Hot ignition desired

[sebring+]

Hey guys,
Been out of the loop for a long time. Been busy raising a family and working. I am going to start driving my 72 Sebring+ this summer.
FINALLY! Bought it 23 years ago!
I won't be racing just street driving frequently.
It's a 400 w/Holley 600cfm 727 TF auto, sure grip.

I am looking for a very hot/possible multi spark system. I currently have factory electronic ignition set up on the car. Just looking for hotter, better spark for trouble free daily driving.

Last time I had an after market set up was on my '66 289 mustang 2 barrel. I Had a Jacob's ignition, pertronix pick-up and a flame thrower coil.
It worked really nice. Got the plugs gapped out to .060's.
That was 20 years ago.

What's the latest and greatest?

Been so long I feel like I'm staring from square one.

Any advice is appreciated.

Russ in Caif.

 

[493 Mike]

Is the engine misfiring now? The oem setup should out last the car and fire every plug everytime.
Mike

 

[dadsbee]

The latest and greatest is what came with the car

 

[RemCharger]

.....oh I see this has been properly answered..

Is the engine misfiring now? The oem setup should out last the car and fire every plug everytime.
Mike

The reason some auto manufacturers went to a larger plug gap was to combat lean mixture firing back In the 70s.
But in reality for performance and power it's counter productive.
It actually goes backwards, the more extreme power output, the smaller the gap .

 

[Dodge 330]

We use a factory electronic distributor with a recurve hooked to an analog MSD 6AL box The older non-digital units are stone reliable, have amazing spark and have a rev limiter. It also allows me to retard timing with a separate small box that plugs in. These boxes are all over at swap meets and usually dirt cheap.

 

[sebring+]

The MAIN REASON for asking about this subject:

On my mustang 1966 289 automatic
I made several custom sets of jets leaner than stock.

Installed pertronix and jacobs ignition.

Forced the hot air flapper in air cleaner open all the time.

Routed very small amount of vaporized fuel into the intake via the PCV system.

Gapped the A/C copper core plugs to .060.

CAR RAN SUPER SMOOTH.
THE ACCERATION WAS MUCH, MUCH BETTER.
The fuel mpg went from 16 to 21 mpg.

Drove it for 2 years like that in winter rain and 110°
Central Calif weather. Ran better than perfect with ZERO problems.
Then the Jacob's ignition died.

I started working overseas off and on and have not worked on my old school cars for quite some time.

I want to try this setup on the Sebring PLUS.

I know Jacob's ignition isn't around anymore.

 

[ruffcut]

Nothing wrong with the factory electronic ignition for reliable performance in a street driven vehicle.
ruffcut

 

[turbine68rt]

Are you sure you have a '72? Looks like a '71 to me.

 

[sebring+]

Are you sure you have a '72? Looks like a '71 to me.

I cut in side markers and installed 71 bumper.

 

[RemCharger]

Luckily there's still some jacobs kits on ebay.
Looks like you can get back to where you want to be

 

[19polara64]

FBO Ignition Systems MOPAR Micro-Processor IGNITION SYSTEMS Digital Micro Processor Circuitry|EPROM Processor with|Built in DEAD STOP Algorithm REV Limiter|Eliminates Ballast Resistor|44KV Output on demand|Plug and Play|one simple wiring modification

 

[Geoff 2]

Sebring,
A famous engine builder, I believe it is Steve Morris, says you cannot have too much ign. Nor can you have a spark plug gap that is too large.
Honda thought plenty of spark was so important that they designed an engine in the 80s that had a separate mini combustion chamber, adjacent to the main chamber. The 'fire' in the mini chamber ignited the mixture in the main chamber.

You could spend lots on an improved ign system. But will spending big $$$ make a difference you can feel? Also more $$$$ often means more complexity.....which means more failure points.

If you think MSD multi spark is best, I suggest you read the comparison between MSD & HEI, here
www.worldphaco.net

There is a reason why the GM HEI ign system is made by the aftermarket for non-GM cars. That is because for the average hot rodder it is hard to beat.....for value & ign energy. The HEI produces 85% more energy than points ign.

The Chys elec ign is good because it gives a slight increase in spark energy over points & maintains accurate ign timing for 000s of miles. But it lacks two things that HEI has: it does not have variable dwell & is down on spark energy [ hence the small 0.035" plug gap ].

A good reliable system would be HEI dist with Plat or Irid plugs, gapped to 0.060". These plugs require less firing voltage than conventional plugs, which reduces misfires. The benefit for the hot rodder is you can a bigger gap.

