Help: duraspark conversion

[Jutter]

Today I tried splicing a couple wires together to get power to the coil during "cranking" and in the "run" position. I wired every thing back up and turned it over, now I can get it to start but it won't idle. So I am now gettiing spark but my timing may still be off. Could the distributer be off a tooth on the gear? Does the fact that it will run mean that I'm close to the timing mark and can adjust by turning the distributer?
Also I'm using a 2100 carb. It has the 1.08 Venturi and the jets that are in the carb have the same markings in them as the original carb so I didn't change them. Should I swap these or is it possible that these are the same jets?
If I could get the truck to stay running I could dial the carb and the ignition in.

 

[Spede Demn]

If it starts at all then the distributer is at least close to where it needs to be, could still be off by a tooth tho. Set the timing mark on the front of the crankshaft to TDC and check where the dist rotor is pointing, make sure you still have room to turn the dist for timing.

Check all the vacumn lines and ports are either hooked up or at least plugged off, 'IF' you have left any of the polution control stuff on the truck it can be blocked off or removed, it useless now anyway and could be the reason it wont idle. Once you take off the air pump thats below the alternator you'll need a shorter alt belt, its now the same size as the power steering belt.

 

[Jutter]

I checked my timing, changed the jets in the carb to the jets from feed back carb and checked for vacume leeks. So I've got it running now. There's still a couple bugs to work out: when I turn off the ignition switch the engine keeps running and I need to tune the carb more.

 

[Spede Demn]

So first it wouldnt start.. now it wont stop.. lol

just guessing here but I would trace the 'ignition on' wire you spliced to the coil and make sure it isnt connected to the alternator somewhere allowing it to remain hot as long as the alt is turning.

 

[Jutter]

Well it's running!! Still have some minor bugs to work out but all in all it runs well.

 

[Spede Demn]

but does it shut off? lol, Im guessing you got that issue figured out.

Let me know how your fuel mileage changes once you get a few miles on it, I dont think mine improved much, get maybe 22mpg on the highway now, was around 18 before. It does run better and have a noticable improvement in power tho since the swap, although it is still just a 2.8 so I wont win any drag races..lol

I was on the highway last weekend and came home with a ford garden tractor in my utility trailer... total weight of tractor and trailer around 1700 lbs, I could hold 120 km no problem except for 2 small valleys where it would only hold 90 km uphill. Had it upto 140 km on the flats once for a bit but that was pretty close to max. This was the first trip over 500km and with the trailer since I did the swap so I was playing with it a little, I was happy with it.

 

[Spardicus2024]

Is the ignition coil supose to get really hot? I mean like super hot, too hot to touch. and if not what could be causing this? Any Help is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Is the ignition coil supose to get really hot? I mean like super hot, too hot to touch. and if not what could be causing this? Any Help is appreciated.

Thanks

What coil are you using if not internally reasisted it needs a ballast resistor. If you still have the stock coil (square TFI) just install it and forget about it.

 

[Spardicus2024]

What coil are you using if not internally reasisted it needs a ballast resistor. If you still have the stock coil (square TFI) just install it and forget about it.

I bought the one from the duraspark covertion write up and just used spades to connect to it. What size resistor is needed?

 

[Spede Demn]

My setup is exactly as the trs tech article and my coil doesnt get hot, warm yes but not hot. There is no resistor needed with the conversion done as the article shows.

 

[Jutter]

So here it is a couple months down the road. The old bronco is having some issues. The coil from the pinto is getting hot and the resister wire I bought didn't work out. Can I use the original coil with this set up?
Also it has recently been stalling out on me while driving. One time the carb was bone dry and another time it had gas coming out of it every where. Any ideas on what this cold be? I'm going to clean out the fuel filter just to be sure it's clean. Could the choke be out of adjustment?

 

[PetesPonies]

I am still using my stock '84 coil with my Duraspark/GM HEI ignition, now with my V8. No problems.

 

[Jutter]

I'm using the duraspark ignition module. Will the tfi coil work with this?