Project Ignition Retrofit: new-->old-->newer!

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AMCdealer
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 3:42 pm
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Project Ignition Retrofit: new-->old-->newer!

Post by AMCdealer »

Copied from a thread of mine at IFSJA from January 2010 that took me until April 2011 to finish. :oops:

Thanks to the wonderful experiences my dad and I have had with the Motorcraft ignition systems on FSJs, I am going a different direction. Ignition/electrical issues kept my dad from making Ouray 2009.

Anyway, his '87 Wag had the big problems, and I now have his '88 Wag. The Duraspark module is almost completely crapped out, and I'm not replacing it. I know there are some other options out there, but I have decided to go with reliability instead of the MOST AWESOME 1.21 GIGAWATTS VOLTAGE CAPACATIVE DISCHARGE GOOEY NOUGAT CENTER +100 HP setup!

I am in the process of converting the ignition technologically backwards. The Duraspark module is going bye-bye and I am installing a points distributor. I'll be swapping out the points and condenser for a Pertronix Ignitor. I plan on getting a new points & condenser set to keep in the glove box in case the Ignitor goes out. I don't want to be dead on the side of the road somewhere. Thanks to the Duraspark box that location was almost my job at the hospital Tuesday afternoon (could have been worse!). After checking/trying a few things, I finally whacked the box with the butt of my Leatherman Skeletool in frustration. Started right up after that! Died again, hit it again, started again. I made it home.

While this setup may not be the absolute best for a super-high-energy spark it will be quite good, reliable, and easily fixed. And as far as availability, the local O'Reilly Auto Parts had an Ignitor in for me the next day for the same price as Summit Racing but even better--no shipping charge!

I will get some pics to post tomorrow. I started on it today but didn't get very far since I got called in to work.

Stay tuned!
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Another issue with the Motorcraft system is the wiring. The conversion I am doing also cuts down the number of wires and connectors thereby reducing other potential problem areas. The problem with my dad's '87 is that there might be some wiring issues somewhere that led to the problem. I am also keeping in mind that I'll have to return this Jeep to him someday! The simpler the system the better in that case as well! According to both him and my wife I have an extraordinary amount of patience for testing, tracing, and sorting wiring. My dad certainly DOES NOT AT ALL! Not to mention he can't see all that well close up. I think he needs trifocals but won't admit it.
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I kept working on the Jeep for a while but other projects and life got in the way. At first I was getting spark but then nothing. I thought I might have killed the new Ignitor with too much cranking. Did some more troubleshooting and the ignition coil was marginal. I ordered a new coil, a Pertronix Flamethrower to match the Ignitor.

I emailed Pertronix tech support since I had conflicting information between the Ignitor instructions and the Flamethrower coil instructions. Here's the email I sent them:

"I recently converted an '88 Jeep Grand Wagoneer (AMC 360 cid V8) with an Ignitor (PN 1181) in an older AMC V8 points distributor. The original Motorcraft ignition system has been bypassed. I followed the Ignitor instructions and installed it while keeping the ballast resistor as recommended. I bought a Flame-Thrower coil (PN 40001)and the coil instructions recommended removing the ballast resistor. Should I remove the ballast resistor or not? Thanks."

Here's the response I got:

"Since you have the Flame-Thrower coil. For the best ignition you should bypass the ballast resister.

Marvin Grebow Jr.
PerTronix Inc.
Technical Department Ext. 1030
marving@pertronix.com"

So today I finally got around to installing the new coil. Still no spark. So I start checking all of my wiring and connections. I found that a two-pin connector I had installed on the Ignitor wires (to make it able to be unplugged in the event of having to remove the distributor in the future) had a faulty connection on the positive lead. I fixed that and then changed how the system was wired to bypass the ballast resistor wire.

I did a temporary setup with a jumper wire because I didn't want to have to spend a lot of time on it and then have it not work.

FYI, I also installed a MSD rotor and cap (burgundy-ish colored cap to accentuate the Wag's burgundy interior ) and some Accel radio-suppressor ignition wires (8 mm, yellow for a little more underhood bling).

I hooked up my timing light on the coil wire to see if the Ignitor was working--nice bright flashes, success! Next step, I put the wire clip on each plug wire to make sure they were all sparking--success!

I finally dared to try to start it but didn't have any luck. I was getting a puff, like built up pressure) out of the carb at times. Twisted the dizzy around some and tried again.

It fired up! It was barely running but it was RUNNING! After almost a year!

Cue "Weird Science"--"It's alive!"

It's going to need to have the timing set again and some adjustments made to the carb for idle speed and such but I'm happy. I'm also going to have to clean up the wiring.

My only concern is that the coil was pretty hot by the time I shut it off after about 10 minutes. We'll see what happens. If the coil dies from getting full voltage I think I have a good case for a free replacement.

Once I get it tidied up I'll post some pics and driving impressions.
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Left work early today to get some stuff done. Got the ignition timing set (about 10-12* BTDC) and carburetor adjusted a bit. I'll have to see how it does on a cold start now. I rebuilt it a year ago but the choke wasn't setting right--or so I thought. The fast idle screw I had to turn in about 2.5 turns!

Back to the Ignitor and coil wiring, I wired it back so that the coil gets reduced voltage through the ballast resistor wire. The direct hookup I had was getting more like 14.4 volts because that's what the alternator was putting out. Run through the resistor with the alternator output at about 14.4-14.6 volts I was getting about 10.8-11.1 at the coil. It also didn't get as hot. It was almost too hot to even touch with full voltage. I'm going to leave it that way. I think it's also better that way in case I'm ever in a jam with it and have to put the points and condenser back in. Now I just have to finish tidying up the wiring harnesses.

I also DROVE the Jeep back and forth a bit! It moved under its OWN POWER!!!

Pics still to come, but not sure when yet. I have a busy week and weekend coming up.
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Finished getting the wiring loomed and the plug wires sorted. Drove it on the road today for the first time in a year! I still need to clean the engine bay, but here's some pics.

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And, yes, that is a 9th spark plug in the driver's side exhaust manifold AIR fitting. I'm experimenting with my own emissions idea. (Not really, it's just plugging the hole since the fitting is screwed up. Haven't had time to fix properly.)
AKA "SVO42" at IFSJA
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Stuka
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Re: Project Ignition Retrofit: new-->old-->newer!

Post by Stuka »

I installed a points distributer in my '75 as the factory prestolite sucked. Worked well until I eventually went with a Z&M HEI.

I installed a ballistic resister to drop the voltage down while running, but ran a straight 12V to start.


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2017 JKU Rubicon
Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
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