Factory style electronic ignition ECU with a rev limiter?

[Kern Dog]

I'm looking to change out the spark box in my car. I have a 440/493 and a 727 for now, soon swapping in a 5 speed. I want to switch to an electronic control unit with a built in rev limiter. I know that the Rev-N-Nator unit had a rev limiter, are there others that do? I had a Rev-N-Nator but didn't like that it didn't play well with vacuum advance. It was expensive too. The Chrome Mopar box I last bought was about $50 new at a swap meet. The Rev-N-Nator was something like $180 for what worked out to be NO performance gain.
In this instance, I'm not looking for performance, just a way to avoid over-revving the engine if I miss a shift!

 

[beanhead]

The FBO box is a good one for a stock-style setup. A bit pricey too but has an adjustable rev limiter, and it definitely works! It matches up with the Pertronix flamethrower coil and you can eliminate the ballast resistor.

 

[kiwigtx]

I had a Rev-N-Nator but didn't like that it didn't play well with vacuum advance.

Vacuum advance is not required for a Rev-N-Nator.
Probably explains why your perception of a performance gain is poor.

I noticed a big difference on every vehicle I installed a Rev-N-Nator on.

 

[Kern Dog]

Vacuum advance is not required for a Rev-N-Nator.
Probably explains why your perception of a performance gain is poor.

I noticed a big difference on every vehicle I installed a Rev-N-Nator on.

I didn't.
Vac advance Not required....actually, their instructions stated that their box is not compatible with vacuum advance.
Big difference between those two.
Vacuum advance helps with the 90% of the way many cars are driven....part throttle. It has zero effect on idle or WOT. Despite the reputation of these cars, I don't drive mine at full throttle all the time. The vacuum advance aids in better part throttle combustion and improves mileage with no performance penalty.
In 2013, I drove to Los Angeles with a Rev-N-Nator on the car and got 10.6 mpg TO L.A. ON the way back, I switched to a Chrome MP ECU and vacuum advance and got 12.8 mpg. Now, that isn't that huge of a difference but it is 20%. The car was NOT any faster with the Rev-N-Nator.

 

[F4R/T]

K D I think your only other option would be a MSD box, if you go that route look for an older one IMO , made in USA does matter! I know my buddies brother worked for them while in Elpaso and spoke highly of them but now I hear conflicting info so that’s why I said look for an older one... best of luck let us know your end result — performance and mpg changes if you don’t mind ... The older units can be sent in for service too...hopefully others have more info than me..

 

[hunt2elk]

Another vote for the FBO box. I have run several of them with no issues.

 

[440+6]

I use the fbo box with their coil, no balast and timing is 17 base, 38 total mechanical, and 52 with vac advance.
If you hoped in, and start and drive it, you would think its a modern engine.

 

[mopar jack]

I raced my E body with a chrome box and a basic msd rev limiter box that used preset plug in rpm chips. Worked great.

 

[beanhead]

I would be really interested to hear Rev-N-Nator's explanation of why their ECU is incompatible with vacuum advance?
I wonder what it does specifically that would have anything to do with it....I mean the actual advance mechanism is still mechanical so-to-speak as it's controlled by movement in the distributor. The only difference is that the coil is firing farther away from from piston TDC but how would the box know and why would it care? Timing is constantly slamming back and forth from initial to mechanical anyway during low-speed driving...so the ECU has to be able to handle the fast transition.

I'm sure they have their reasons but it seems like BS to me.

I'm with you Greg, cruise is where my engine lives most of it's life and I wouldn't spend $5 on a box that couldn't be used with vacuum advance.

 

[beanhead]

I would be really interested to hear Rev-N-Nator's explanation of why their ECU is incompatible with vacuum advance?
I wonder what it does specifically that would have anything to do with it....I mean the actual advance mechanism is still mechanical so-to-speak as it's controlled by movement in the distributor. The only difference is that the coil is firing farther away from from piston TDC but how would the box know and why would it care? Timing is constantly slamming back and forth from initial to mechanical anyway during low-speed driving...so the ECU has to be able to handle the fast transition.

I'm sure they have their reasons but it seems like BS to me.

I'm with you Greg, cruise is where my engine lives most of it's life and I wouldn't spend $5 on a box that couldn't be used with vacuum advance.

Okay so I found their explanation...

"The reason we do not like vacuum advance is because our box has a digital type flywheel built in. This helps smooth out the timing, and it does not like all the movement and "chatter" vacuum advance causes. Some cars may seem to run better with their vacuum advance hooked up because they do not have enough initial timing in their car. If you have a 318 or a low performance motor, it can benefit from vacuum advance at part throttle. However, If you set your timing up with enough initial timing and the correct total timing, your car will run great without VA and get the best gas mileage and performance that can be expected out of these older cars."

Um....okay.

 

[Kern Dog]

Yeah, I don't buy that either.

 

[threewood]

Pertronix III has a rev limiter, ballast bypass, goes in your distributor, uses vacuum advance. I have one in my GTX without issue since 2016.

I'm running 21 initial / 37 total and have vacuum advance hooked up.

 

[erickson]

I’ve been running rev-n-nators on my cars for years. No vacuum advance 36 deg total advance. I been very happy with them. Also if you would have one go bad on the road a stock box will get you going. If you’re MSD goes bad call a wrecker.

 

[Bee1971]

R/T don’t even make Rev N Nators - Haven’t been produced/sold in almost two years

FBO 4 seconds flat is still making the factory looking boxes with rev limiter

 

[Bee1971]

Pertronix III has a rev limiter, ballast bypass, goes in your distributor, uses vacuum advance. I have one in my GTX without issue since 2016.

I'm running 21 initial / 37 total and have vacuum advance hooked up.

Three wood , was this in a points distributor , or a factory electronic ignition distributor ?

I should clarify , are these available for factory electronic distributors , those of us that have done conversions

 

[threewood]

Three wood , was this in a points distributor , or a factory electronic ignition distributor ?

I should clarify , are these available for factory electronic distributors , those of us that have done conversions

Points distributor. Pull the old advance plate/points out and put the Pertronix III in its place. The system activates on the cam lobe on the distributor shaft.

 

[65Fury440]

FBO works fine.

 

[Gyratingyak]

I talked with Don at FBO and ordered his coil, box and ballast jumper. Instead of using the jumper I gutted a parts store ballast, jumpered the terminals with a 10gauge wire and sealed it back closed to keep the stock look. Once his kit was installed it was very noticeable on cold starting, driving and hot starts. I’m very happy with it and along with Don’s CS.One thing Don mentioned was very good grounding, so along with the usual screws and star washer, I added a small grounding strap to a nearby chassis bolt with some dielectric grease.

 

[Kern Dog]

I talked with Don at FBO and ordered his coil, box and ballast jumper. Instead of using the jumper I gutted a parts store ballast, jumpered the terminals with a 10gauge wire and sealed it back closed to keep the stock look. Once his kit was installed it was very noticeable on cold starting, driving and hot starts. I’m very happy with it and along with Don’s CS.One thing Don mentioned was very good grounding, so along with the usual screws and star washer, I added a small grounding strap to a nearby chassis bolt with some dielectric grease.

What did you pay for the stuff from Don?

 

[Gyratingyak]

What did you pay for the stuff from Don?

$29 for his voltage regulator on Ebay and I purchased his kit minus the dizzy advance limiting plate from him for sub $250. I can’t seem to find my receipt saved to my email folders. I apologize. The Limiter plate and springs is about $45 on Ebay, so minus that.