 

[Kern Dog]

Pffft....
As long as the ignition system is working AND you're not running a turbo, a supercharger/blower or nitrous oxide, there is NO power in ignition. This has been known for years. Points ignition set records back in the 60s, Their main drawback is that they require frequent service and replacement of wear parts. The Mopar factory electronic ignition will give great service and be cheap compared to more "sophisticated" systems.

 

[Geoff 2]

Sometimes there is 'no power' in ign. As in more peak hp. But very often there is smoother running & better mileage. Both of those factors are due to less misfires.....& more HP being made at those rpms.

 

[sebring+]

Sebring,
A famous engine builder, I believe it is Steve Morris, says you cannot have too much ign. Nor can you have a spark plug gap that is too large.
Honda thought plenty of spark was so important that they designed an engine in the 80s that had a separate mini combustion chamber, adjacent to the main chamber. The 'fire' in the mini chamber ignited the mixture in the main chamber.

You could spend lots on an improved ign system. But will spending big $$$ make a difference you can feel? Also more $$$$ often means more complexity.....which means more failure points.

If you think MSD multi spark is best, I suggest you read the comparison between MSD & HEI, here
www.worldphaco.net

There is a reason why the GM HEI ign system is made by the aftermarket for non-GM cars. That is because for the average hot rodder it is hard to beat.....for value & ign energy. The HEI produces 85% more energy than points ign.

The Chys elec ign is good because it gives a slight increase in spark energy over points & maintains accurate ign timing for 000s of miles. But it lacks two things that HEI has: it does not have variable dwell & is down on spark energy [ hence the small 0.035" plug gap ].

A good reliable system would be HEI dist with Plat or Irid plugs, gapped to 0.060". These plugs require less firing voltage than conventional plugs, which reduces misfires. The benefit for the hot rodder is you can a bigger gap.

I agree 100%!
This is why I want a really hot spark.

My MSD isn't as good as the Jacob's.

The difference in performance and MPG from stock to the add-ons,
(Jacob's, pertronix pick-up, flame thrower coil, .060 gapped plugs, leaner jets and pre heated vaporized fuel mixture) was unbelievable on my 1966 289 mustang.

I was very disappointed when the Jacob's ignition quit working after 2 years. The MSD didn't perform as well.

I'm just looking for the latest and best ignition spark enhancer.
Maybe I will check out the GM HEI.

 

[steve340]

Take a look at Progression they appear to be doing good stuff.
Looks easy to change the timing curve and that is what really counts.
A digital curve distributor makes tweaks so easy, especially with the fuel available today.

 

[Dodge Bros]

“Then the Jacob’s died”

Not exactly a recipe for success there. Opening the spark plug gaps taxes the ignition, that is probably why the Jacobs didn’t last for years and years. Super HOT spark works great for a while, until it doesn’t. Strip only you could run something hotter like a bigger MSD, or get a crank trigger and go to a multi coil set up. On the street with some racing mixed in though I would rather play it safe and run more modest spark, but each to their own.

We had our 510 in our Charger so we could switch back and forth from a MSD6 and the Orange Mopar box. Honestly could never really tell a difference, big Accel coil on both.

I would try Progession ignition so you can mess with the timing curve. I wouldn’t get carried away with the big plug gaps unless it is messing around at the track.

Chrysler 413/440 V8 Distributor

 

[Budnicks]

For what you want to do
you don't really need a multi-spark capacitive discharge type system
Do a MP/Direct Connection 'Chrome box' Chrysler Electronic Ignition module
call it done (you already have the basic)
easy plug & play for what you say you want, gives it a lil' more dwell, like 20*s
& hotter fire/spark...
I'd suggest getting a good appr. coil to match & lowest Ohm resistant wires helps too...

I ran my last one (MP Chrome Box) for 15+ years, my current car
it's mostly a street-beast type car
a lot more mods (I'll keep it as a spare just in case)

I recently stepped up to the FBO ignition box, figured wtf
we'll see how it works out

 

[Budnicks]

FBO Ignition Systems MOPAR Micro-Processor IGNITION SYSTEMS Digital Micro Processor Circuitry|EPROM Processor with|Built in DEAD STOP Algorithm REV Limiter|Eliminates Ballast Resistor|44KV Output on demand|Plug and Play|one simple wiring modification

 

[fourgearsavoy]

I like a Firecore distributor with an analog MSD 6AL box. I also use an MSD Blaster SS composite coil with Firecore wires.

Gus