Moparts
good ignition modules?
Posted By: pjc360
good ignition modules? - 01/23/12 01:03 AM
It's time for a new ecu ignition module, i am trying to find a good module that will last a long time and be reliable and provide a good spark, with that being said should i get a borg warner select module or a napa echlin module or a car quest blue line module or a standard ignition module or a mopar orange ignition module? what modules have you guys had good luck with? and what would you guys reccomend? thanks.
Posted By: Sinitro
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/23/12 05:06 AM
Mopar chrome box..
Was running an MSD 6, switched over to a Mopar chrome box runs smoother and easier starting..
Just my $0.02..
Posted By: pjc360
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/23/12 05:25 AM
i thought the mopar chrome box was good thru for 8000rpm? I'm needing a new module for my truck, it has the mopar vaccume advanced electronic ignition, it very rarely see's anything over 4500 rpm, but ocasionally i get on her and get up to 6000 rpm. so would the orange box be more apropriate for what i'm doing? i have an orange module that i found on one of my shelves in the garage, but i do not know if it works... i'm going out of town tommarrow and i can pick up a borg warner select ignition module for 26.99 and the local napa at the little town im in now wanted 67 bucks for there echlin ignition module and car quest wanted 52.50 for there car quest blue line ignition module, and i am pretty sure that borg warner i can get for 26.99 is just as good as the napa echlin and the car quest blue. So i decided i will go ahead and buy the borg warner ignition module and when i get back i will try the orange mopar ignition module and if it works i'll return the borg warner, if it dont work i'll slap the borg warner on it, i have been told that borg warner makes real good ignition parts.
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/23/12 02:27 PM
Quote:
with that being said should i get a borg warner select module or a napa echlin module or a car quest blue line module or a standard ignition module or a mopar orange ignition module?
any ex the orange death. Get the cheapest one you can, carry a spare. The beef comes from your coil/ballast selection.
Posted By: dogdays
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/23/12 03:54 PM
Standard Ignition IIRC LX101 is the one recommended by Dr. Chris Jacobs years ago.
With the problems that have been associated with Chrome and later orange boxes I cannot see any point to buy one of them. If you have an orange box try it, it may work.
Otherwise I suggest you run the electronic distributor directly into an aftermarket multispark box. That way you can ditch the ballast resistor as well. You'll need a two conductor trailer connector which is the same size as the stock plug.
I'm doing this with an old Jacobs coil and an MSD 6A that I bought on the 'bay for $40. If you are buying fron scratch I suggest an Accel 300+ ignition box and coil, again I have bought a few on the 'bay with coil and wiring harness for top price of $120.00, new.
R.
Posted By: Paul_Fancsali
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/23/12 08:33 PM
Get a new 4 -pin mopar elc module for 86-87 350 series truck or van Contrary to what you may read They will go to 6K easy and not miss a beat. Frankly I would put in a pertronix easy and reliable
Posted By: pjc360
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/25/12 07:49 AM
So the orange mopar ignition module is not good? or it is good? alot of people have told me its a great module reliable and consistent? thats the module i think i'm going to run, unless somone says other wise?
Posted By: NachoRT74
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/25/12 03:06 PM
They WERE good. Nowdays even the chromed are coming bad.
Its about durability. as far they keep working they are great! really!. The problem is the don't last long a lot latelly... even the chromed ones ( I have got two chromed failed in two years )
If you have luck, will be great. Its a random stuff LOL
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/25/12 03:28 PM
Quote:
So the orange mopar ignition module is not good? or it is good? alot of people have told me its a great module reliable and consistent? thats the module i think i'm going to run, unless somone says other wise?
Not good, do not waste your money, many many reported failures (missing at speed etc)
Posted By: 540challenger
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/25/12 03:52 PM
Quote:
They WERE good. Nowdays even the chromed are coming bad.
Its about durability. as far they keep working they are great! really!. The problem is the don't last long a lot latelly... even the chromed ones ( I have got two chromed failed in two years )
If you have luck, will be great. Its a random stuff LOL
this is the first time i have heard of a chrome box going bad so quick. Has anyone else had a problem iwth a crhome box i got mine about 5-6 years ago and its still going. When did you purchase yours???
Posted By: YO7_A66
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/25/12 04:27 PM
The history of the orange and silver box's has been in question for some time, especially the new ones.
Then we have the FBO ECU which is currently in a re-design phase and won't be available until at least March. Then we have the Rev-n-nator ECU which is currently being tested.
