DuraSpark

Twister · Mar 11, 2010

Ok so i have an 85 Bronco II with the 2.8 and its an auto. When i got it the carb setup was a mess and still is, all i have done to it is fix the manual choke. I am only getting 8mpg with the little thing and i dont want to spend more and more money on gas just driving it the the way it is, i want to get it in good working order.

Now i have asked people what i should do to get better mpg and better performance, because as of right now that thing has the power of a Rat with no legs.

They have all said i should duraspark it. Now, i have asked them what exactly durasparking it is, and they just keep telling me it is a another type of ignition system or give me a link to the tech page. I have read the tech write up like a thousand times and still dotnt understand it.

So my question is will the duraspark improve the performance out of my engine while improving mpg? And if anyone who has done one on an 85 with the auto how dificult was it wiring up the converter lock up?

I know this may have been asked tons of times, but like i said going over the tech page and through 10 pages of threads i still dont get it.

Thanks

extremeema · Mar 11, 2010

get the ford sparks for it if u get any other that u will burn out the engine.

adsm08 · Mar 11, 2010

Ok, so the duraspark system was completely vacuum controlled, and was pretty reliable and worked really well.

The system that was put in in 85 was one of those bumblings of emissions controls that was caused mostly by the fact that it was a new system with bugs to work out. Needless to say, it didn't work as well as anticipated, and was quickly replaced.

The duraspark conversion removes the electronic controls and replaces them with the older style vacuum controls and a pure mechanical carb. If done right it should give you better spark quality and fuel control. It should get you better mileage and performance if done right. But your problem sounds a lot like a carb issue.

If you do this, make sure you use copper Motorcraft plugs. Duraspark systems won't work right with other brands, and shreds plats for some reason.

How do you want to wire the TCC, the answer will be different for toggle or pressure switch.

kimcrwbr1 · Mar 11, 2010

Twister said:
Ok so i have an 85 Bronco II with the 2.8 and its an auto. When i got it the carb setup was a mess and still is, all i have done to it is fix the manual choke. I am only getting 8mpg with the little thing and i dont want to spend more and more money on gas just driving it the the way it is, i want to get it in good working order.

Now i have asked people what i should do to get better mpg and better performance, because as of right now that thing has the power of a Rat with no legs.

They have all said i should duraspark it. Now, i have asked them what exactly durasparking it is, and they just keep telling me it is a another type of ignition system or give me a link to the tech page. I have read the tech write up like a thousand times and still dotnt understand it.

So my question is will the duraspark improve the performance out of my engine while improving mpg? And if anyone who has done one on an 85 with the auto how dificult was it wiring up the converter lock up?

I know this may have been asked tons of times, but like i said going over the tech page and through 10 pages of threads i still dont get it.

Thanks

The duraspark will definately give you both more HP and fuel economy. most of the work is in removing the emission stuff if you can legelly do that. For the duraspark you need the distributor, cap, adaptor, rotor, ignition module and the harness. change the distributor making sure you have the #1 cylinder on TDC and the rotor lines up with #1 on the cap the ignition module needs to be wired to the ignition run and start and you can use the stock coil. There are three wires from the distributor to the module and one wire to the coil. In the tech library under duraspark conversion are part numbers and directions get the parts together and look at your wiring to decide the see where you are. The first thing is to remove all the emission wiring about 95% of what is on your engine just strip it back from the 8 connector by the coil to the alternator all you need to keep is the alternator and water temp and oil pressure wires everything else goes away. If you decide to go that route ask Qs and read untill you do understand what you need to do then start rippin. The only vacuum you will need is the choke pull off, Brake booster, PCV and distributor advance plug everything else unless you want the air pump to still work and the vapor cannister which ar rel simple to figure out. GL

NMB2 · Mar 11, 2010

adsm08 said:
If you do this, make sure you use copper Motorcraft plugs. Duraspark systems won't work right with other brands, and shreds plats for some reason.

ive had the same set of bosch plats in my 2.8 for coming up on 4yrs now with duraspark.. Just an FYI

adsm08 · Mar 11, 2010

NMB2 said:
ive had the same set of bosch plats in my 2.8 for coming up on 4yrs now with duraspark.. Just an FYI

I've seen more than 1 d-spark system tear up a set of plat plugs in 3000 miles or less. Just sayin. I guess some do ok with it, some don't.

kimcrwbr1 · Mar 11, 2010

You can just put a switch on your dash for the OD lockout it explains how to do that in the tech library

adsm08 · Mar 11, 2010

kimcrwbr1 said:
You can just put a switch on your dash for the OD lockout it explains how to do that in the tech library

I think he is asking for more help than whats in the tech article. He might be confused or something. Some of those write-ups are done from the assumption that the reader is already at least somewhat mechanically inclined. A lot of the readers aren't.

85_Ranger4x4 · Mar 11, 2010

adsm08 said:
I've seen more than 1 d-spark system tear up a set of plat plugs in 3000 miles or less. Just sayin. I guess some do ok with it, some don't.

I have had mine in for 2 years and it still runs fine, I was lucky to get a year out of the normal ones before they oil fouled.

With the factory coil they are seeing the exact same spark as they would with the feedback system. Dunno if the numbers are the same or not but it looks like the same coil in my parts truck with a 2.9.

Dunno what to tell you about the TC lockup, I rarely drive mine on the highway and have never messed with it.

Twister · Mar 11, 2010

As adsm08 stated i am not mechanically inclined, but i could tell you tons more now about bronco II's then i could 6 months ago when i got it.

