Duraspark II install.....WOW!

jimlj66

Well-known member
I installed a DSII from a 82 Zypher in my '66 Mustang, What a difference! The car starts right up and idles sooo much better. When I first put it in it idled smooth and nice, I didn't even notice it missing till I took it for a drive. I learned you HAVE to put the spark plug wires on all cylinders to have these things run correctly :LOL:
 
what coil did you use...what did you do with the resistor wire...

I'm running a 12 volt breakerless coil from an AMC application, and full 12 volts from starter solenoid terminal (via a relay, which closes with the pink resistor wire/key). The spark will jump out of the coil center and pop on the fuel filter canister about 1 1/2" away. VERY impressive. While I've been on several 3 hour trips in this motor, there are many who recommend a separate ballast resistor or 3 ohm coil for coil "longevity".

I'm still twixt and tween here, I love that big fat spark but I'll be carrying a spare coil from here on out just in case.

John/Fresno
 
8) john, you are experiencing a phenomenon known as flash over. that will still happen even if you run the ballast resistor. you need to either put on a better set of plug wires, or move the coil or fuel filter.
 
rbohm, that happened with the coil wire out. Not sure what I was doing with it out, but a compression test comes to mind.

John/Fresno
 
if you want it even better. use a TFI module on your duraspark dizzy, and a TFI coil with that, with straight 12v (no resistor). it was a big increase in my 83 LTD (before i wrecked it) when i upgraded from a straight duraspark
 
If you really want to wakeup the DSII...do the Mr. Gasket #925D spring swap and bend the anchor tab 3/16" and open up the sparkplug gap to .045". I'll guarantee this will put a smile on your face. :nod:
 
If I already have a 12V high output coil and HEI mod, would I see any benefit from the TFI coil? Thinking no, but I will ask anyway.
 
bucfan1234":26t1tndt said:
If I already have a 12V high output coil and HEI mod, would I see any benefit from the TFI coil? Thinking no, but I will ask anyway.

The Ford TFI and the GM HEI are basically equivalent (from what I've read on this forum). The Duraspark module was a step below the TFI but a giant leap above the points system. Running the Duraspark module, without the factory resistor wire, using straight 12 volts to a high performance coil, will show little difference from the TFI/HEI for daily driver apps (but may overheat the coil---no experience with this actually happening, but some have posted otherwise). YMMV as they say.

There is a good discussion of the 4 kinds of systems on gofastforless.com.

John/Fresno
 
The Plankster Prankster":2h2m9tcs said:
if you want it even better. use a TFI module on your duraspark dizzy, and a TFI coil with that, with straight 12v (no resistor). it was a big increase in my 83 LTD (before i wrecked it) when i upgraded from a straight duraspark


dunno about that, the TFI has a digital input and the Duraspark has an analog output. They are not compatible (info on www.gofastforless.com).

John/Fresno
 
66 E100 Pickup":2xge3tod said:
The Plankster Prankster":2xge3tod said:
if you want it even better. use a TFI module on your duraspark dizzy, and a TFI coil with that, with straight 12v (no resistor). it was a big increase in my 83 LTD (before i wrecked it) when i upgraded from a straight duraspark


dunno about that, the TFI has a digital input and the Duraspark has an analog output. They are not compatible (info on http://www.gofastforless.com).

John/Fresno
i thought i wrote HEI module, sorry about that, youre right
 
jimlj66":3lrhlcqo said:
I installed a DSII from a 82 Zypher in my '66 Mustang, What a difference! The car starts right up and idles sooo much better. When I first put it in it idled smooth and nice, I didn't even notice it missing till I took it for a drive. I learned you HAVE to put the spark plug wires on all cylinders to have these things run correctly :LOL:
Your biggest difference comes with having a mechanical advance Dist , NOT that its Electronic now ( although that helps in the long run ) , many dyno tests have confirmed very little Power from a good Points Dist compared to electronic , the biggie comes with age as the points start to degrade with its first use , BUT the biggie is having a mechanical advance that work with the rpm increase of the motor , the loadamatic was problimatic at best ,You now have what Ford should of done much earlier .
 
The Plankster Prankster":167kdcg5 said:
66 E100 Pickup":167kdcg5 said:
The Plankster Prankster":167kdcg5 said:
if you want it even better. use a TFI module on your duraspark dizzy, and a TFI coil with that, with straight 12v (no resistor). it was a big increase in my 83 LTD (before i wrecked it) when i upgraded from a straight duraspark


dunno about that, the TFI has a digital input and the Duraspark has an analog output. They are not compatible (info on http://www.gofastforless.com).

John/Fresno
i thought i wrote HEI module, sorry about that, youre right

oddly enough though, you can use the TFI module with a points controlled system, since it is in effect a digital system.
 
66 E100 Pickup":3799xynt said:
what coil did you use...what did you do with the resistor wire...
John/Fresno

Right now I am running with the pink wire and resistor to the coil.
 
FalconSedanDelivery":2zn94h2c said:
jimlj66":2zn94h2c said:
I installed a DSII from a 82 Zypher in my '66 Mustang, What a difference! The car starts right up and idles sooo much better. When I first put it in it idled smooth and nice, I didn't even notice it missing till I took it for a drive. I learned you HAVE to put the spark plug wires on all cylinders to have these things run correctly :LOL:
Your biggest difference comes with having a mechanical advance Dist , NOT that its Electronic now ( although that helps in the long run ) , many dyno tests have confirmed very little Power from a good Points Dist compared to electronic , the biggie comes with age as the points start to degrade with its first use , BUT the biggie is having a mechanical advance that work with the rpm increase of the motor , the loadamatic was problimatic at best ,You now have what Ford should of done much earlier .

I did have a mechanical advance distributor, at least I think. From what I am told, my California emissions car did not have the LOM distributor. The big change may have been bad points/coil/plug wires who knows? All I know is the car starts and runs waaaayyyy better.

I should have put the Mr gasket spring in while I had it out, but I couldn't wait to try it. That may be a project for saturday.
 
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