Throw the BOX!!?

[sebring+]

Ok guys, I've had a pertronix on my 66 289 mustang for 30 years over 100K miles.

WORKS PERFECT!

I'M ON MY 3rd MOPAR ignition box.

I'm this close to chucking my distributor, orange BOX and resistor.

Then just buy a Pertronix distributor that eliminates all that resistor/box/amps/ etc... happy horseshit.

Am I missing something here or is the 1972 mopar electronic ignition THAT MUCH OF A PAIN IN THE A$$?
I know that I have seen/heard countless stories of the mopar electronic ignition BOX/RESISTOR/BAD GROUND/etc./etc./etc.....

I JUST WANT SOMETHING RELIABLE! I don't race the car. Just drive it occasionally. Just drove it for 40 minutes today.
Turned it off. After sitting for 20 minutes went to put it in the garage. Ran for 15 seconds then just died before I put it in gear.
NO SPARK!!!

400 1972 SATELLITE.

ANYONE have any suggestions on a reliable system?

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I haven't run a Chrysler Electronic ignition since the 70's..... I went back to points for years but currently have two Petronix drop in module systems and one complete MSD system... They've all been reliable the MSD system has over 20K miles & one of the Petronix has over 100K... Never a problem...

If you want to keep the Chrysler system close the air gap down to .006-.008

 

[QuickBpBp]

From what I understand the newer ECU from Mopar are junk. The old ones that are new bring big bucks these days as they are Dependable. Can't beat MSD as long as it's not a Chinese knock-off...

 

[threewood]

Go Pertronix and don't look back. Orange box quality is crap. I have 2 Pertronix drop in units, both on Flamethrower coils, bypassed ballast. Both run great.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

My 2-cents? I've heard problems with newer orange boxes. The only time I burned up Mopar ignition boxes is when I pinched the main blue hot wire under the corner of the intake manifold (short). Having said that, I've personally run MSD boxes (no ballast resistor) for a long time now with very good luck. I've heard good things about Petronix style ignition as well. So...pick your favorite electronic ignition, don't use a new orange box, and you're good. Your problem today may be a ballast resistor. They burn out all the time, so carry a spare or two until you change to electronic.

 

[bobsgtx]

Many options. Cheapest is probably keep the dist. Add a HEI 4 or 8 pin module and a Ford E core coil. There is a bracket somewhere to mount a 4 pin module under the dist. No ballast resister.

 

[sebring+]

I haven't run a Chrysler Electronic ignition since the 70's..... I went back to points for years but currently have two Petronix drop in module systems and one complete MSD system... They've all been reliable the MSD system has over 20K miles & one of the Petronix has over 100K... Never a problem...

If you want to keep the Chrysler system close the air gap down to .006-.008

Great!
So is it just remove the guts from my electronic 70's distributor?
Install pertronix guts(pick up) in place of the removed original guts?
And maybe a flame thrower coil?

Bypass the box and resistor...

I hope it is that easy!!

Putting pertronix in my 66 mustang was that easy.

 

[sebring+]

UPDATE:
2 HOURS LATER CAR FIRED RIGHT UP!!

GOTTA BE A HEAT situation BREAKDOWN WITH THE IGNOTION.
Positive had NO spark but had GOOD fuel 2 hours ago.

 

[Bird 426]

Halifax I think has some older good modules. Otherwise, FBO ignition makes their own module, has a rev limiter too. I have run this with my Mopar distributor for 3 years. Bypass's the ballast resister, do need a different coil and quality spark plug wires.

 

[sebring+]

Many options. Cheapest is probably keep the dist. Add a HEI 4 or 8 pin module and a Ford E core coil. There is a bracket somewhere to mount a 4 pin module under the dist. No ballast resister.

Thanks!
I will look into that too!

 

[sebring+]

Halifax I think has some older good modules. Otherwise, FBO ignition makes their own module, has a rev limiter too. I have run this with my Mopar distributor for 3 years. Bypass's the ballast resister, do need a different coil and quality spark plug wires.

Thanks!!

 

[sebring+]

I haven't run a Chrysler Electronic ignition since the 70's..... I went back to points for years but currently have two Petronix drop in module systems and one complete MSD system... They've all been reliable the MSD system has over 20K miles & one of the Petronix has over 100K... Never a problem...

If you want to keep the Chrysler system close the air gap down to .006-.008

Thanks

 

[sebring+]

Go Pertronix and don't look back. Orange box quality is crap. I have 2 Pertronix drop in units, both on Flamethrower coils, bypassed ballast. Both run great.

That is the way I'm LEANING,!!

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Unfortunately Petronix doesn't make a conversion for the Chrysler Electronic ignition... So either you find a points distributor & put a conversion kit in that or you buy a complete Petronix distributor...

 

[sebring+]

Go Pertronix and don't look back. Orange box quality is crap. I have 2 Pertronix drop in units, both on Flamethrower coils, bypassed ballast. Both run great.

Were your distributors originally mopar electronic or points?

 

[sebring+]

Unfortunately Petronix doesn't make a conversion for the Chrysler Electronic ignition... So either you find a points distributor & put a conversion kit in that or you buy a complete Petronix distributor...

 

[493 Mike]

Many options. Cheapest is probably keep the dist. Add a HEI 4 or 8 pin module and a Ford E core coil. There is a bracket somewhere to mount a 4 pin module under the dist. No ballast resister.

Mopar HEI Conversion I buy the Ford coils from Rock Auto
Mike

 

[toolmanmike]

Ok guys, I've had a pertronix on my 66 289 mustang for 30 years over 100K miles.

WORKS PERFECT!

I'M ON MY 3rd MOPAR ignition box.

I'm this close to chucking my distributor, orange BOX and resistor.

Then just buy a Pertronix distributor that eliminates all that resistor/box/amps/ etc... happy horseshit.

Am I missing something here or is the 1972 mopar electronic ignition THAT MUCH OF A PAIN IN THE A$$?
I know that I have seen/heard countless stories of the mopar electronic ignition BOX/RESISTOR/BAD GROUND/etc./etc./etc.....

I JUST WANT SOMETHING RELIABLE! I don't race the car. Just drive it occasionally. Just drove it for 40 minutes today.
Turned it off. After sitting for 20 minutes went to put it in the garage. Ran for 15 seconds then just died before I put it in gear.
NO SPARK!!!

400 1972 SATELLITE.

ANYONE have any suggestions on a reliable system?

You either buy a box (or two) from Halifaxhops or go back to the Pretronix that lasts decades. Your choice.

 

[Demonic]

I had a brand new Orange box kit for a 383 that was bad from the start back in 2001 or so. My 71 383 Fury Custom Suburban. I swapped in an old stock black box out of a Duster parts car and it's still running as far as I know. ( Sold it many years ago)

The failure behavior was unusual - it would throw a constant arc between the coil tower and the primary. Kept the coil, axing the bad Orange fixed it. Orange box had a hum while this was going on. Some sort of constant oscillation, circuit failure.

 

[#41]

Interesting to hear about the suspect new orange boxes. I run nothing but MP electronic systems on all my cars and have never had one go down in 40+ years. If one does go down, I guess I'll be grabbing an old orange box off the shelf.