So with the duraspark, the carb controls that were put in them stock were controlled by the computer, with the duraspark it is controlled by vacuum line?

Let me know if that is right, when it comes to the carb and electrical stuff i am :icon_confused:

adsm08 · Mar 11, 2010

At a very basic level yes. I have a limited understanding of how carbs and vacuum advance work, not enough to explain it to someone else.

What I can tell you is that the original carb would vary the amount of fuel it delivered based on a signal from an O2 sensor, instead of only by the amount of air passing through the throttle passage. It was a terrible system and wasn't very accurate, reliable, or good.

It also used the same system to electronically advance the spark (like it done on the 2.9) but it was also a less than wonderfully working system.

Spark advance in broad strokes:

The spark plugs need to fire sooner in the engine's rotation as it starts turning faster so that the spark ignites the fuel at roughly the same point in the piston's travel during each compression stroke. This provides consistent (or increased) power by where the spark goes in.

Electronic controlled systems have a couple sensors that tell the computer when to fire the coil. Older, carb cars used a vacuum signal, which would vary with the position of the throttle plate, to determine when to throw the spark. I don't fully understand the mechanics of it.

The system on your truck is the less than reliable first go at an electronic system. The conversion suggested reverts your truck to the previous, tried and true, vacuum system.

I haven't fully read the d-spark conversion article, but I think that the vac switch wiring would probably be the best option for you. Give me a few days to look it over, find some diagrams, etc, and I'll figure out how to tell you to wire it up in terms that I think you'll be able to understand.

Twister · Mar 11, 2010

Thank you so much, you have been the most help between 2 forums.

adsm08 · Mar 11, 2010

Well I hope I can be helpful. I kinda want to teach auto tech some day.

NMB2 · Mar 11, 2010

adsm08 said:
At a very basic level yes. I have a limited understanding of how carbs and vacuum advance work, not enough to explain it to someone else.

What I can tell you is that the original carb would vary the amount of fuel it delivered based on a signal from an O2 sensor, instead of only by the amount of air passing through the throttle passage. It was a terrible system and wasn't very accurate, reliable, or good.

It also used the same system to electronically advance the spark (like it done on the 2.9) but it was also a less than wonderfully working system.

Spark advance in broad strokes:

The spark plugs need to fire sooner in the engine's rotation as it starts turning faster so that the spark ignites the fuel at roughly the same point in the piston's travel during each compression stroke. This provides consistent (or increased) power by where the spark goes in.

Electronic controlled systems have a couple sensors that tell the computer when to fire the coil. Older, carb cars used a vacuum signal, which would vary with the position of the throttle plate, to determine when to throw the spark. I don't fully understand the mechanics of it.

The system on your truck is the less than reliable first go at an electronic system. The conversion suggested reverts your truck to the previous, tried and true, vacuum system.

I haven't fully read the d-spark conversion article, but I think that the vac switch wiring would probably be the best option for you. Give me a few days to look it over, find some diagrams, etc, and I'll figure out how to tell you to wire it up in terms that I think you'll be able to understand.

there is quite a few flaws in this. so I will help clear it up. For starters you seem to be confusing Duraspark with Points. What you are explaining is more along the lines of a points system. Duraspark is computer controlled, with a Vaccuum advance. The duraspark IS the first go at an electronic system, and its reliable. The system we swap onto these vehcles is Duraspark II.

Both DURASPARK I and DURASPARK II use a magnetic pickup that incorporates the "Hall-Effect" principle to trigger a spark, an external control box, and a coil. In addition to the wider cap, duraspark II uses an improved external control box over the control box offered with duraspark I. Even though both I and II use a control box, it's important to note that duraspark is classified as an Inductive Discharge Ignition, not a Capacitive Discharge Ignition.

The original carb did not vary its fuel by the O2 sensor, its a motorcraft 2150 and it runs just like the 2100 except it has a throttle position sensor on it and EGR valve. It features an integral fuel bowl and main body, which eliminates the fuel leakage that some other carburetors are notorious for, and its booster venturi system uses “annular discharge” — the most efficient and effective system ever developed to atomize the fuel charge. The carburetor itself is probably one of the best carbs ever built. What the computer on the motor stock controls is purely the timing of the distributor.

adsm08 · Mar 11, 2010

NMB2 said:
there is quite a few flaws in this. so I will help clear it up. For starters you seem to be confusing Duraspark with Points. What you are explaining is more along the lines of a points system. Duraspark is computer controlled, with a Vaccuum advance. The duraspark IS the first go at an electronic system, and its reliable. The system we swap onto these vehcles is Duraspark II.

Both DURASPARK I and DURASPARK II use a magnetic pickup that incorporates the "Hall-Effect" principle to trigger a spark, an external control box, and a coil. In addition to the wider cap, duraspark II uses an improved external control box over the control box offered with duraspark I. Even though both I and II use a control box, it's important to note that duraspark is classified as an Inductive Discharge Ignition, not a Capacitive Discharge Ignition.

The original carb did not vary its fuel by the O2 sensor, its a motorcraft 2150 and it runs just like the 2100 except it has a throttle position sensor on it and EGR valve. It features an integral fuel bowl and main body, which eliminates the fuel leakage that some other carburetors are notorious for, and its booster venturi system uses “annular discharge” — the most efficient and effective system ever developed to atomize the fuel charge. The carburetor itself is probably one of the best carbs ever built. What the computer on the motor stock controls is purely the timing of the distributor.

I'll take your word for it. I'm not too familiar with anything before TFI, but the pics in the article looked like it had a vac modulator on it.

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