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Which ignition do you use?

Which ignition do (or would) you use?

  • Points

    Votes: 8 28.6%

  • DuraSpark

    Votes: 12 42.9%

  • HEI

    Votes: 1 3.6%

  • PerTronix (specify)

    Votes: 5 17.9%

  • MSD distributor (specify)

    Votes: 3 10.7%

  • Accel (specify)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Edelbrock

    Votes: 1 3.6%

  • Progression

    Votes: 2 7.1%

  • EFI integrated ignition

    Votes: 5 17.9%

  • Other (specify)

    Votes: 3 10.7%
  • Total voters
    28
running an Autolite clone with a Pertronix 3 & matching coil

Yes I have tuned my mechanical to be very close to what the engine likes but timing control in many conditions is always welcome. Im always looking for ways to pull the most MPG when cruising or when in stop and go traffic, having a way to catch a runaway temp condition definitely adds peace of mind (even though my car has been fine in 114F Arizona traffic)

2 step would be a nice feature to have for shits n giggles as well
 
What most people don't understand about an inductive coil ignition system....

a. The Ignition Coil will only produce enough voltage to make the spark jump across the Spark Plug Electrodes. If your OE points ignition would produce 18,000 volts to make a spark, installing a "40,000 volt" ignition coil and trigger will generate 18,000 volts to jump the gap, too.

What WILL a "higher performance" ignition system provide.... Since the coil will induce only the necessary voltage to jump the plug gap, if you change the engines "operating parameters" by expanding the plug gap, cylinder pressure, fuel mixture, "natural" EGR (camshaft events), etc., an ignition system CAPABLE of a higher voltage will accommodate the need, where a "stock" ignition system may misfire.

b. Breaker points need to be adjusted due to wear at the rubbing block, where it rides the distributor cam lobes, and deteriorization of the contacts due to pitting. Make sure you keep the cam lubed with appropriate cam grease and file/adjust the points every 10-12,000 miles. Excessive metal transfer from one contact to the other can be indicative of incorrect ignition primary voltage or a weak/failing condenser.

c. Know the differences between your "solid-state" ignition systems. "All-in-One" types, where everything is placed inside the distributor, are subject to lots of heat and EMI (electro-magnetic interference). Systems using an external ECU (electronic control unit) still rely on a "trigger" inside the distributor, which may be magnetic or optical, but the "brain" can be mounted away from heat, vibration and EMI.

d. Because the "solid-state" triggers do not rely on a "mechanical interface", other than passing a magnet past a coil or interrupting an optical signal, they are all pretty much equal at providing an accurate signal to the ECU, provided the distributor, itself, is properly manufacturer and calibrated (phased). A reluctor wheel that is installed a few degrees out of phase can cause issues at high rpm/high spark advance situations as the rotor-to-cap phasing may be "off" when the spark is triggered.

What I use.....

a. Points work fine for the vast majority of installations as long as you don't mind the routine maintenance associated with them. I would only use components from Standard Motor Products or Motorcraft.

b. For those folks wanting a "solid-state".... I hate the words "electronic ignition" since all ignitions are "electronic"... lol. I install Duraspark distributors with the following ECU's..
1) "Blue Grommet" for the majority of installations. These were most commonly used for Ford Passenger Car and Truck installations for a decade.
2) "White Grommet" for those installations where high compression and aggressive timing presents cranking challenges as this ECU provides a 10* spark retard while cranking function.
3) "Red Grommet" for those installations require a high-voltage capability. This ECU, along with a low-impedance coil and un-resisted power supply (full 12vDC) provides "HEI level" capacity for "hard to spark" installations. Typically, I use with a late-model "TFI" ignition coil.

c. Although I've used the Pertronix Ignitor, even on lawn tractor engines (lol), it's my opinion that as the firm has changed hands the quality has decreased so if somebody wants a "drop in the existing distributor" solid-state solution I'd use the Mallory "E-Spark" conversion kit.
 
