Distributer cap question?

[Anonymous]

Just a thearetical question here

Can you run a 1968 single advance distributor with a 1974 Duraspark distributer cap (which was the year duraspark ran the small style cap) so that you can run the HEI style wires on a point distributor?

Anyone tried it?

And if it could be done do you have to run the points rotor or the HEI rotor?

Thanks,

Doug

 

[powerband]

I run the Clifford re-curved '74 DS-I which came with the "legacy" Clifford built 250. The Points and DS-I dizzy - caps, rotors and wires as far as I know are all the same. The DS-I caps don't use the HEI type connectors and are interchangeable. My NAPA guy was surprised to find an Echlin "racing" cap listed which is Tan colored with brass contacts. If you're interested I'll try to find the PN. I use the Motorcraft blue "better" wires.

I'd sure like to know if there is such a thing as a DS-I HEI type cap and wires. I just bought another DS-I for @ $50 from NAPA for the "Pursuit 170" ("71 Maverick) engine I'm puttting in my '63 Wagon. (Probably replace the steel head gasket with the C9 gasket to lower the CR first. [thanks ] )

(Note the indexed plugs !)

Powerband 8)

 

[mustang6]

Same opinion here, as far as I have ever seen the DS-1 cap and rotor is the same as the points cap and rotor. I've never seen a small Ford cap with studs for plug wires on it.

 

[fordconvert]

Im new at this ford thing so feel free to correct me but to me it seems that the base casting part of the points and duraspark are the same. The plastic adaptor is used on the 'clip' type caps and mounts to the casting with screws as does the '74 cap. The adaptors are differnt between the dura and points type because of the dura cap being larger presumably because of the higher voltage they thought they needed a bigger gap between terminals? The rotors are differnt between the combos also.

I picked up a duraspark dizzy for my 66 and was planning on getting the 74 cap because I read that the adaptor for the standard cap hits the older blocks. From what I could tell there is no big differnce in the performance or cost of the wires for an otherwise stock engine. I assume the 74 cap was just a transition part till they perfected the high energy system? Or should I stick with the newer larger cap and wires and deal with grinding the bumps off if it hits? Im on hold with the ignition upgrade for now till I get some other things fixed, dont want to change too many things at the same time incase something gets worse I want to know what I changed last!

Again Im new at this stuff and I have not tried it yet Im only going from what I have read on forums like these. Feel free to set the record straight if you know for sure. I can imagine if you start changing things like cams and manifolds and other things you can get into trouble with the smaller caps at higher rpms but for stock I assume things would be fine either way. I know that GM went back to a smaller cap in the mid 80's that was about the same size as the 60's one. Then there was that strange (and expensive) one they did on the vortecs in the 90 that was flat and the wires came off the side split between even and odd sides. I would think that design could get messy if you had a bad plug or wire. Did ford do the same thing? But then again many of the aftermarket 'performance' V8 dizzys are the smaller caps...????????????

If you are not sure what we are talking about with the '74 cap look at this thread and look for the pic that mustangsix posted. http://fordsix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21002

Thanks for helping the 'new' guy

TJ H
66 mustang coupe
StPaul/Mpls MN USA