Ignition questions???

[JohnnyC]

Ok, so my engine is at the machine shop and now I need to find out what type of ignition box setup that I need for a turbo application any info would be great?

 

[Robert Kenney]

Only one from a boosted perspective.... A pertronix updated dizzy and the msd box below.

Has built in boost retard. You May want no boost referanced retard but then again you May need it when you crank up your levels or good fuel is just not in the budget...

way cheaper that wishing you had it after buying a base
6al
msd 6-btm boost timing master

msd 6-btm boost timing master - 6462

 

[JohnnyC]

My guess is that the msd 6-btm boost timing master - 6462 will include everything I need correct?

 

[Michael Mayben]

I totally agree with Robert.

The msd box is a platform that can be built upon with many toys.

It can be triggered from any variation of a stock or performance-enhanced distributor...from a basic reconditioned unit (Holley or delco) with a pertronix, to a mag trigger new mallory, to a mag-trigger converted Holley, etc.

And with that box, I'd definitely use an appropriate matching coil such as the msd "ss" e-core unit, p/n 8207:

msd blaster ss coil - 8207

That coil can only be used with any msd or mallory six series cd box and should not be used as a stand-alone coil triggered only by the distributor.

This combination gives you total state-of-the-art in ignition without spending a whole bunch of buckage and it's modular in concept in that not all of it has to be installed at the same time if budget is a concern.

And all of the above works onna stocker as a major ignition system upgrade and will certainly complement your turbo project.

 

[JohnnyC]

I have a holly and a prestolite which is better for this application?

 

[Eric VanBuren]

I vote for the Holley (particularly if it is a gold box version), cause if you're going to use it to trigger a msd then you can convert it to a motorcraft or mopar pickup and use the vr connection (the purple and green 2 terminal plug) on the msd instead of the white wire. No sense in spending the money on a pertronix just to use it as a trigger, just adds complexity and another not so cheap failure point.

 

[JohnnyC]

Eric, can I bug you to explain the conversion a little more in depth. Possibly how to convert and what it does?

 

[Michael Mayben]

I vote for the Holley (particularly if it is a gold box version), cause if you're going to use it to trigger a msd then you can convert it to a motorcraft or mopar pickup and use the vr connection (the purple and green 2 terminal plug) on the msd instead of the white wire. No sense in spending the money on a pertronix just to use it as a trigger, just adds complexity and another not so cheap failure point.

Any Holley distributor May be converted to a mag trigger. Why would anyone waste an operational gold box distributor to do this??? Key word..."operational" (meaning the hall effect trigger component is functional).

And converting any Holley distributor to a mag trigger is a totally worthless operation unless the distributor has been completely reconditioned in it's entirety first.

How the hell does adding a pertronix hall effect conversion trigger add "complexity" to any distributor or ignition system?? A p-tron simply drops in and goes with no juryrigging required whether used to trigger a cd box or in stand-alone mode. And ya think a duraspark or chrysler (or delco hei) mag trigger never fails??? You ain't been workin' on cars very long son.

Last I checked (I converted three Holley distributors to mag triggers over the weekend), a pertronix conversion uses a pickup and a magnet wheel. That is...two parts. A mag trigger conversion uses ...two parts...a reluctor and a pickup...along with a whole bunch of fabrication that many folks are not capable of in order to be successful. So what's the difference???

There is absolutely no performance or durability advantage to a mag trigger over a pertronix for use with a carbureted engine. Any cd box has two completely separate "input" provisions, one for a "points (read breaker points, pertronix, hall effect, etc.) input" and one for use only with a mag trigger. Ya never use both off the same distributor.

An ignition system "trigger" is a dam trigger...no matter if breaker points, a light beam, a hall effect sensor, a magnetic trigger, a crank sensor, or a proximity detector.

 

[JohnnyC]

Thanks mm for your info.do you have any pics of a p-tron conversion?

 

[Michael Mayben]

thanks mm for your info.do you have any pics of a p-tron conversion?

You will see a few pertronix conversions pointed out in some of the posts in this thread:

http://www.forums.IHPartsAmerica.com/ignition-tech/642-ihc-vehicle-distributor-identification.html

And some more variations in this thread:

http://www.forums.IHPartsAmerica.com/ignition-tech/644-ignition-system-performance-upgrades.html

I've lost many of my archived jpegs off all kinds of ignition and electrical-related stuff from many years of work in crashing a few hard drives this past year. Just yesterday, I was able to actually recover some of the very first digishots I took 10>15 years ago! So I don't have a pic of an actual pertronix 1482 installed in a Holley 1510 sparker.

This pic is a pertronix ho-181, the only conversion that is correct for an sv Holley gold box distributor (you cannot use the 1481 which is for a breaker point Holley distributor). It came from a friend in texas who was inquiring as to whether it was correct for his application or not (it was).

You can plainly see the hall effect sensor and the magnet wheel that fits down over the reluctor in a gold box unit. This one has a separate base plate for the adaptation. The similar item for a points distributor has the sensor already permanently mounted to the adapter plate and is slightly different in configuration. And...the magnet wheel configuration is also slightly different between the two items.

Each pertronix part number is specific to each distributor no matter which manufacturer or vehicle/engine model.

The older crane led/optical distributor conversions were an extremely nice unit also, but they only had two versions to fit all known distributors. That meant an extensive amount of work had to be done to set up the conversion inside the distributor, and then "phase" it correctly which was beyond the abilities of most folks who aren't familiar with kind of work. The kit box had tons of little odds and ends for making the setup, it was like playing with an erector set!