The above are reasons why I decided to try the MSD Street Fire box to replace my existing ECU. I feel that there is a market for this type of box (MSD, Mallory, etc.) due to the above issues with the Chrysler style ECU's on the market today. These boxes can be used with stock coils and stock distributors and they appear to be fairly dependable, which is what I have not had from the Chrysler style ECU's that I have used.
I am not convinced that there is a "GOOD" ECU on the market
(Note: two of the above mentioned are not on the market as of today.).
I think that it is a hit or miss just like allot of aftermarket electronics that are being sold these days. I would suggest that if you want the stock appearing ECU to try a local parts store house brand and carry a spare. If you are not into the stock appearance, then try one of the major brand ignition companies for one of their boxes.
Posted By: NachoRT74
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/25/12 08:08 PM
Quote:
this is the first time i have heard of a chrome box going bad so quick. Has anyone else had a problem iwth a crhome box i got mine about 5-6 years ago and its still going. When did you purchase yours???
well dunno the dates certainly since they were bought from another guys around, one of them still packaged, but I can tell for sure one is with the old stilish PN and penstastar badly printed and the other one with the newer Mopar performance good and clean printed design
Posted By: pjc360
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/26/12 02:25 AM
so what about the standard x-series module? that seems to be the module that everyone has reccomended ether that or the orange or chrome boxes. i think i might as well order the standard x-series module, alot of people have told me its goo till 6500-7000 rpm. one guy i know told me he runs that on his car thats running a 10.5 qaurter mile at 125 mph, he said that standard x-series has never let him down and that it nevers misses a beat.
Posted By: NachoRT74
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/26/12 05:33 AM
I am running one of the ones Rick Ehrenbergh ( sp? ) sells by $40 on the ebay, suposeelly outperforms the orange box and is close to the chromed box. Its working really nice without miss a beat, although actually I liked more the FBO A688 UNTILL BROKE DOWN ( just 4 months RUNNING even 20 months mounted ). It had better start up too.
the old FBO A688 has been the best I have used, including the chromed MP ones... BUT...
Posted By: CrAzYMoPaRGuY
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/26/12 06:47 AM
Quote:
Quote:
They WERE good. Nowdays even the chromed are coming bad.
Its about durability. as far they keep working they are great! really!. The problem is the don't last long a lot latelly... even the chromed ones ( I have got two chromed failed in two years )
If you have luck, will be great. Its a random stuff LOL
this is the first time i have heard of a chrome box going bad so quick. Has anyone else had a problem iwth a crhome box i got mine about 5-6 years ago and its still going. When did you purchase yours???
I've never had any troubles with MP chrome boxes, run them on everything- even my motorhomes.
Never had any problem with orange boxes until about ten years ago. Never had a "high speed miss" of any sort, but I have had half a dozen orange boxes bought within the last ten years have the "hard/no hot restart". Starts cold (USUALLY) but will crank and crank hot, trying to start ONLY when you release the key.
I have a near new orange box with the restart issue sitting under the seat of my 73 motorhome, it worked for about ONE WEEK!
I have an FBO A688 in my Jensen, it's been close to two years and it sure runs strong.
Posted By: 451Mopar
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/26/12 08:06 AM
Quote:
Never had a "high speed miss" of any sort, but I have had half a dozen orange boxes bought within the last ten years have the "hard/no hot restart". Starts cold (USUALLY) but will crank and crank hot, trying to start ONLY when you release the key.
The "hard/no hot restart. Starts cold" is a grounding problem, not the box. Run a ground directly from the box case to the engine block.
Posted By: CrAzYMoPaRGuY
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/26/12 08:13 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Never had a "high speed miss" of any sort, but I have had half a dozen orange boxes bought within the last ten years have the "hard/no hot restart". Starts cold (USUALLY) but will crank and crank hot, trying to start ONLY when you release the key.
The "hard/no hot restart. Starts cold" is a grounding problem, not the box. Run a ground directly from the box case to the engine block.
Nope, it's orange boxes. My motorhomes have separate grounds to the box already.
Posted By: NachoRT74
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/26/12 02:18 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Never had a "high speed miss" of any sort, but I have had half a dozen orange boxes bought within the last ten years have the "hard/no hot restart". Starts cold (USUALLY) but will crank and crank hot, trying to start ONLY when you release the key.
The "hard/no hot restart. Starts cold" is a grounding problem, not the box. Run a ground directly from the box case to the engine block.
sometimes, yes, but when you have a direct AUXILIARY WIRE getting to the module to be able to restart it and even in that way, hard to restart it, it must be something else
Posted By: pjc360
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/26/12 07:32 PM
So running an extra ground wire from the ignition module helps? does it have to be grounded to the engine? or can i ground it off the firewall right next to it?
