Good call tho that will run for years with no
problem.
 
Since Rusty lost his crystal ball, it would be helpful if you would tell us what, actually, you are working on. Year, make, model, engine size, is it modified, what HP level, and how much money do you want to spend

LMAO. Dammit that was a goodun.
 
I'll throw my 2 cents in. You're not gonna add power to that slant (or really anything) as long as the point type ignition is in GOOD SHAPE.

So, why not learn the points system, discover how it works, learn to tune it. Get it in good condition. Points have been around for a hundred years in millions of vehicles.

In all honesty, electronic ignitions ain't "much" of an upgrade from a good workin points ignition.

That way, you actually learn somethin, fix "WHAT'S THERE" and spend less money.

I don't know.......sounds pretty good to me.
 
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The above is true, although "one wonders" about the present quality of points /condensers. And, electronic will "stay put" a lot longer. I did always HATE setting points/ timing on slants. They were always "dark and oily" down there LOL
 
Thanks RustyRatRod for your thoughts, as they are very valid. I actually do know how to do the points, condenser, rotor deal, but kind of feel as 67Dart273 said, and was inquiring mainly so that I don't have to touch the darn things for a lot longer period of time. And as you probably know, without taking out the distributor on a 225 /6, the bugger can be a bit tight. At 62 yrs. young, I'm not quite as flexible as I used to be. A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SHARED WITH ME THEIR THOUGHTS, I APPRECIATE IT!
 
Compare the '70 timing specs to '68 or '67, probably similar = pretty good. I had good experience with '68 slant six milage and pep compared to mid '70s ones.
Agree the distributor pain to get to under there.
Guess it depends how many miles you putting on.
I think HEI is the best but not enough to outwiegh the others for what you want. In fact if I was in your shoes (and wasn;t staying with points) I'd be considering Pertronix because would keep the distributor. Any of them can die on you, HEI, Petronix, Skip White, Chrysler box...
 
Parts store 73 electronic distributor
Favorite ECU
Mopar Performance harness.
Bolt on and go.
 
Hi Guys, Was wondering if there is one particular book that explains in "SIMPLE TERMS"for changing over points ignition to electronic ignition?

There are lots of ways to do this. Which one to pick depends on your priorities: cheap, easy, reliable, stock-looking, high performance, etc. You can spend a lot of money and wind up with an inferior system. You can spend a little money and wind up with a terrific system. As with just about everything else, there is a mountain of junk on the market, all hyped as Super Ultra Premium Upgrade Number One.

Me, I like the HEI upgrade for its very high performance and reliability with very low cost. Second preference is probably the Pertronix kit. The Mopar-type electronic ignition is not very high on the list, for reasons described in detail in the links off the HEI page.

The Mopar Performance kit, when it was available, was even further down on the list: it has all the relative drawbacks of the Mopar system, plus a late-production (poor-quality) control module, plus a distributor with a centrifugal advance curve totally unsuitable for street use: just about all the advance dumped in just off idle, because it comes with two very lightweight springs. Off-brand ("ProForm", etc) kits, with or without a "Mopar License" that may or may not be legitimate, sweetens the deal with cheap Chinese components, yum-yum.

I have to disagree with RustyRatRod : a good electronic ignition system is a large improvement over points! A points-condenser ignition system does an inferior job of lighting every cylinder/every time, and begins deteriorating the instant you hit the starter after putting in a new set of points. That is why the auto industry began working to abandon points as soon as there were better options available. Transistorized aftermarket systems began appearing in the early-mid '60s, and Chrysler offered their first such system as an option to fleet buyers in '66…over half a century ago. So "Aw, hell, points have been around for a century!" is true, but…well, go read and watch this.

DusterIdiot over on slantsix.org is the man to see about custom-recurve work on Slant-6 distributors.
 
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Mopar Licensed Electronic Distributor Conversion Kit...
Do they still make this for a 225? That's what he said he has. Good call tho that will run for years with no
problem.
Mopar Licensed Electronic Distributor Conversion Kit...
Do they still make this for a 225? That's what he said he has. Good call tho that will run for years with no
problem.

Just like when I was in school... never read thru the whole thing before I answered. lol
 
The "Skip White" (actually Ningbo) ready-to-run distributor is not an option for a slant (always tell us up front when asking). If you go Pertronix, buy Ignitor II or III. That will let you eliminate the ballast resistor, for more spark and simplicity. III adds MSD and rev limiter. If you go GM HEI, the 8-pin module and coil is simplest & best. Pick from a 85-95 GM V-8 truck and get all the connectors and cables. If scared of junkyards, TrailBeast here kits new parts for ~$200. You will also need a 1971+ slant electronic distributor (no points).

An earlier (ca 1990's) distributor conversion is the Crane Cams XR700 optical pickup and external box. I had one on my slant and big-block Mopars (J.C. Whitney catalog) and can find today new on ebay, and they even restarted production. But, it still needs a ballast (old electronics) and the photo pickups can fail (one of mine did).
 
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