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Mancini Electronic Ignition Kit - anyone have experience?

Gary P

Gary P

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Hi guys,

I'm new here. I did a search for the Mancini kit and this site came up with no results, so I thought I would ask you knowledgeable people.

My '78 Monaco is a 318 with the Lean Burn and it's having such erratic performance I am going to bite the bullet and replace the Lean Burn system with what a friend has recommended to me, the Mancini Electronic Ignition kit, link below...

https://www.manciniracing.com/maraigspsmbl1.html

I have been doing a lot of reading and research and the one thing I've found is that there are no reviews on this kit, and I was wondering if any of you fine people have done this to your vehicle? Really, I'm hoping it's the right move. Any information would be greatly received, and I thank you in advance!

Note: Symptoms are erratic idle sometimes, stumbling on pull-away sometimes, bad cold start up (I know that's a choke issue) and poor power. Once she's warmed up, runs good over 10mph.
Note 2: I have a non Lean Burn 2bbl carb to replace the factory one.
Note 3: I am not going for horsepower, I want smooth reliability.

Thanks guys. Best wishes, a Chrysler newbie!
 
I think the kit would work fine.
But I think the additional cost for the Accel stuff is a little high.
The Accel Super Stock coil I have that is 30 years old is a very good one, but often quality is not what it used to be these days.
Your stock coil should be fine for what you plan on doing.
You can get a decent tune up kit from RockAuto for about $30.
Add a 500 CFM Holley street avenger and you might be surprised.
I had a 77 diplomat 318 that I converted using parts I had laying around and it could spin the tires easily.
 
I’m just not a fan of the orange box or the Avenger Holley.
Hey myself would use a Edelbrock Performer intake and carb. 500 or 600, your call. I’ll do the new 600 AVS.
 
He has a 2 barrel intake, I'm fairly sure.
Probably shouldn't have suggested any performance upgrades, but it's just my nature...
 
I used the kit that Summit/Jegs carries when I switched my 79 Chrysler over from lean burn.Mancini,same stuff.
Yes you can save a few bucks as your coil you have now will be fine unless you prefer to change it too.
Worked for me.
 
i have bought this kit to replace the lean burn back in the day and done the junk yard before this kit came out it will do what you need with out replacing anything else. just buy the kit and install in 1 hour.
 
Thank you all for your responses, much appreciated!

I will post my findings in my project thread. I agree with y'all regarding the extra cost for the coil etc, but I think I'm going to change mine out for the Acel anyways (mostly because my Mrs did a "Monaco Fund" pot on my birthday and I have the cash) then I can carry a spare.

I have one more question to those who have replaced their Lean Burn stuff: What did you do with all the Lean Burn sensors, did you just leave them in place?

Thanks again guys!
 
Don Frelier said:
He has a 2 barrel intake, I'm fairly sure.
Probably shouldn't have suggested any performance upgrades, but it's just my nature...
Click to expand...
Ditto. Might as well make it worth it right?!?!
Gary P said:
Thank you all for your responses, much appreciated!

I will post my findings in my project thread. I agree with y'all regarding the extra cost for the coil etc, but I think I'm going to change mine out for the Acel anyways (mostly because my Mrs did a "Monaco Fund" pot on my birthday and I have the cash) then I can carry a spare.

I have one more question to those who have replaced their Lean Burn stuff: What did you do with all the Lean Burn sensors, did you just leave them in place?

Thanks again guys!
Click to expand...
You can just leave it or de-wire the engine bay. I took out about 5lbs. of wires from my ‘79 Magnum. It’s more street strip styled.
 
My buddy and I installed this exact kit on his '84 Fifth Ave. along with a Weiand Stealth with my old Edelbrock 1906. Took an afternoon and is well worth it.
 
Gary P said:
Thank you all for your responses, much appreciated!

I will post my findings in my project thread. I agree with y'all regarding the extra cost for the coil etc, but I think I'm going to change mine out for the Acel anyways (mostly because my Mrs did a "Monaco Fund" pot on my birthday and I have the cash) then I can carry a spare.

I have one more question to those who have replaced their Lean Burn stuff: What did you do with all the Lean Burn sensors, did you just leave them in place?

Thanks again guys!
Click to expand...
yes i left all the sensor. if the client payed extra i would remove the box off the air cleaner and replace with a mettle patch for looks.
 
Gary P said:
What did you do with all the Lean Burn sensors, did you just leave them in place?
Click to expand...
I had a brand new 1979 Dodge R/T. Black and Gold, with the E-58 Police Pursuit 360 4bbl....
Cranking out a whopping 190 horsepower, and the Lean Burn computer was encased in gel, in a plastic module integrated into the air cleaner.
That piece of **** used to die, with NO warning, and stay dead anywhere from a few seconds to 10 minutes.
When I replaced the ignition system and carburetor, I removed the gel encased circuitry, cut it in half with metal shears, burned half in a 55 gallon metal drum at my friend's muffler shop, and then me and about 5 of my car buddies drove out to the point at Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, and had a ceremony where I threw the other half into the lake.
Hard to believe that didn't turn me away from MOPAR forever, but once I made the ignition system change out, cam (Crane Fireball) headers, and put a 3.55 ring and pinion gearset in it, it really woke up.
I had a pair of 340 2.02 intake valve heads to put on the 360, and a complete 4 speed manual transmission to replace the 727 automatic, but I never completed the project that my new in 1979 car evolved into by 1985 or thereabouts.
 
biomedtechguy said:
I removed the gel encased circuitry, cut it in half with metal shears, burned half in a 55 gallon metal drum at my friend's muffler shop, and then me and about 5 of my car buddies drove out to the point at Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, and had a ceremony where I threw the other half into the lake.
Click to expand...

This made me laugh this morning, thank you!! :-D

Yup, Lean Burn computer shall be removed, and sinister sacrificial ceremony will ensue!
 
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