• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Mopar ECU Ignition Box Dyno Shootout

Really interesting comparison. Although I noticed they used a ProForm orange box, not a Mopar orange box. My bet is that a Mopar orange box would not have done anywhere as well. Never thought Mopar orange box was real good.
In the day I went from a Mallory dual point which ran really good, to a Mopar blue box and iron Hemi electronic distributor, better, would easily go past 7000 RPM. Then the Mopar MSD 404 which was 1/2 MPH faster than the blue box back to back at the track. Mopar claimed it would improve ET. Not in my car. But the MPH was really there. I had both the blue box and MSD in the car so all I had to do was move the plug & the coil wire. True back to back at the track.
Many years later in a Fast 8 race with my Arrow, I failed to shift into 2nd in time and the motor began popping, I looked at the tach 8400 RPM, the MSD 404BC was still firing, the valve train had given up the ghost. The antique MSD 404 BC sure did the job for me for many thousand runs.
 
I was more surprised with the MSD Blaster 2 Coil and these ECUs honestly

Especially since Don at FBO says , Pertronix 1.5 OHM Coil Only

I have had zero luck running MSD Blaster 2 Coils


Thanx for the video
 
F4R/T said:
Needs to lose the man bun .. very interesting !
Click to expand...

ABSOLUTELY needs to loose the "man bun" maybe a hair cut as well......overall, interesting but I'm still dubious. Just wondering how much additional HP could be realized if they fixed the blow by.....look at the vent on the rocker arm cover when near max load ..... looks like a lot of blow by to me.....
BOB RENTON
 
RJRENTON said:
ABSOLUTELY needs to loose the "man bun" maybe a hair cut as well......overall, interesting but I'm still dubious. Just wondering how much additional HP could be realized if they fixed the blow by.....look at the vent on the rocker arm cover when near max load ..... looks like a lot of blow by to me.....
BOB RENTON
Click to expand...
They acknowledged the blow-by issue and mentioned making a future video after fixing it.
 
Well I can tell you this I put an MSD 6AL box on my 63 and used to have the MP orange box on it. The car is no faster at all with the MSD but I like the MSD as it keeps the plugs cleaner where I can run them for well over a year. Ron
 
383man said:
Well I can tell you this I put an MSD 6AL box on my 63 and used to have the MP orange box on it. The car is no faster at all with the MSD but I like the MSD as it keeps the plugs cleaner where I can run them for well over a year. Ron
Click to expand...

383, it doesn't surprise me that a 6AL didn't make the car much faster. But the 6AL doesn't have the same fire power as my 404BC had. Pretty sure my old Blue Box would outpower a 6AL, just doesn't have the rev limiter.
 
I would like to find out what the inlet air temperature and oil temperature was for each run.
I suspect the dyno number differences were more a result of these two factors than anything.
When I switched from a Mopar Orange box to a MSD street fire I had to turn the timing back as my 383 started to ping.
No other changes.
It definitely started better and had better low end response.
I don't believe any of these are multiple spark discharge units.
 
Don Frelier said:
I would like to find out what the inlet air temperature and oil temperature was for each run.
I suspect the dyno number differences were more a result of these two factors than anything.
When I switched from a Mopar Orange box to a MSD street fire I had to turn the timing back as my 383 started to ping.
No other changes.
It definitely started better and had better low end response.
I don't believe any of these are multiple spark discharge units.
Click to expand...
Leave a comment on the video. I'm sure they'll get back to you.
 
Don Frelier said:
I would like to find out what the inlet air temperature and oil temperature was for each run.
I suspect the dyno number differences were more a result of these two factors than anything.
When I switched from a Mopar Orange box to a MSD street fire I had to turn the timing back as my 383 started to ping.
No other changes.
It definitely started better and had better low end response.
I don't believe any of these are multiple spark discharge units.
Click to expand...

Are you saying an MSD 6AL is not a multi spark? The Mopar orange box sure isn't.
 
Don Frelier said:
They didn't run any tests with a MSD box:
Proform orange
Mopar Chrome
FBO
Revinator
Click to expand...
IMO....at RPMs in excess of 3000, MSD (Multiple Spark Discharge) boxes simply do not have enough time to generate more than one spark per cylinder, although, the spark generated can be of a higher voltage depending on the coil's design and its turns ratio (primary to secondary or voltage applied to the primary winding resulting in the secondary voltage produced). One could observe the high voltage spark waveform using a storage oscilloscope, to watch the shape (amplitude and voltage) and number of pulses (time base) that occurs as RPM's increase. And then compare the control box's ability to work as intended or desired..... Just a thought....
BOB RENTON
 
Don, maybe I didn't read your post correctly.
But a MSD will start and run a bit better than most others. Again my antique MSD 404 BC would fire the plugs to very high RPM. My observation was that the Mopar orange box cars ran out of steam by 6000 RPM. My blue box went past 7000 & the MSD well past 8000 RPM.
 
66Satellite47 said:
Don, maybe I didn't read your post correctly.
But a MSD will start and run a bit better than most others. Again my antique MSD 404 BC would fire the plugs to very high RPM. My observation was that the Mopar orange box cars ran out of steam by 6000 RPM. My blue box went past 7000 & the MSD well past 8000 RPM.
Click to expand...

WOW.....the "blue box went past 7000 & the MSD well past 8000 RPM"....@ well past 8000 RPM, one eould think valve float and maybe rod stretch would cause a catastrophic failure long b4 the ignition system gave up...but not knowing the specifics of the engine or test conditions....one can only speculate. Just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON
 
But he made a timing change before that revinator test? (And wished they did try with an original Orange Mopar box.) I have had 2 on mild street 440 builds in GTX. With no complaints. I run a MSD 6AL with added 2step mods with Rev limitator on a near 700 HP 451. No complaints with that setup either. The only complaints I have experienced is with dual points. Once setup that distributor did run as well as the the Mopar orange boxes. But no evidence it ran better? And of course "Once set uped?" Was a bit of a chore.
 
Watch Motor Trend - Engine Masters Throwing Sparks

You might be a little surprised from Basic to CDI Ignition
They even ran a few Mopar ECUs - If I remember it was a Ford Engine making serious HP on the dyno testing all types of ignition systems
 
Dont get me wrong as even though my car was no faster with the MSD 6AL box I like that ign better the my MP orange box. It does start faster and seems to run cleaner and keeps the plugs much cleaner all year. As said the MSD is only multi-spark up to about 3000 rpm but it does still fire a capacitor of higher volts then normal ign after 3000 rpm. Ron
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
  • Locked
FOR SALE Mopar Orange Ignition Box
Replies
0
Views
489
ROB SHARON
R
theamcguy
How good is the Proform 440-425 ignition box
Replies
4
Views
932
Bird 426
B
sebring+
Throw the BOX!!?
2 3 4
Replies
73
Views
5K
HALIFAXHOPS
HALIFAXHOPS
Loulang
Holley sniper ignition box question
Replies
4
Views
1K
Greg - Mopar2U
Greg - Mopar2U
dieseldazzle
  • Locked
SOLD Mopar performance crate 5.7 6.4 ecu and harness kit, brand new in box
Replies
2
Views
496
dieseldazzle
dieseldazzle
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top