Electronic ignition question

I have a complete MOPAR electronic ignition system for my 68 383 HP in my 68 Sport Satellite convertible. I also have a MSD 6AL. Which one is better or does it really matter? Thanks in advance.

You are likely to get differing opinions but I like the factory stuff, especially when it comes to diagnosing (if needed) and availability /cost of parts. get stuck somewhere on a roadie with that MSD and your up schitt creek without a paddle

Agreed. In this case stay with the factory MOPAR setup.

LOL, 6AL's are everywhere in every town. Much more likely to turn one up than you are a Mopar style ECU at a parts store anymore. When you do find one it's an overseas unit that probably won't work very long if at all. Things aren't the same as they were 10 years ago.

The things that make the MSD head and shoulders above the Mopar unit is the additonal features. It comes with a rev limiter that you can tailor to your needs and you can plug in things like two steps and timing controllers. I can adjust my timing from the drivers seat.

hi
what is wrong with your current system?

if it aint broke ? save your money .

i set up both electronic and points , done wright very minimal diff !

what is your max rpm !

I'm putting the engine together for the first time and have a couple of options which is why I'm asking. I also have a Pertronix distributor but it doesn't have a vacuum advance.

The last several cars I’ve done for customers, I’ve used the complete FBO system. They seem to start better and run better than the factory ECU. They are of questionable quality. I’ve not used one in years. I’ve got and MSD on my Cuda. It’s went out once but I had an older unit for backup. Some of the new MSD unit are giving trouble. My biggest concern with MSD is breaking down on the road. I think these old cars need a backup ignition in the trunk that you can make a repair on the spot. Who wants to be stranded anymore. The Petronix unit is not easy to change in a pinch. The good about the FBO unit is a stock ECU and a ballast resistor change will get you home if the FBO unit goes out. I have not had one fail yet though.

MSD and the Mopar units are now made in china, so reliability is down the drain. Either points, or Pertronix would be the choice.

My car would fire up quicker with MSD vs mopar ignition. So I say MSD.

Unfortunately I think there is no real way out. Why are Chinese electronics substandard, because they use substandard components. Where are you going to find better components? Most of them are made in China too. So a USA manufactured unit using Chinese components probably wouldn't be any better. I wish someone had the internal schematic for the Mopar ECU, someone handy with electronics could probably improve on it AND dig up quality components. Remember, even back in '72 everything in them was low bid!

I am going to say go with the GM HEI conversion. The HEI module is more reliable, more powerful, more available and less expensive than any Mopar box. Kind of a win, win, win, win.

Edit:. I see there is another thread where the HEI is slammed so I guess you have to take this suggestion with a grain of salt. Or find some old modules just like you need to do with Mopar ecu's.

I wonder if that's true across the board. Many of us can remember when anything from Japan was junk and now they're known for quality. At some point in time they were shamed into improving their products, China might be doing the same...especially when an American company monitors quality control.

Japan had Edwards Deming, all China has is cheap labor and thievery. Vietnam and Malaysia have even cheaper labor. 2¢

As I stated , And I would put 100.00 bet on the availability of a Mopar ECU vs an MSD unit at a parts store in city with a population of less than say 10,000 or even 300,000

Keep your money. My hometown is less than 100k. O'reilly has a stock type ECU in stock, Autozone has a 6AL in stock.

John, I wish you were right. My prime example is ignition condensers. Where do you get a quality one today?

maybe Accel or old stock on Ebay ?? And keep in mind a lot of our phones, computers and their components, TV's etc. come from ? yep China

I installed the HEI 4 pin module inside a gutted mopar ECU box. Looks stock and the car fires up much easier than it ever did with the mopar box. I just bought a cheap HEI module from oreillys and it does fine.

Now that is thinking outside the box!

Is not the first time somebody makes that and that's what Don at FBO ( 4secondsflat ) made on its first aluminium box, HR688 to replace the A688 unit maybe 8 years ago, and after that he made the new HRR688 which is the one actually being sold with a complete new system. When I knew that about his HR688 box I got deeply dissapointed. I miss the original A688 box thought.

Nice! Have any pics / details on the wiring ?

Check out this link, its where i learned the details to do it. Its 10 pages long and lots of good info! i will tell you this, if you do it, use the old 4 pin HEI module and nit the newer 7 pin because i tried the newer 7 pin first and it added 10 degrees of advance at right off idle.
https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/hei-in-mopar-ecu-casing.252705/

Same hear as I grew up in the 60's and everyone always sad Japanese made stuff was junk back then.
I know I had put MSD on my sons Dart and my 63 and both cars started and ran the same on either ign. I only went to MSD because I like the multi-spark at lower rpm to help keep plugs cleaner on my 63 and I got it for a great price and since its a street/strip car and I run the jetting for mph at the track but I do lean down my IFR and transfer slot feed for cleaner cruising. I have not raced my 63 with the digital MSD 6AL unit yet but it feels and runs the same to me and my sons Dart ran no faster when we took the MP off and put MSD on his car. Dont get me wrong as I like the MSD but if you have a good ign on your car and then go to MSD I would not think it will run much different. Course if you ign is not to good then it will run better. And I like the MSD for all it can do as the one I have has the little dails to turn to set you rpm limit. Ron