GM 4200 Vortec Inline LL8 with Holley Terminator X

N

Nailgun

New member
PSIG said:
Yeah, for this application some common coil packs or coil-near-plug are fine. Some like the CNP-style LS coils along the valve cover or side cover, others like 2x3 or 6-pack coil packs on the side or even on the fender apron or firewall. A zillion choices for what you think plays well with your vision or special requirements. Go to your favorite site or search engine and enter "V6 coil pack" for ideas. Part of the problem with suggestions is that there are so many choices for coils.

Random example of the popular GM D599A "smart" coil pack:
View attachment 18663
*"Smart" or active coil packs have internal power transistors (drivers), so external ignition modules are not required. Passive or "dumb"coils (like your old stock coil) require a driver, either in the ECM or external. No big deal, but another thing to put in the system. TL;DR - a smart coil is a dumb coil with a driver built-in. A passive 6-cyl pack will typically have 4 pins, while an active coil like the D599A will have 5 or more.

The IGN1A was originally a marine application, is a huge coil designed for long dwell, but can certainly work for most anything at lower power and directly controllable by most any aftermarket ECM from the sub-$100 EFI ECMs to crazy expensive ones. Considered overkill for most things, but certainly capable of firing most anything. Do your thing.
Click to expand...


These coils are everywhere in the wrecking yards here in Canada. My dilemma with a weak Canadian dollar, any aftermarket coil x6 adds up when buying in American dollars. I'm lucky enough to have two PCM's on hand. One is an original flavour MS3Pro and the other a Holley Terminator X Universal. This Holley system is what I'd like to use if possible....thing is I called Holley to ask about ignition options and they more or less cater to the LS crowd and they have never heard of the D599A. That means stock LS coils/IGN1a or a slew of other smart coil types. That's where my interest is in this D599A coil is peaking my interest. It's incredibly easy to swap under hood and is dirt cheap new or used (and I have one). Where it's going is on a GM Vortec 4200 inline 6 with either PCM's. Both do 58x and smart coils in wasted spark. Hating to be the first to try....is there any good reason the Terminator X not work with a D599A being that it runs other GM smart coils?

I might not have privileges enough on this site to post images.

D599A4200LL8

Think that works. Hope to hear back from someone in the know.

Regards from Canada,
Clint
 
This where I googled this D599A coil being suggested by user PSIG. What I will do here before I leave this thread is post if possible a picture/link to what I believe is good information on the D599A pin assignments at the plug. Not my own work but it looks credible. Has my firing order already at 1,5,3,6,2,4....still to be verified by checking TDC by cylinder pairs. That will give me something to do today as I can make my wires from two Taylor plug wire/boot kits (50055 wire and 46069 boot).

Next issue will be the Holley X3 software and assigning the outputs for plug J1B. It's not very intuitive or I'm just not smart. More Youtube videos are needed. I can't even see J1A and J1B assignments in the software. I don't get it?

This will be my second to last post in this thread and I'll link it to another topic to something like "Holley Terminator X to generic inline 6 engine". Yeah, I'm not a Ford...but if it works, who cares.

Edit...moved to my own home in the 'Orphan Inline' forum group. HERE

Holley Generic Harness 271R960A

D599A CONNECTOR ASSIGNMENTS
Moving forward with Terminator software X3. My issue is I couldn't see my I/O outputs and assign them. I googled and came up with...

Go to -> Toolbox
Drop down menu -> Add Individual Config
Open folder to -> IO
Select file -> Default.io

I can now see my IO tab and see my outputs yet to be assigned.

IO output picture link HERE.

Why'd they have to hide that?
 
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It looks like you may be able to configure the Terminator X for waste spark ignition using the "Ignition Type" drop down menu, then select "Custom"
There should be an "Output Setup" under "Custom".

You will be using pins B21, B15, B22 of the ECU PINOUT.
It doesn't look like the universal main wire harness has these connections.
The GM LS main wire harness does.

1775325801015.png
 
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