Dizzy cap question

[FDChappie]

I've read else ware on the forum that a duraspark 2 dizzy cap and rotor will fit a IH Holley points dizzy. Could someone give me an application, ie '96 ldt, that would fit. It's time for a new cap and wires on the Scout and I'd like to upgrade to 8mm wires to fit the male terminals on the duraspark cap.

Thanks

 

[1975IH200]

I've read else ware on the forum that a duraspark 2 dizzy cap and rotor will fit a IH Holley points dizzy. Could someone give me an application, ie '96 ldt, that would fit. It's time for a new cap and wires on the Scout and I'd like to upgrade to 8mm wires to fit the male terminals on the duraspark cap.

Thanks

Ask for ignition parts for a 1978 Ford ltd II with a 400m engine and fmx 3-speed automatic transmission, ps, pdb and ac.
It is a two-piece cap, so be sure you get both pieces, and the rotor as it is longer & taller than a stock Holley rotor.
Use dialectric grease on each end of the 8mm high tension cables.

 

[FDChappie]

Mucho grasis senior! With the extra piece, do you feel that it would be better or worse in wet conditions than the stock cap?

 

[Bill Bennett]

The Ford duraspark II cap and rotor can be done on the 304 and 266 engines, but I was told it won't work on the 345/392 engines due to the different design of the intake manifold. I don't have the larger engine to try the conversion.
The larger Ford cap mounted on the IH Holley distributor will hit the side of the thermostat housing of the 304, but about 10 minutes with the drum sander of your dremmel at the unused ear of the thermostat housing will eliminate the problem. It is not necessary to remove the thermostat housing from the engine. It will be easier to remove the dist from the engine, but cover the hole so the grit from the sanding doesn't fall into the engine. With the dist out of the engine, mount the cap on the dist housing and check clearance between the cap and vacuum advance can. Depending on how the vacuum can fits on the housing. I had to grind off about 1/32" from the cap. Retaining the plastic dust spacer that goes between the cap and distributor body makes the larger cap a pretty tight fit. Use a file to eliminate the 'lip' around the edge except just enough to prevent the piece from dropping down into the dist. Can also remove the inside half of the raised sections at the bottom of the cap so the lip of the dust spacer will fit inside the raised sections around the base of the cap. When you look at it, you will see the problem. Without the plastic spacer, the cap fits fine.
I used the 'bosch' brand 8mm plug wires #09758 from a 1979 Scout II that came with the prestolite distributor. All the wires are pre-cut to the correct length including the #7 extended length. The wire ends for the cap were (in 2008) all the 90* style. There was the additional 8mm wire for coil to cap, also with the 90* connector for the cap. Standard male connector for the coil.
Image #294 = the Ford cap on the IH Holley dist as it is today.
Image #232 = the 'tight' area between the cap and vac can.
Image #234 = the area removed from the thermostat housing.
Image #241 = Ford cap before adding wires and t stat mod.
Image #251 = t stat housing and outlet after blending the removed 'ear' and removing the 'hump' off the water outlet. Was not necessary to convert to the Ford cap but was done just to be different.

 

[FDChappie]

Thanks bill, it looks like the 345 manifold is about 1" taller, so where the duraspark cap clears the manifold on the 304, it will not on the 345. The pictures helped a lot.

Anyone know of another cap that will fit the Holley and have the male terminals? I tried a prestolite cap and it's also a no-go, but it was a long time ago and I don't remember why.

 

[Bill USN-1]

The prestolite does work on the Holley.
I've ran them before.
But I don't really see it as an upgrade just like the Ford cap and rotor.
No real advantage to using them other than someone said it was and everyone started using them.
Large caps were used to help prevent arc over back when companies started increasing the plug gap to .060
running standard gaps and a good ignition and wire set there is really no need.

 

[FDChappie]

Point taken on the upgrade, except for the ability to use the better wires and a better seal between the wire and cap. I'll give the prestolite cap a try, since I already have one and a set of newer wires.

 

[1975IH200]

Well, for the IH'ers that want to use the Ford duraspark cap & wires on the Holley dizzy in the 345 or 392 engine, I installed my Holley-duraspark modified dizzy and clearanced the intake manifold accordingly on my 392. Seems to have plenty of material at the water temp probe area to remove whatever is needed.
I previously removed the extra bolt hole flange on the thermostat housing, so that was not an issue for me.
Pics attached...

 

[Bill Bennett]

Looks good! I used the bosch #09758 8mm plug wires for my 304 engine. Comes as a 9 wire set. The 9th wire is for the coil. All wires are pre-cut to length. The #7 plug wire is extra length per IH specs. As the cap is marked for the #1 cyl, if you rotate the dist and rotor so the #1 wire connects on the #1 tower, it will make plug wire replacement easier next time you make other mods.

 

[Bill USN-1]

Glad it worked out for you.

But for others that May read...it's a luck of the draw when it comes to grinding the manifold.
I had to replace one when water started to seep thru the pores after less grinding than you did.

The prestolite cap on the Holley distr is a much safer way to go just to get male terminals on a cap.

The large cap does nothing for performance.

 

[Bill Bennett]

glad it worked out for you.

But for others that May read...it's a luck of the draw when it comes to grinding the manifold.
I had to replace one when water started to seep thru the pores after less grinding than you did.

The prestolite cap on the Holley distr is a much safer way to go just to get male terminals on a cap.

The large cap does nothing for performance.

I agree with bills comment of no improvement in performance with the duraspark cap. At least nothing I could feel. Don't believe it lost any performance either. Grinding on the intake manifold like that does look a bit dangerous! Wouldn't take much of a 'slip' of the grinder to cause a leak - as bill experienced.

 

[1975IH200]

Thanks bill.
Ran the engine after the mod of the intake manifold, no leakage at full temp & pressure of the cooling system. I think it looks like more is removed in the photos than is really removed.
I used a dremel tool, no chance of removing too much in my experience if I slip, as it doesn't take off much at a time.

I will be using the Ford tfi coil and a set of 8mm plug wires for a Ford 460 engine. Also a GM 4-pin ignition module.

 

[FDChappie]

That looks like a nice setup with that coil. My primary concern is performance in very wet conditions. With the Ford coil having the mail connecter I believe it will seal better.

Tell me more about the GM 4-pin ignition module.

 

[1975IH200]

that looks like a nice setup with that coil. My primary concern is performance in very wet conditions. With the Ford coil having the mail connecter I believe it will seal better.

Tell me more about the GM 4-pin ignition module.

The GM 4-pin ignition module is used in the GM hei distributors. Available anywhere in parts stores.
Check bill usn-1 threads in the fuel injection forum for different ignition mods, the Holley-duraspark is one of his, except I am using the Ford cap & rotor.

The Ford tfi coil has two clips that positively hold the coil wire on, difficult to see in the photos.