Revenator Ignition

[mopar73dge]

Has anyone used that new Ignition control unit the Revenator on a small block? Is there significant improvement with this? over a stock control module does it do what they say it will do ?
thanks Mike

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Is on my car since mid 2012 ( serial number 20, maybe the first one exported ) I'm REALLY happy with it.

Engine displacement doens't make diff. Is made for any engine.

I'd say the Chromed MP and FBO ( A688 ) would be about same performance response, but without the quality issues these got

Chromed MP started up faster my engine
FBO rpms response was about the same

Has being told the newer units got some more improvements, but can tell which are

NOTE: I'm not an expert making performance comparision, but honestly I wouldn't make a step back from my Rev-N-Nator.

 

[kiwigtx]

Has anyone used that new Ignition control unit the Revenator on a small block?

Yes, I run a Rev-N-Nator unit on my 360 powered Dodge A100. Definitely an improvement over the stock ignition system.

and my buddy MowPar has a Rev-N-Nator unit on his 318 powered '78 Dodge Ramcharger. It makes a huge improvement over the stock ECU.

I also run one on my '70 GTX. Again, a very noticeable difference in performance over the Orange box ECU.

Please remember that the Rev-N-Nator is not a cure-all....you need to get everything else correct as well - same for any Ignition swap over.

 

[kiwigtx]

 

[mopar73dge]

Is on my car since mid 2012 ( serial number 20, maybe the first one exported ) I'm REALLY happy with it.

Engine displacement doens't make diff. Is made for any engine.

I'd say the Chromed MP and FBO ( A688 ) would be about same performance response, but without the quality issues these got

Chromed MP started up faster my engine
FBO rpms response was about the same

Has being told the newer units got some more improvements, but can tell which are

NOTE: I'm not an expert making performance comparision, but honestly I wouldn't make a step back from my Rev-N-Nator.

What quality issues do you mean? and are talking about the Revenator? Also is worth using a chrome box for my 318 with a 340 spec cam and stock coil?

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Power transistor failure in 2 chromed MP boxes I have used and also on the A688 FBO.

Any performance ECU will get better response with a performance coil. No matter the cam

 

[Nacho-RT74]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=92253.0;all

 

[Kern Dog]

Hey, I am certainly the guy that you can expect to support an American vendor. The testing criteria must be on a level playing field though.
There have been some really wild claims in the advertising of this product. Some I recall stated a 40HP increase.
If you test a new product against a faulty unit made by a competitor, the results will be unfairly biased.
This is like how many guys brag about how their new coil over RMS suspension conversion handles so much better than the 200,000 mile worn out torsion bar setup did. If you compare each in their optimal condition, you may see less of an improvement than you expect.
The Rev-N-Nator does have some good features. It plugs in like a stock unit and has a rev limiter. I had one of them and did like that about it.
What I didn't like is that with my engine, it made it want to spark knock much easier. I would have had to modify my distributor by welding up the advance slots just to make it work. PLUS it is advised to run this unit with NO vacuum advance
I ran the REV-N Nator 400 miles on a road trip and got a best of 10.8 mpg. On the way back, I ran a Mopar Performance Chrome box and attached the Vacuum advance. I got 12.8 mpg and the power was the same.
To me, forget the claims about big power gains. The only advantage I saw was the rev limiter at the expense of fuel economy.

 

[rrTor-Red]

Laura and Troy are Mopar people and good all around people!

 

[kiwigtx]

Laura and Troy are Mopar people and good all around people!

Totally agree here with you.
I have had the pleasure of talking with Troy and Laura on the phone several times, and they are always so helpful and courteous. That's not just sales pitch either, that is the sign of a Manufacturer believing in their product, as well as being downright nice people. I have no hesitation in recommending the Rev-N-Nator to anyone wanting a boost in performance as well as keeping a very close stock looking ECU....with a few nice little extras in the package.

The testing criteria must be on a level playing field though.
There have been some really wild claims in the advertising of this product. Some I recall stated a 40HP increase.

The pitch that I was sold on originally was up to 13% gains to be made with some simple tuning. I noticed my gains just by the seat of my pants. I do not doubt 40HP gains for one single second.

