How do these generic electronic ignition kits compare to the Mopar Performance kits? Has anyone here used one of these kits on their small block. Tell me the pros and cons of these kits compared to the MP kit. MP kit goes for $215 now and these kits go for around $145. Thanks

Justin
"CornDog"

Use it will be fine.
When I do a conversion I use JY pieces most of the time. They work fine too.

JY ??

JY = Junk Yard

You can buy junk yard parts and peform the conversion yourself. Really not hard.

Here is the diagram and info:
http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/elec/3.html

Junkyard... gotcha. haha. Well, I guess I should clarify my point a bit. I have a '73 Dart Sport with a /6. I am dropping in a '87 Ramcharger 318/727 that I rebuilt. The Dart already has the elec. ignition setup. I guess I am just looking for something a little more than stock. Are the Mopar Perf. kits anything more than stock?

If I do use an OEM distributor, then is there much I can do to it to improve the perforamnce? Thanks!

Justin
"CornDog"

The wiring harness is the same MOPAR Performance part that comes in the kit.

The main difference is that the distributor is a stock type electronic distributor whereas the MP kit distributor is made for them by one of the big name performance companies whose name escapes me at the moment and the MP distributor is set up (curve, springs etc...) for an engine with higher than stock horsepower etc. The electronic ignition module is a stock replacement type whereas the MP kit provides either the orange or chrome boxes which are designed to be compatible for an engine that sees higher RPM's than a stock engine.

The old MP kits may have provided a race only voltage regulator for 69 & older MOPARS.

If you are installing an electronic ignition set up in a 69 & older car you do need to change the voltage regulator over to either the 70 & up type or you need to buy a solid state voltage regulator as the stock mechanical type 69 & older regulators will not work with an electronic ignition. If you do a conversion on a 69 & older car and want to retain a stock looking voltage regulator, see (my) eBay auction, number 180295901456 for the correct appearance solid state voltage regulators that I sell for a shipped price that is $5 less than a major MOPAR Restoration Parts company sells the same item for without shipping.

An alternative to buying the kit is to build one yourself by purchasing the parts separately. From a Chrysler dealer or other Mopar Performance parts dealer, purchase part # P3690152 wiring harness.

As for Ignition Module Selection;
With a four pin electronic ignition module you can use a ballast resistor with two pins.
A 5 pin module requires the dual ballast resistor and associated wiring.

To use a 4 pin control module with the # P3690152 wiring harness and a two pin ballast resistor just eliminate the wire going to pin 3 on the module and use a single element two pin ballast resistor for.

I strongly recommend mounting the ignition module away from direct heat and on a bracket that allows air to flow behind the module as the factory did with most of their installations.

If your engine is relatively stock, you do not need the MP kit. I suspect that the kit you are looking at is on eBay from seller CJMP and he is a very reputable person to deal with.

I hope this helped - feel free to email me with questions. I am going to try to post a wiring diagram within this reply.

Bill

Mallory makes the new Mopar dizzy's.

The MP unit has an adjustable mechanical advance as well as an adjustable vacuum advance.

I did not use the kits either. Got the distributer and harness from the junkyard and new electronic module at Advance Auto. I took the distributer apart, lubed it, put it back together, installed it along with the harness.
It all worked well. Total cost for everything; maybe $25.00.

A big part of the price difference is the MP kit comes with a new distributor and if you just want that you can buy it separately at the dealer. This is the 1st I heard that it comes with a voltage regulator. You can get the wiring harness at the dealer too if you need it or just modify the one thats already on the car if you need to for the V8. You dont need anything else.

Anyone have directions on how to recurve a distibutor?
Or does that come with the spring kit? I pressume there is a spring kit that someone is selling???

To recurve the distributor you need to know when you want the timing to come in(RPM) and how much. You should have access to a distributor machine to check the timing changes at rpm. It can be done in the car with a good timing lite but is a lot easier out of the car on the distributor machine.

The Mallory spring kit #29014 (also under a MP#) has curves for timing verse rpm for the various springs along with spacers to set the mechanical advance in two degree increments.

The kit info is accurate enough that you don't need a distributor machine to set the distributor up.