DuraSpark/HEI Ignition upgrade

[red85]

I did this upgrade when I did my V8 swap. I was running points but I like the reliabilty of an electronic ignition.

Parts Bin:
GM HEI 4 pin module (ask for a module for a 78 Camaro with a 350)
Ford DuraSpark distributor (the 3 wire jobby - purple, orange and black)
Ford E-core coil
A heat sink for a CPU, and a CPU fan
Bosch relay and harness
electrical spade connectors and 18ga wire

Instructions:

The HEI module has 4 connections and a ground.(W,B,G and C). The G terminal is the smaller of the 4 pins. To wire this up, first install the distributor and mount the coil. Also make a mount for the HEI module and the heatsink (the module gets hot, so smear some heatsink compound on the back of it and mount it to the module). You will also want to mount the CPU fan on this assembly at this point. The wiring is very simple. B terminal goes to battery power at the coil. C terminal goes to the coil's ground connection. The orange wire on the distributor goes to the W pin on the module. The purple wire on the distributor goes to the G pin on the module (the small one). The ground wire (black) on the distributor goes to the ground hole on the module.

At this point, you're ready to fire up your beast and kiss those points goodbye. I have been running this setup for a few years now and it has been completely trouble free. Hopefully, someone will use this method instead of dropping mega bucks on a prefab kit that basically uses all of these components anyway. The most expensive part will be the module. I spent about 50 bucks for mine. I had the coil and distributor already but they can be had pretty cheaply too.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[v-8power]

Good write up Phil. Have you tried to put it in the tech. library?

 

[red85]

No. How do you do that?

 

[v-8power]

Phil, I think if you follow this link it might let you http://therangerstation.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5

 

[stackz]

I prefer using a duraspark box when doing the duraspark dizzy swap only because of the extra on-start retard wire that you can hook either to a switch or to an rpm activation switch or to a boost retard switch.

blue box retards 4* (most common)
white box retards 14* (very early 80's carb 2.3t)
yellow box = crap no retard (cali box)
orange box retards 6* (industrial box)

mmmmmm built in retard feature, great for boosted carb setups or heavy compression setups

 

[red85]

The reason I use the GM HEI module is that there is no rev limiter. The truck is now primarily a Friday night strip truck so the revs tend to get higher than the DuraSpark boxes will allow.