Cost of Duraspark Conversion

[Doctormario777]

My old 83 ranger won't start. I wasn't getting spark at the cylinders and before I had the mechanics take the truck. I've started pilot training and don't really have the time to tinker with it anymore, so I had the mechanic here take a look at it.

After a couple of weeks in the shop, they tell me they can't figure out what's wrong with it, so it looks like I'll be losing a weekend or two here soon. (Unless anyone knows a good mechanic in Del Rio, TX!)

I got to thinking, instead of just fixing the immediate problem, maybe I'll upgrade to a duraspark rig and eliminate a lot of the brittle old wire that's causing the problem in the first place.

For those of you that have done the job, how cheaply were you able to do it? And how much did it run you? Thanks!

 

[wildbill23c]

Not getting spark sounds like the TFI module on the back of the distributor. If that module goes bad you get no sparky.

I'm not sure on cost but the parts can be a challenge to find. Look in the tech section under the 2.8L Duraspark Conversion for part numbers and you can search online at NAPA auto parts or Autozone for example and get the pricing there, then compare with scrap yard pricing and the whole maybe it works and maybe it don't problems at scrap yards.

 

[Doctormario777]

Not getting spark sounds like the TFI module on the back of the distributor. If that module goes bad you get no sparky.

I'm not sure on cost but the parts can be a challenge to find. Look in the tech section under the 2.8L Duraspark Conversion for part numbers and you can search online at NAPA auto parts or Autozone for example and get the pricing there, then compare with scrap yard pricing and the whole maybe it works and maybe it don't problems at scrap yards.

Hmmm... I had the TFI module changed out not entirely too long ago, so I hope it's not that... maybe I can get the mechanic who did that work to take a look at it.

 

[Bryce]

Not getting spark sounds like the TFI module on the back of the distributor. If that module goes bad you get no sparky.

I'm not sure on cost but the parts can be a challenge to find. Look in the tech section under the 2.8L Duraspark Conversion for part numbers and you can search online at NAPA auto parts or Autozone for example and get the pricing there, then compare with scrap yard pricing and the whole maybe it works and maybe it don't problems at scrap yards.

Rockauto as everything but some wiring bits. The expensive part is the carb.

 

[Lil-Pony]

i was looking at no more than 600$ with a new holley carb from advance and evything else from napa, maybe a trip to the junkyard, but ive decided to go do the 2.8 tbi swap

 

[Doctormario777]

How much time did it take you guys to do the swap?

And just as a shot in the dark, do any of you know anyone in southern texas who could do the work for me in return for some cash?

 

[wildbill23c]

Rockauto as everything but some wiring bits. The expensive part is the carb.

I noticed they have everything. I'm going to do the duraspark here in the next year or so, got more important issues to deal with like stopping the rust, and fixing the wiring mess and oil leaks to get it more reliable. No point in wasting the money on a duraspark setup if the rig is going to rust to pieces quicker than the conversion can be done LOL.

 

[Twister]

I spent like $160 on the swap, bought all the parts new except the Carb which I bought off e ay for $80.

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[wildbill23c]

So probably around $100-700 depending on your parts sources. Given my closest scrap yard is about 35 miles away, I don't get to go there as often as I would like to, but in the end my wallet thanks me, but my Bronco 2 don't LOL.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

You can probably do the ignition complete with new wires for about $160 just use the stock coil and get the distributor harness out of a 1984 2.0 liter ranger. It take s a day to remove the computer harness and vacuum mess and just run with the stock carb until you get a good nonfeedback carb. Just put some #42 jets in the existing carb and it should run pretty good. There is a 8 wire connector (grey) by the coil, strip the computer harness from that connector back to the alternator and pull the computer connector out through the firewall put the metal plate back and silicone the hole shut. You only need to cut a couple wires to completly remove the computer harness and the duraspark is pretty much plug and play I only had to splice the green wire to the coil neg and she fired right up once I got the timing right.

 

[dangerranger83]

Just sold him a dizzy, the durabox, a homemade wiring harness and my shorty edelbrock headers (threw them in for free since they were already packed up in the box) for next to nothing so that's what he has on the way.

Even the plug writes are in firing order still in the cap but all are one tower to the right? due to I got a tooth off when I put the dizzy in my truck at the time.

Costed me $125 to do my duraspark setup buying everything (including a fuel pump) but the carb new, got that for $25 at my local jy but it's not right for the duraspark set-up due to its an emissions one off a 3.8 and after sitting in the bed off my truck for many months, everything on it has frozen up.

Total time to do my swap, 3 hours.

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