Duraspark questions

[WesB]

I read the tech article on the conversion and priced everything it said to get from autozone (minus the carb, couldn't find it on thier website). But then I looked at the other duraspark article and was talking about goin to a junkyard, but unfortunantly I don't know of any in east texas that have older vehicles, so I was wondering if there are any parts that I would need to get from a junkyard or can I just get everything I need from Autozone? Also how hard is the conversion (On an 84 BII)? Thanks in advance
Wes

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

It's much cheaper to get stuff from a salvage yard but it's not always easy to find what you need. The distributor is probably the most difficult, and you're probably better off getting a reman unit from a parts store. You wanna get a new cap and rotor anyway so might as well get all three while you're in the store.
You can keep your stock coil so no need for a new one of those or new wires.
The duraspark boxes are a dime a dozen. Any 4 cyl ranger up into the early 90s will have the correct one and the wire harness you need to plug it into the distributor. But you can just extend the wires from the duraspark box to the distributor if you can't get your hands on a harness.

The carb you don't necessarily need a new one. You can make a metering block for your stock carb that will get it working just as well as a non feedback type. You can search the site here for instructions. Seems like that should be in the tech section somewhere but I don't think it is.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/500837/3 I belive this is the link for the metering block and if you can find a late 70s pinto or mustang II with the 2.8 will have all the parts you need and using the cap adaptor for the larger cap and rotor is recommended so you get even fire on all the cylinders. I bought all my ignition parts from autozone and fabbed up a metering block for the stock carb and it worked just fine. no noteable difference from the non feedback carb I am running except gas mileage, and if your blowing smoke on startups valve guide seals are a must read up on it in the 2.8 V-6 section in the tech library.

 

[WesB]

No smoke, but my engine only has about 10k miles since a rebuild. But I did notice some oil coming out of my pass side valve cover and puddling on the exh. manifold, so that is aggrivating.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

It will be alot easier to change the cover gaskets when or after the conversion with all those wires and vacuum hoses out of the way believe me it will look naked under there.

 

[Twister]

So with the duraspark, if i read it right, it should eliminate all the wires, vacuum hoses and emissions stuff. Am i right?

 

[Big Jim M]

Just durasparking it won't! You will need to do the carb also. Once both are done you can eliminate Most of the stuff under the hood.
Big JIm

 

[kimcrwbr1]

The only wires you keep are the water temp oil pressure and alternator I also have the vapor cannister solenoids working from the old computer power wire along with the choke thermostat for vacuum all you need is the advance for the dizzy and I run the air valves from the ported vacuum off the carb the egr gets capped off and you have the brake booster and PCV everything else gets plugged and removed I just stripped the harness friom the 8 wire connector by the coil back to the alternator so you know what wires not to cut the rest goes away along with the solenoids O-2 sensor and knock sensor in the block by the starter if you have one.

 

[Andres629]

I was looking at the same thing a while ago... and found a LOT of good info on what vehicles to find the duraspark module from. Post up in a second when I find them...

**edit**
Here's the list of vehicles you can snag a module from. Holy dang!

AMC AMX (80-78)
AMC Concord (83-78)
AMC Eagle (87-80)
AMC Gremlin (78-77)
AMC Hornet (77)
AMC Matador (78-77)
AMC Pacer (80-77)
AMC Spirit (83-79)
Ford Bronco (87-76)
Ford Country Squire (86-75)
Ford Custom 500 (77-75)
Ford E Series Fullsize Van (95-76)
Ford Elite (76-75)
Ford Escort (82-81)
Ford Exp (82)
Ford F Series Fullsize Pickup (97-76)
Ford Fairmont (83-78)
Ford Fiesta (80-78)
Ford Gran Torino (76-75)
Ford Granada (82-75)
Ford LTD (86-75)
Ford LTD II (79-77)
Ford Maverick (77-76)
Ford Mustang (85-79)
Ford Mustang II (78-76)
Ford P Series (77-76)
Ford Pinto (80-76)
Ford Ranch Wagon (76)
Ford Ranchero (79-76)
Ford Ranger (88-83)
Ford Tempo (87-84)
Ford Thunderbird (83-75)
Ford Torino (76-75)
Ford ZX2 (82-81)
Jeep Cherokee (85-77)
Jeep CJ Series (86-77)
Jeep Grand Wagoneer (87-84)
Jeep J Series (87-77)
Jeep Scrambler (85-81)
Jeep Wagoneer (85-77)
Jeep Wrangler (87)
Lincoln Continental (85-76)
Lincoln Mark Series (83-76)
Lincoln Town Car (83-81)
Lincoln Versailles (80-77)
Mercury Bobcat (80-76)
Mercury Capri (86-76)
Mercury Colony Park (85-76)
Mercury Comet (77-76)
Mercury Cougar (84-76)
Mercury Grand Marquis (83-76)
Mercury LN7 (82)
Mercury Lynx (82-81)
Mercury Marquis (85-76)
Mercury Monarch (80-76)
Mercury Montego (76)
Mercury Topaz (87-84)
Mercury Zephyr (83-78)

 

[kimcrwbr1]

You can use the stock carb with a metering block or get a 2150 non feedback carb for a plug and play swap all you will need is the spacer felpro #60529 for $18. Alot of guys doing it as long as you don`t need to pass emissions.

 

[WesB]

Ok, here is another question. I was looking at Autozone for a new carb (took it to a shop where a good friend of mine works who retired as a ford mech. and he said that he believes the needles in the carb are bad and that's why it's flooding at idle) and they have 3 different carbs listed, one for auto, one for manual and one that was a E37E-
AAA. My question is what is the difference between them b/c have the E37E-AAA carb.
Wes

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Are you talking about the stock feedback carb E3 is a 83 if your flooding at an idle it could be the wet float adjustment take the air horn off the top of the carb and check the fuel level in the float bowl while running it should be around 9/16 of a inch from the top of the carb to the center of the fuel in the bowl or if the feedback solenoid is not working it will run rich. The way the feedback system works the computer controls the air bleed into the air fuel mix if it is not getting air you will be running rich the more air the leaner. All the sensors the egr the computer the air pump it all has to be 100% for the feedback system to work correct plus the carb. With the duraspark your eliminating all of that and able to advance the timing with the control of the air fuel mix plain and simple.