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ignition

deee

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70 runner guy here, again. I'm planning to replace my dual-points distributor with a new
mopar-liscensed proform electronic distributor/kit. I've noticed that many people have had trouble with the "orange unit" in the kit. I'm wondering if there's any good reason why a person couldn't simply use the higher-output (chrome) unit that's listed as "for off-road use only". I think I would prefer to have the hotter spark and a larger spark plug gap, if possible. I certainly don't want any of the "orange unit" problems that I've read about.
 
I have never had any problems with the orange box or the chrome box. Use orange on my Diplomat and chrome on my Super Bee.
 
I've had one orange and one chrome box go bad in the 35 years that I have been restoring and working on these cars, but who knows I like points too. I have a bag of parts that I put in the car. It consists of a ballast resistor, coil, points, condenser, rotor button, distributor cap and a couple of long plug wires. Also a spare orange box if the car has been updated to electronic ignition. That with a few tools and your not stranded. The only time I thought I was stranded was coming back from a car show and my accelerator spring broke. One of the other participants in the show that trailered his car pulled over to help. I borrowed his spring and got in fine. There are a few other stories I have but we will go there later
 
I've been running the chrome box on the street for 8 years with no issues.
 
I've run an orange box before. "It seems like the new orange boxes may last 10 yrs. where the old ones lasted 15 yrs." I've never had one fail.

Also, unless you have a turbocharger, supercharger or nitrous oxide I don't think you "need" a hotter spark. I've also run a wider spark plug gap and it didn't seem to help. I tried a wider spark plug gap (.040" vs. .035") with a stock ignition coil and the car wouldn't even start. Bottom line....I'd suggest the electronic ignition with the orange box & just leave the spark plug gap at .035" (unless it's a race-only engine)
 
I have one car that has an Orange ECU that's going on 25 yrs. now.
On another car I've had two Orange ECU's go bad while driving. Fortunately I always carry a spare.
Then on the last older Mopar I bought I went with a Pertronix conversion kit with good results and no problems. But just to be prepared I carry a spare distributor converted to Pertronix in the trunk of this car.
Any point style distributors I convert in the future will be with a Pertronix kit.
 
Sublime, I like the Pertronix conversion kits too. Did several cars and running it now in the 65.
Back to the Orange box, never had a failure,only ballast resistor failures. But like anything electronic it can happen.
Like bee71 said, put spares in your trunk,and you never will have a failure.Murphy's Law !
 
Thanks to all of you for relating your experiences and also the advice which will keep "murphy" and his monkeys
off my back when I take out the car when the weather is nice.
 
With my spare I keep 2 zip ties and a clip on ground wire. That way it can be swapped out without tools for a quick fix.
 
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