 

[kiwigtx]

I would have had to modify my distributor by welding up the advance slots just to make it work. PLUS it is advised to run this unit with NO vacuum advance

I installed a brand new Accel distributor, as my MP one took a dump some time earlier when running the orange box ECU.
I believe this one is no longer available.

 

[Kern Dog]

For performance, it may be better than the MP chrome setup if it is all properly set up. I just didn't see the point with what I had in mind for the car. I am not a drag race guy. I want the car to run hard for a few seconds to get up to speed, I turn corners, ride for hours on the freeway at 70+mph, cruise it locally, etc. I treat my car like a fun daily driver except with better maintenance!

 

[lewtot184]

i did the FBO (rev limiter box) kit and i'll have to say that it's the only ignition upgrade i've ever done that i could tell a difference in.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Since they did the HR688 ECU, didn't trust anymore in FBO products. That was a Chevy kind ign module hidden inside a Mopar disposition box.

I know the new HHR688 was new designed from the bones, but... sorry not anymore.

My A688 really worked amazing but NOW i have doubts if they were really any stock replacement ( maybe a Standard LX101 ? ) but just with a mental suggestion they were performance.

Didn't like the fact they erased the number on transistor and didn't get assistance on know which one is, since NOW I can't fix it myself ( i won't ship it back to the States to get it fixed if I can fix it )

It just last long maybe 6 or 7 months effectivelly running even it was mounted on car by 1 and half year. Fortunately I got my money back.

The customer service was really good, but now I can't trust completelly on their products ( due the development of the HR688 with a Chevy module inside )

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I have tested for couple of days also the Hi-Rev7500 module being sold by Rick Erhenberg. Also performs quite good. Can't tell if superior than the rest but quite over a stock one. HOWEVER, I can't say either if is somehow a "rebadged" aftermarket stock replacement unit?

How many Ign Modules are REALLY being manufactured from the bones ?

But is true too than you can't go wrong for the price with those HiRev. Just a bit more than a parts shop replacement.

MP is still making ECUs ? Sometime ago it seems not anymore.

SUMMIT is selling "their" ones. Performance? Stockish ?

There are some dealers on ebay offering some orange box around ( even on ign upgrade kits ) which dunno if they are an aftermarket version of the orange MP?

 

[lewtot184]

Standard made almost all the modules. they are Asian now vs U.S.A. the FBO is U.S.A. there are some lower end Asian modules out there now. FBO discontinued the black box (made by Standard with a U.S.A. transistor) due to Standard going over seas and quality issues; hence the new box with rev-limiter and 12 volts to the coil. the nice thing about the new FBO system is being able to carry a cheap spare box if something goes wrong. i did kill a black box last fall but it was 100% my fault. the older black boxes are LX101's with an upgraded transistor.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

So I was not wrong about my perception with the old A688 FBO box. I was aware he stopped the production of those boxes for the reason you mention, but never told me they were Standard made as far I recall.

Shame he removes the transistor PN and never told me which one it was. I could fix my one ( which failed not because my fault ), Although I found an original Motorola transistor NOS used on Chromed boxes that I could try on it...

Now he doesn't "make them" anymore, lot of modules could be still saved if he publish the transistor used.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I think transistors used by MSD could be used too. But... does somebody know which one is?

 

[Don Gould]

You really think you can get the potting material out of a Transistor type ECU and replace it and reseal it? Good luck on that deal let me know how that works out for you.
You can replace the whole thing with a new Computer controlled unit with REV Limiter, coil and all parts to install, get rid of your unreliable ballast resistor and upgrade to this century for $200.00 ..... why would you want to try changing the switching transistor? I had a100 or so laying around here for a while but threw them all in the trash about 4 years ago. Obsolete and worthless.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

shame you trash those. Your trash can be gold for many ppl... I'd like to replace it... yes is posible... Already did it on the MP one. Just need to open small holes on back of the potting material making a cut just right where the transistor leads are.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=92253.0;all

Maybe your goal is modern parts, not mine, I'd like to get the classic work and look. I don't race, so don't need to get the BEST PERFORMANCE EVER to win against somebody, just trying to get some better juice using what factory setups offers me