Posted By: chargincharles
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/26/12 08:08 PM
Well- Might get lynched for this but-
When I stripped the Lean Burn system off my 82 New Yorker I replaced the ignition module by converting to a GM aftermarket HEI module.
Cheap as death (modules are $15-30), available literally EVERYWHERE, and give a good and hot spark. Car starts easier, runs better and gives me better milage.
Read about it here first:
http://www.dippy.org/forum2/index.php?topic=2849.msg33339#msg33339 and here:
http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15779If I could afford it, I'd probably run an MSD-6 unit for the same reasons, but I'm dirt-poor, so this is what I did.
Good Luck with it,
CC.
Posted By: pjc360
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/27/12 02:51 AM
upon finding the mopar orange ignition module i found a gold module, now i can not tell if this gold module is a mopar gold or what? it has an m with a circle around it and then below that it says mj10009 and below that it says mexico and below that it says 9607 and it has black fins on it, then on that back it says 69303.
Is this the mopar gold ignition module? and if so would it be safe to run on my truck? somone told me if i had a good enough coil that it would be ok... the coil i currently have is a borg warner select canister coil brass terminals that i got from oreilly auto parts, would this be a strong enough coil to handle the gold module? or would i have to step it up? and if i have to step it up what coil should i get?
The only coils i know of are the borg warner coils and the echlin and the standard coils?
Posted By: 451Mopar
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/27/12 03:58 AM
Quote:
So running an extra ground wire from the ignition module helps? does it have to be grounded to the engine? or can i ground it off the firewall right next to it?
It may sound strange, but the way most of our vehicles are wired, the firewall is not at the same ground potential as the engine. In electrical terms it is a ground loop.
Most of our cars use a negative battery cable with two wires. A small wire going to the body and a larger wire going to the engine block. When you crank the starter to start the car, a large amount of current flows through the engine block negative wire to the battery. At high current, even small amounts of resistance in the battery ground cable will increase the ground level voltage. Because the body, and ignition box, are connected to a different ground wire the ground reference can be different than the engine block. The ignition box need the same ground reference point to detect the magnetic pulse from the distributor.
Even with a wire from the block to ignition box, the ignition may not want to start (under starter load) if the engine block ground has too much resistance. Too much resistance in the battery cables will reduce the operating voltage to the ignition box and ignition coil.
That covers the grounding issues that are usually harder to sort out than bad primary wiring, coil or ballast resistor problems.
Here is a link to wiki about ground loops:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_loop_(electricity)
Posted By: pjc360
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/27/12 05:34 AM
ok, that makes sense, wt about this gold module i found? is this a mopar gold module? with the numbers that are on it that i posted does anybody recognize it?
Posted By: pjc360
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/27/12 05:40 AM
Lets just say for the sake of argument that it is the mopar gold module, is it safe for me to run it on my truck? somone said if i had a good enough coil that it'd be fine, i'm running the borg warner select coil, is this a strong enough coil to handle the mopar gold module?
Posted By: CrAzYMoPaRGuY
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/27/12 05:45 AM
Gold boxes aren't made for street use.
Posted By: pjc360
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/27/12 06:08 AM
well it is a mopar gold module, just had it confirmed, its to bad i cant use it, it looks brand new, but it did have some black spray paint on it and i sanded it off looking for numbers and it scratched some of the gold off it. i guess i'll just hang on to it when i seen how much jegs wants for one new i decided i'd keep it, 165 bucks. guess i'll run the orange module.
Posted By: Robbins
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/27/12 01:47 PM
Quote:
although actually I liked more the FBO A688 UNTILL BROKE DOWN ( just 4 months RUNNING even 20 months mounted ). It had better start up too.the old FBO A688 has been the best I have used, including the chromed MP ones... BUT...
I felt the same way and then it went out. Then I got his new GM stuff and it when out already also.
Posted By: YO7_A66
Re: good ignition modules? - 01/27/12 02:33 PM
I agree that the original FBO A688 (ballast style) was the best ECU that I have run to date. The second generation FBO HR688 (non ballast style) only lasted 4 months on my car. I sent that box in so that FBO can perform a warranty upgrade into their new HHR688 (non ballast, rev limiter) in October, and I am being told that it will not be ready until March. If this new box performs at least as well as the original A688 box, then that box would be a good choice for the stock replacement ECU upgrade.