60s Refugee
Well-known member
It became clear to me very quickly that DSII ignition would be the way to go. I had used a petronics set before, but I like just about everything about the DSII. Here is a pic of the parts. All of these parts are designated for a 1978 Fairmont six. From L to R, top row first are the 8mm high quality wire set from Auto Zone, the conversion harness from NPD, the dizzy and cap adapter (single vac advance) from AZ. The NPD coil (Motorcraft #DG314), the ignition module and dizzy cap, from AZ. Not shown is the rotor and recurve kit 'cuz I already installed these before the pic was taken.
There as been much debate about the resistor. I was sure after reading the threads that I needed to remove the resistor (pink wire). When I opened the box and looked at the coil, look what is has printed on it!
While Shawn was over we discussed this. He said most Ford cars had resistor wires them, including the Ford Fairmont! Shawn is a Ford tech at a local Ford dealership). That evening I looked up Fairmont resistors on several parts websites. Every site listed Fairmont resistor wires! So, I will keep the resistor in place. This has explained itself to me very clearly, thanks to that coil warning!. Perhaps HIPO coils need 12v, but apparently the OEM stock doesn't. Eric, your Dad was right!
I recurved the dizzy by following the directions on the 'sticky' and the Carbed Fords site. I took the dizzy apart, set the pin from the '10' to the '13' slot, replaced the weak spring with one from the Mr. Gasket #925 kit, bent the post for the heavy spring 3/32". I just didn't like how loose the spring was after that, so I bent it back till the slack was taken. It's probably bent 3/64" now.
I checked the oil pump shaft socket against the size of the old dizzy. They matched. I oiled the shaft, greased the gear and stabbed the dizzy in. It fit perfectly into the dizzy hole without any sanding of the housing and such. I had left the engine on TDC so I backed the balancer back to 8* BTDC, and set the dizzy with the rotor aimed right at #1. I noticed that the vac hose nipple was blocked by the dip stick tube! I pulled the dizzy back out, rotated it clockwise one step, stabbed it back in, then reset the rotor/#1 thing. I figured that the engine should at least start at this setting.
I received several personal messages and read a reply from one of our regular posters that the DSII doesn't care where its vacuum comes from as long as it drops when the manifold vac does. When the vac drops then its gone, whether its manifold vac or SCV vac. In short, a DSII will advance OK with a SCV port. I have decided to run the vac advance to the port on the Bravo carb. We'll see who's right.
The top of a DSII coil sticks out farther than an OEM coil. After loose fitting the coil I noticed that it was way too close to the fuel pump filter. I took one bolt out and turned it vertical. I wasn't that sure one bolt would keep it from vibrating down, so...I mounted the coil to the shock tower using stainless bolts, nuts, washers.
The Ignition Module was next. I noticed the mounting holes were threaded. I drilled out the threads. It looked like the best spot for the module was next to the wiper fluid bag. I mounted it there with three stainless sheet metal screws. Here's a pic!
Here's a pic of the whole layout!
Now to wire it up. The harness has two wires to attach. A red one that goes to the ignition wire than ran to the "+" coil post (from the ignition switch), and a white wire that goes to the 'start' wire going to the solenoid. I found out the hard way that this wire must be common to the solenoid wire terminal marked 'I'. Otherwise the starter won't stop cranking when you release the key
! I also needed to hook up my Rally Pack tach so I took the black wire from the tach and spliced it to the wire running to the new coil "-"post.
After the wires were tied up, it was done!
I still need to put the radiator and stuff back on, but tomorrow I should be ready to try and start it!
Harry
There as been much debate about the resistor. I was sure after reading the threads that I needed to remove the resistor (pink wire). When I opened the box and looked at the coil, look what is has printed on it!
While Shawn was over we discussed this. He said most Ford cars had resistor wires them, including the Ford Fairmont! Shawn is a Ford tech at a local Ford dealership). That evening I looked up Fairmont resistors on several parts websites. Every site listed Fairmont resistor wires! So, I will keep the resistor in place. This has explained itself to me very clearly, thanks to that coil warning!. Perhaps HIPO coils need 12v, but apparently the OEM stock doesn't. Eric, your Dad was right!
I recurved the dizzy by following the directions on the 'sticky' and the Carbed Fords site. I took the dizzy apart, set the pin from the '10' to the '13' slot, replaced the weak spring with one from the Mr. Gasket #925 kit, bent the post for the heavy spring 3/32". I just didn't like how loose the spring was after that, so I bent it back till the slack was taken. It's probably bent 3/64" now.
I checked the oil pump shaft socket against the size of the old dizzy. They matched. I oiled the shaft, greased the gear and stabbed the dizzy in. It fit perfectly into the dizzy hole without any sanding of the housing and such. I had left the engine on TDC so I backed the balancer back to 8* BTDC, and set the dizzy with the rotor aimed right at #1. I noticed that the vac hose nipple was blocked by the dip stick tube! I pulled the dizzy back out, rotated it clockwise one step, stabbed it back in, then reset the rotor/#1 thing. I figured that the engine should at least start at this setting.
I received several personal messages and read a reply from one of our regular posters that the DSII doesn't care where its vacuum comes from as long as it drops when the manifold vac does. When the vac drops then its gone, whether its manifold vac or SCV vac. In short, a DSII will advance OK with a SCV port. I have decided to run the vac advance to the port on the Bravo carb. We'll see who's right.
The top of a DSII coil sticks out farther than an OEM coil. After loose fitting the coil I noticed that it was way too close to the fuel pump filter. I took one bolt out and turned it vertical. I wasn't that sure one bolt would keep it from vibrating down, so...I mounted the coil to the shock tower using stainless bolts, nuts, washers.
The Ignition Module was next. I noticed the mounting holes were threaded. I drilled out the threads. It looked like the best spot for the module was next to the wiper fluid bag. I mounted it there with three stainless sheet metal screws. Here's a pic!
Here's a pic of the whole layout!
Now to wire it up. The harness has two wires to attach. A red one that goes to the ignition wire than ran to the "+" coil post (from the ignition switch), and a white wire that goes to the 'start' wire going to the solenoid. I found out the hard way that this wire must be common to the solenoid wire terminal marked 'I'. Otherwise the starter won't stop cranking when you release the key
! I also needed to hook up my Rally Pack tach so I took the black wire from the tach and spliced it to the wire running to the new coil "-"post.After the wires were tied up, it was done!
I still need to put the radiator and stuff back on, but tomorrow I should be ready to try and start it!
Harry
