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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: earlybee]
#150680
11/14/08 03:50 AM
11/14/08 03:50 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 12,291
Kent, Wa
340SHORTY
Truck Nut
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Truck Nut
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 12,291
Kent, Wa
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said to have a lil hotter spark,,,, but they sure have a substantial failure rate
I am truckless..
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: 340SHORTY]
#150681
11/14/08 09:24 AM
11/14/08 09:24 AM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Re: Orange box ???
#150682
11/14/08 11:13 AM
11/14/08 11:13 AM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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 hotter spark, substantial failure rate, chrome box is (much)better EDIT & have been known to retard at high rpm's
Last edited by RapidRobert; 11/14/08 11:27 AM.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: ZIPPY]
#150684
11/14/08 11:47 AM
11/14/08 11:47 AM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,476
340dart4spd
Parts Problem
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Parts Problem
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,476
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Quote:
Go chrome every time.
I recall reading the chrome box runs HOT!! on the street
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: 340dart4spd ]
#150685
11/14/08 12:04 PM
11/14/08 12:04 PM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
Quote:
Go chrome every time.
I recall reading the chrome box runs HOT!! on the street
no, thats the RACE box. ive run chrome plenty of years to know it works just fine
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Re: Orange box ???
#150686
11/14/08 12:20 PM
11/14/08 12:20 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,359
Buzzard County, FL
IronWolf
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,359
Buzzard County, FL
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Both the Orange and Chrome ECU's utilize the 793266 power switching transistors.
The difference between the two is in the support circuitry hidden beneath the potting material.
Yes, they get hot. That's why Ma Mopar installed ECU "standoffs" on some models. My old Mirada ECU was mounted directly on the fender apron, and I burned through one or two stock ECu's. The orange box on our old Monaco got hot enough to melt the potting material, and it dripped down the firewall.
After reading this post, and having just gone for a cruise in the 'cuda, I verified that , yes, the transistor gets a bit hot.
But that's why the CPU on your computer right now has a cooling fan - millions of transistors, switching current. Except those transistors on the CPU are tiny, and the ECU transistors are big 70's Godzillas.
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: IronWolf]
#150687
11/14/08 12:22 PM
11/14/08 12:22 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,476
340dart4spd
Parts Problem
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Parts Problem
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,476
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Quote:
Both the Orange and Chrome ECU's utilize the 793266 power switching transistors.
The difference between the two is in the support circuitry hidden beneath the potting material.
Yes, they get hot. That's why Ma Mopar installed ECU "standoffs" on some models. My old Mirada ECU was mounted directly on the fender apron, and I burned through one or two stock ECu's. The orange box on our old Monaco got hot enough to melt the potting material, and it dripped down the firewall.
After reading this post, and having just gone for a cruise in the 'cuda, I verified that , yes, the transistor gets a bit hot.
But that's why the CPU on your computer right now has a cooling fan - millions of transistors, switching current. Except those transistors on the CPU are tiny, and the ECU transistors are big 70's Godzillas.
Thanks just my point!!
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: IronWolf]
#150688
11/14/08 12:24 PM
11/14/08 12:24 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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other than a standoff where would be the best place to put it to maximize cooling. I mistakenly ran a GOLD(drag race only) box on the street once & it died in short order.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: IronWolf]
#150690
11/14/08 12:42 PM
11/14/08 12:42 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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I've seen that potted material rolling down & even though(for the moment) it was still up & running you know something ain't right
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: IronWolf]
#150691
11/14/08 12:44 PM
11/14/08 12:44 PM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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concept of a heatsink is to physically conduct the heat away from the component where the air can cool it.
Mounting it on standoffs allow air to circulate around it but without the airflow (ie in traffic) it wont cool as well.
ive seen melted potting material on heatsinks before but not always. I wonder why some do it and some dont. Some have that yellow gel potting that melts easier than that dark brown rubbery potting.
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Re: Orange box ???
