DSII - one more time

[nachoman]

I want to upgrade to electronic ignition using the smaller DSII cap dustributor. I've gone through the stickies on this forum and just want to make sure I understand correctly before I go get parts. For the smaller cap version, I would want the distributor from a 1974 - maverick or similar. And I want a single vacuum advance, correct? Should I get the control module from the same year, or from a later year? What about the coil? As I understand it, I need to switch to a 12v coil as the stock 1965 coil is 6v? I am thinking about going with parts counter reconditioned parts - they seem to be cheap enough. Right now I have a 1968 distributor - could I use the same cap, rotor, advance, or plug wires from it?

thanks,
kevin

 

[BKNLINE]

Ford went to the 12V electrical system in 1956. If you mean the lower voltage for the points ignition system via the resister wire, then you should be fine using any 12V coil for the Duraspark system. I believe the Duraspark I (I = one) used the smaller distributor cap. Maybe the parts person can help you determine if the rotor and cap are the same for a points ignition car and a Duraspark I ignition? Durapark II used the 6" cap and adapter. If you can use the Durapark I cap, you can retain your original ignition wires.

Single diaphram advance module should be fine.

Hope that helps. This is all I know about DS I which isn't much.

Dean T

 

[fordconvert]

From what I have read and done the 74 cap will bolt on both the DS1 and DS2. The DS2 just uses the adaptor and the larger cap which is not needed for a stock 6 cyl. Up side is that it looks more like the orignal and if your wires are good you can still use them. Down side is that when I looked at the parts stores in my area (mpls/st paul, not the largest metro in the US but not small either) no one had the 74 cap and rotor in stock and there seemed to be only one company that still made them where as the 75- is made and stocked by lots of people. I needed new wires anyway so I just went with the newer larger cap. The 74 screws on vs. the others that have the clips which is more handy if you are doing a lot of tweaking.

Modules, if you are wanting to stay Ford you want the module with the blue strain relief. Price seems to varry $20-60. If you dont mind GM parts in your ford you can get a GM module for $20-40 but then you have to make a heat sink and some custom cables. If you are going the parts store route vs. the junkyard you are going to have to make your or buy your cables anyway.

The biggest pain other than pulling and reinstalling the dizzy (the oil pump never seems to cooperate for me!!!!) is getting rid of the ballast resistor. Im not sure about your car but my 66 mustang is at least as bad to work under the dash as a modern car.

Keep checking back here, Im killing some time now so I will try and post some links/ part numbers I used on my conversion but I may have to run and may forget to come back to it.

Dizzy I used (in stock on a sunday!):
http://www.oreillyauto.com/EW3/ProductD ... ionId=1815

Module, I used an AC delco one I had laying around but there was not a picture of that one. I have had bad luck with the cheap ones so I always buy the middle priced one (this goes for the fords too) but this one had a picture:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/EW3/ProductD ... ionId=1789

Coil I used:
http://www.shopatron.com/product/produc ... 8202/424.0

The ford module I would have bought if I didnt have the GM one already:
http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/N ... rol+Module
there is a pulldown menu under the picture you can select differnt views


Plug that fits the DSII dizzy if you dont want to use generic terminals:
http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/N ... +Connector

Plug for the other end of the ford module:
http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/N ... +Connector

 

[BKNLINE]

Excellent info! Whoops, looks like I was wrong on the spark plug wiring set.

I also agree with using the blue strain relief ignition module if you go that route. The red strain relief module is for California smog purposes and costs anywhere from $75-125! What a rip-off!

Dean T

 

[fordconvert]

Just to clarify, the 74 DS1 cap uses the same male ended wires that the points caps used. The 75 and up DS2 uses the 'HEI' female ended wires.

My guess is the 74 DS1 was just the first version. I read somewhere that the problem was with the V8's and crossfires because of the increased voltage and that is why they made the adaptor and the larger cap in 75. This was not a problem for the 6's because its the same diameter as the 8's just 2 less terminals so the spacing was fine for stock applications. They must have just made the bigger six to keep everything the same.

I think this is the 74 Mav DS1 cap:
http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/N ... ibutor+Cap

I think this is the 75 and up DS2 cap:
http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/N ... ibutor+Cap

I think this is the 75 and up DS2 adapter:
http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/N ... ap+Adapter