Duraspark Conversion

[tprice1965]

Hello, I am a newbie to this forum and would greatly appreciate your help.
I would like to do a duraspark conversion on my 84 Bronco II with a 2.8L V6. I followed the following link: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/2_8Duraspark.shtml. I found (2) 30-2691 distributors (see photo), however, neither of them look compatible with any of the other parts that I ordered from the link above.

 

[franklin2]

Both those are supposed to be 30-2691? Neither one is correct like you already figured out. The one on the right takes a bolt on TFI module and has no vacuum advance unit. So it's a computer type unit, like the one you want to get rid of. Not sure what the one on the left fits, it doesn't look right either. But you do have the right Cardone part number. You can look them up at Autozone, O'Reillys and any of the others. They have pictures of what it looks like. When I did my conversion, I think I bought mine from O' Reilly's. I believe I picked them because they has the least core charge. Of course doing the conversion, you do not have the proper distributor to turn back in, so you will be hit with the core charge.

 

[tprice1965]

Thank you for the post - these distributors are extremely hard to find - went to Oreillys and have an idea what I need, but it may take me a while to find one. Thanks Again franklin2!

 

[franklin2]

I googled Cardone 30-2691 and O Reilly's came right up in the search. But I see it's not in stock for online ordering. You could call the store and see if they can get it. I seem to remember that it took about a week for them to get it, and I had to go pick it up. I see it's still $75.00 with a $5 core charge.

You can also try Napa. They list it for $116.99 with a $16.67 core charge. Looks like the supply of these is drying up.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

If you have any old bone yards close look for a late 70s pinto, mustang II or Capri with the 2.8l for the distributor, module and harness…

 

[Ranger850]

If you have any old bone yards close look for a late 70s pinto, mustang II or Capri with the 2.8l for the distributor, module and harness…

Those cars haven't been in junkyards for a long time. It's hard to find anything from the early 90's, much less late 70's.

 

[Shran]

There are three distributors available for the Duraspark swap that I am aware of - two Ford ones, one has single vacuum advance, the other has dual vacuum. There is also a Bosch distributor, which takes a different, smaller cap that has female terminals vs the male ones on the Ford caps. Maybe that's what the one on the left is? I had one years ago but I don't recall what it looked like.

These distributors (and carbs, for that matter) are very hard to find in junkyards. I went to probably 7 or 8 different places that had zero donor cars. Found a dozen Chevy Vegas though, go figure. You may have to get creative and use want ads on Craigslist... or drive out in the sticks and see if you can spot someone's private junk collection, some of my coolest junk came from just driving by and knocking on the door.

 

[19Walt93]

Check with Gary Baum at Second Generation Mustang, he has a bunch of stuff.
secondgenerationmustang@comcast.net 717-656-3481

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Those cars haven't been in junkyards for a long time. It's hard to find anything from the early 90's, much less late 70's.

Yea anything with a carb is the first to the crusher. The person at the desk does not know what is in the staging lot.

 

[wadehilts]

Does anyone know whether this conversion can be done without destroying your chances at passing DEQ? Where I live, an 84 Ranger must be at 2.0% CO or less at idle. Can you get away with that after a duraspark conversion?

 

[franklin2]

Does anyone know whether this conversion can be done without destroying your chances at passing DEQ? Where I live, an 84 Ranger must be at 2.0% CO or less at idle. Can you get away with that after a duraspark conversion?

I have never had to pass smog. But my gut tells me that a fine running duraspark conversion with new carb is going to be a lot cleaner than a lousy running broken original system.
The carb is going to be the key. It may not pass if you keep the original carb but convert the ignition to duraspark. That's what I did at first, and while it ran fine that way with the computer carb not hooked to anything, it must have been running a little rich. When I finally put a regular carb on it, my on the road fuel mileage jumped 5 mpg.

I would suspect if you adjust the new carb as lean as possible at idle with the mixture screws, that it would pass the sniffer test. You could also find out if a 1979 mustang or pinto with a 2.8 has to pass the same test. That's basically what you are doing when you convert. You are setting your engine up like one of those older 2.8's.

 

[wadehilts]

I have never had to pass smog. But my gut tells me that a fine running duraspark conversion with new carb is going to be a lot cleaner than a lousy running broken original system.
The carb is going to be the key. It may not pass if you keep the original carb but convert the ignition to duraspark. That's what I did at first, and while it ran fine that way with the computer carb not hooked to anything, it must have been running a little rich. When I finally put a regular carb on it, my on the road fuel mileage jumped 5 mpg.

I would suspect if you adjust the new carb as lean as possible at idle with the mixture screws, that it would pass the sniffer test. You could also find out if a 1979 mustang or pinto with a 2.8 has to pass the same test. That's basically what you are doing when you convert. You are setting your engine up like one of those older 2.8's.

Thank you for that insight! I think you're probably right. And I also just checked the emissions requirements for my state (Oregon) and they have the same 1.0% CO standard for ALL vehicles after 1975. So the duraspark system should be able to pass this. I probably couldn't get away with removing the air pump tho, but I have an AFR reader at home and I could check whether it's needed. If the air pump's operation isn't controlled by the ECU (which seems unlikely since smog pumps predate EFI by many years), then I should be in the clear to get rid of all the feedback carb crap and tune the carb to a smooth idle that will pass DEQ!!

 

[franklin2]

In my area, we do not have a sniffer test but all the inspectors look at the exhaust for a cat, and some of them will lift the hood and look for the smog pump. They don't know if it's working or not, but if it's there with a belt on it and has some obvious lines going to it, they are ok with it.

The stock aircleaner helps hide a lot. If there are chrome valve covers and a open air cleaner, that raises suspicion. If it looks mostly stock, they don't know the difference, they look at so many different cars and trucks. But the cat and the air pump are big ones were I live.

 

[RobbieD]

In case it helps, I left both the cat and the AIR pump in place when I did my Duraspark conversion. If I recall from researching it, the AIR just does its thing on its own, and helps the cat do what its supposed to do. I've had no issue or downside to leaving them on, and I don't know about my truck passing smog as where I live it's too old to require testing.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

After three years I went to adjust the valve lash and pulled a plug it still had .044gap with a toasty brown insulator. AP-105 so I checked all six and they were all the same. If the plugs are getting carbon fouled go ahead and change the valve guide seals. You can do it with air pressure and a palm spring compressor. The only noise the engine makes is that fuel pump ticking noise. If your valve guide seals are dripping oil it is just a matter of time it cooks the cat.