#150692
11/14/08 12:49 PM
11/14/08 12:49 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,359
Buzzard County, FL
IronWolf
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,359
Buzzard County, FL
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Quote:
concept of a heatsink is to physically conduct the heat away from the component where the air can cool it.
Mounting it on standoffs allow air to circulate around it but without the airflow (ie in traffic) it wont cool as well.
ive seen melted potting material on heatsinks before but not always. I wonder why some do it and some dont. Some have that yellow gel potting that melts easier than that dark brown rubbery potting.
Right. And that's exactly why I burned ECU(s) on my old Mirada (fender apron mounted).
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: IronWolf]
#150693
11/14/08 12:53 PM
11/14/08 12:53 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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that settles it(for me). My next one is going in fromt of the radiator a little bit off to the side.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: 340dart4spd ]
#150694
11/14/08 01:09 PM
11/14/08 01:09 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,838
S.E. Michigan
ZIPPY
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,838
S.E. Michigan
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Quote:
Quote:
Go chrome every time.
I recall reading the chrome box runs HOT!! on the street
Not with a 1 ohm ballast resistor 
Don't use a 1/4 ohm ballast for long distance street!
Sacrifice a TINY bit of spark by staying away from 1/4 ohm ballast resistors, and in my rather lengthy experience (over 100,000 miles on the same chrome box, and the same blaster 2 coil) they hold up really well.
Use a 1/4 ohm ballast, and you'll have 1. a slightly hotter spark 2. more heat to deal with and 3. higher failure rates for the coil and ecu.
I do have one ancient orange box left from the '80s that still works great, but by and large the chrome box has a longer lifespan and is worth the extra couple bucks.
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: IronWolf]
#150695
11/14/08 01:12 PM
11/14/08 01:12 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,568
Omaha, Nebraska
Scott Carl
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,568
Omaha, Nebraska
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Quote:
Yes, they get hot. That's why Ma Mopar installed ECU "standoffs" on some models. My old Mirada ECU was mounted directly on the fender apron, and I burned through one or two stock ECu's. The orange box on our old Monaco got hot enough to melt the potting material, and it dripped down the firewall.
Sorry, Not trying to steal the thread but I had to post upon reading this. Shortly after getting my Challenger running for the first time in many years I noticed a black goo that had dripped from the ECU and down onto the exhaust. Not sure when it did this as most of the time I've worked on it I have rather poor lighting while trying to start it. When I saw it in the daylight it was solid and hard. Question is, Do I need a new one? It seems to start ok but loads up badly until it warmed up. Carb has a fresh kit in it but it was in really bad shape and I'm not sure the kit fixed every thing; Idle screws had some corrosion on them and I'm not sure of the codition of the seats. Also, I'm sure I probably need new spark plugs, but could a bad ECU cause it not to idle until warm? I don't think the goo has dripped since the first time I noticed it but haven't run it that much; maybe a total of an hour over three or four different occasions. What makes it get so hot now? Age?
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Re: Orange box ???
[Re: ZIPPY]
#150697
11/14/08 01:29 PM
11/14/08 01:29 PM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Go chrome every time.
I recall reading the chrome box runs HOT!! on the street
Not with a 1 ohm ballast resistor
Don't use a 1/4 ohm ballast for long distance street!
Sacrifice a TINY bit of spark by staying away from 1/4 ohm ballast resistors, and in my rather lengthy experience (over 100,000 miles on the same chrome box, and the same blaster 2 coil) they hold up really well.
Use a 1/4 ohm ballast, and you'll have 1. a slightly hotter spark 2. more heat to deal with and 3. higher failure rates for the coil and ecu.
I do have one ancient orange box left from the '80s that still works great, but by and large the chrome box has a longer lifespan and is worth the extra couple bucks.
you are on to something here.
I have always run the 1 ohm ballast and I havent had the problems others have had. That 1/4 ohm will juice the coil more which has its - side run thru the ign box. so ya, the 1/4 ohm ballast should heat the box up more
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