Electronic ignition question

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clhyer

clhyer

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Putting a 318 into my '72 Duster. One of my parts cars is an '89 Gran Fury cop car. My plan was to use the distributor from the '89. Is this electronic ignition? Will I have to use other parts with the distributor, or will it be just a simple install of the distributor only?

I am not looking to race the car, just a driver. Are there better alternatives? Why or why shouldn't I use the '89 distributor?
Thanks,
C
 
you should be able to use the distributor, but you will need an electronic ignition box, the harness and a ballast resistor.
 
as long as it isn't a lean burn dist you'll be fine. but you do have to install the ecu also. its an easy swap. the black with yellow tracer wire goes to the negative coil. the blue with yellow tracer wire goes to the key power side of the ballast. then the other two wires goto the dist.


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ecudia.jpg
 
Thanks for the replies, abodyjoe - I wish you were closer. I think you have answered most of the questions that I post on here. I owe you a cold one, or two, or ten...
C
 
I think that lean burn system has the vacuum spark advance mounted on the breather can instead ot the distributer . If so its not a distributer I would want. i would be interested in other parts of that car though.
Got a right hand cable remote mirror ? Good luck
 
make sure the dist has vacuum advance, I think the lean-burn ones are the ones that do not have the vacuum adv can on them. (as was stated, you do not want the lean-burn).

Very simple install, make sure you get a good ground on the ECU box.
 
I will look at the distributor this weekend, or before. The car does not presently have a lean-burn system on it. Don't know if it did and was changed or not.
Redfish, sorry, the right hand mirror was no remote - and broken at that. Any other parts you might need? I will be using the drive train in my Duster.
C
 
A follow-up. The distributor on the Fury does not have a vacuum advance pod on it. Does this mean that it was originally a lean-burn system on the car? I am not sure what was meant by the breather can that Redfish mentioned.

So now, what distributor would y'all recommend. Please keep in mind this is just a driver - no racing, not even... future plans may include an MSD box after it is running right though.
Thanks,
C
 
Not to hijack the thread, but I am in the process of changing my 63 /6 car to electronic ignition.

I would like the car to look as stock as possible, so I plan on putting the ecu under the dash.

Is there any issues with doing this ?
 
clhyer said:
A follow-up. The distributor on the Fury does not have a vacuum advance pod on it. Does this mean that it was originally a lean-burn system on the car? I am not sure what was meant by the breather can that Redfish mentioned.

So now, what distributor would y'all recommend. Please keep in mind this is just a driver - no racing, not even... future plans may include an MSD box after it is running right though.
Thanks,
C
Click to expand...


no vac advance then its most likely a lean burn. pull the cap and see if it has two pick ups..
 
trapster said:
Not to hijack the thread, but I am in the process of changing my 63 /6 car to electronic ignition.

I would like the car to look as stock as possible, so I plan on putting the ecu under the dash.

Is there any issues with doing this ?
Click to expand...


shouldn't be an issue. just make sure it is grounded well and air can get to it..
 
clhyer said:
A follow-up. The distributor on the Fury does not have a vacuum advance pod on it. Does this mean that it was originally a lean-burn system on the car? I am not sure what was meant by the breather can that Redfish mentioned.

So now, what distributor would y'all recommend. Please keep in mind this is just a driver - no racing, not even... future plans may include an MSD box after it is running right though.
Thanks,
C
Click to expand...

pick up a distributor from a dodge truck from the years of 1976 or so up to 1985 that way your guaranteed the distributor you want trucks come factory without lean burn, infact the ones from napa work nicely and there only around $60
 
no vac advance then its most likely a lean burn. pull the cap and see if it has two pick ups..

I will look at this tomorrow.


pick up a distributor from a dodge truck from the years of 1976 or so up to 1985 that way your guaranteed the distributor you want trucks come factory without lean burn, infact the ones from napa work nicely and there only around $60

Would that be electronic ignition?
 
clhyer said:
no vac advance then its most likely a lean burn. pull the cap and see if it has two pick ups..

I will look at this tomorrow.


pick up a distributor from a dodge truck from the years of 1976 or so up to 1985 that way your guaranteed the distributor you want trucks come factory without lean burn, infact the ones from napa work nicely and there only around $60

Would that be electronic ignition?
Click to expand...

yes the dodge trucks never had to meet the same regulations in the 70's and early 80's like the passenger cars did hense the electronic ignition. the ignition box will work also, if you call a parts place just ask for parts for a 76-85 dodge d150 and then go from there, you should change the advance springs in the bottom, but its not an absolute must
 
I got everything for my conversion from a late 70 early 80 van in the U-pull it yard distributor ignition box and all the wire for $25
 
caferacerx said:
I got everything for my conversion from a late 70 early 80 van in the U-pull it yard distributor ignition box and all the wire for $25
Click to expand...


yeah there the same set up, I used a 1979 dodge d150 complete under hood wiring harness on the 66 valiant it fits to a T . but thats a little more than some people want to get themselves into
 
The whole problem with the Lean Burn distributor itself is the lack of vacuum and mechanical advance (there's a computer controlling this instead). The pick-up is the same, so if you wanted a locked distributor it could be used with an earlier ignition module. For most street car purposes, though, you don't want a locked distributor.
 
no vac advance then its most likely a lean burn. pull the cap and see if it has two pick ups..

Checked yesterday. It has two pick ups. Was this a lean burn system? What was done when it was pulled off?
Thanks,
C
 
clhyer said:
no vac advance then its most likely a lean burn. pull the cap and see if it has two pick ups..

Checked yesterday. It has two pick ups. Was this a lean burn system? What was done when it was pulled off?
Thanks,
C
Click to expand...


Yes, it is then a Lean Burn dist. It has No mechanical or vacuume advance. Both those functions were controled by the Lean Burn "ECU" which would have been mounted on the air filter housing on the outside. There would also have been a vacuume line connected to the "ECU" so it could sence the engine vaccume. This distributor is not a good candidate for an ign. syst. sway! Look for one with a vaccume canister mounted to the outside of the dist.
 
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