Both are actually viable and have their good points. Some people even take the HEI module itself, put it on a heatsink and use that. Foregoing the big-cap distributor part.
 
bartl said:
What most people don't understand about an inductive coil ignition system....

a. The Ignition Coil will only produce enough voltage to make the spark jump across the Spark Plug Electrodes. If your OE points ignition would produce 18,000 volts to make a spark, installing a "40,000 volt" ignition coil and trigger will generate 18,000 volts to jump the gap, too.

What WILL a "higher performance" ignition system provide.... Since the coil will induce only the necessary voltage to jump the plug gap, if you change the engines "operating parameters" by expanding the plug gap, cylinder pressure, fuel mixture, "natural" EGR (camshaft events), etc., an ignition system CAPABLE of a higher voltage will accommodate the need, where a "stock" ignition system may misfire.

b. Breaker points need to be adjusted due to wear at the rubbing block, where it rides the distributor cam lobes, and deteriorization of the contacts due to pitting. Make sure you keep the cam lubed with appropriate cam grease and file/adjust the points every 10-12,000 miles. Excessive metal transfer from one contact to the other can be indicative of incorrect ignition primary voltage or a weak/failing condenser.

c. Know the differences between your "solid-state" ignition systems. "All-in-One" types, where everything is placed inside the distributor, are subject to lots of heat and EMI (electro-magnetic interference). Systems using an external ECU (electronic control unit) still rely on a "trigger" inside the distributor, which may be magnetic or optical, but the "brain" can be mounted away from heat, vibration and EMI.

d. Because the "solid-state" triggers do not rely on a "mechanical interface", other than passing a magnet past a coil or interrupting an optical signal, they are all pretty much equal at providing an accurate signal to the ECU, provided the distributor, itself, is properly manufacturer and calibrated (phased). A reluctor wheel that is installed a few degrees out of phase can cause issues at high rpm/high spark advance situations as the rotor-to-cap phasing may be "off" when the spark is triggered.

What I use.....

a. Points work fine for the vast majority of installations as long as you don't mind the routine maintenance associated with them. I would only use components from Standard Motor Products or Motorcraft.

b. For those folks wanting a "solid-state".... I hate the words "electronic ignition" since all ignitions are "electronic"... lol. I install Duraspark distributors with the following ECU's..
1) "Blue Grommet" for the majority of installations. These were most commonly used for Ford Passenger Car and Truck installations for a decade.
2) "White Grommet" for those installation
Click to expand...

bartl said:
s where high compression and aggressive timing presents cranking challenges as this ECU provides a 10* spark retard while cranking function.
3) "Red Grommet" for those installations require a high-voltage capability. This ECU, along with a low-impedance coil and un-resisted power supply (full 12vDC) provides "HEI level" capacity for "hard to spark" installations. Typically, I use with a late-model "TFI" ignition coil.

c. Although I've used the Pertronix Ignitor, even on lawn tractor engines (lol), it's my opinion that as the firm has changed hands the quality has decreased so if somebody wants a "drop in the existing distributor" solid-state solution I'd use the Mallory "E-Spark" conversion kit.
Click to expand...
That info about the 10 degree cranking retard should be something the small 6 owners should pick up on if they are running a Dura spark . The Hyper spark in my 200 lets me.have a oem cranking set point with a different setting for the idle . The diffrence in the engine useing the 12 degree oem setting for cranking & for idleing and useing 24 degrees for idleing is pretty drastic . My stock 200 went from kind of flopping around at idle to what you want ,nice & smooth .
My car is out of that oem box now , but it ran fine with all the oem parts when i got it . The bad idle followed with the 2300 Sniper on the stock exhaust & the points dist with the MSD 6AL box . The header & dura spark & MSD . WHEN I INSTALLED THE Hyper Spark with adjustable settings it left .
 
After 25 yrs of P1 and matching coil i went back to points and regular ford coil

I noticed absolutely no difference in performance good or bad.

Car runs just the same
 
I'm still running points/condenser and and happy with their performance. I did run a pertronix for awhile until it crapped out. Then back to points. Never been left on the side of the road with points.
 
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