Duraspark setup.

[Darrman]

Ok, the time has come to get all the wiring back in order, finally. My truck has been converted to duraspark, but the wires that were added are in sad shape, and will have to be replaced. Painless offers a new wiring harness to fix this problem, but its a 130 bucks.
So my question is, is it worth the money to get the duraspark fixed up, or go get a original distributor and buy a Pertronix II kit for it? Also how do you know if it is a Duraspark I or II, as the wiring kit is for a II?
Thanks for any help!

[j41385]

Both DURASPARK I and DURASPARK II use a magnetic pickup that incorporates the "Hall-Effect" principle to trigger a spark, an external control box, and a coil. In addition to the wider cap, DURASPARK II uses an improved external control box over the control box offered with DURASPARK I.

[Darrman]

Thanks for the help, I picked up a used harness this weekend and was able to get it cleaned up and installed. I also bought a correct coil and module and have all that installed. The only thing holding me up now is that while I know where to hook up the power (red) wire for the module, I am not sure about the white wire. From the looks of things it should be spliced into the ignition switch, but not sure which one. I suppodely dont need the white wire, but it helps start the truck faster by retarding the spark, from what I have been reading.
By the way I guess I have a Duraspark I as I have the smaller, but deeper cap.

[Hawkrod]

Cap size has no bearing on Duraspark I or II. The difference is the control moduls. The distributors are actually interchangeable between a I and a II. Hawkrod

Here is the best thing on the web for Duraspark:

http://www.maverickcomet.com/Repair/Rep ... aSpark.pdf

[71PA_Highboy]

This may help:

http://bcbroncos.com/Duraspark.pdf

I connected the white wire to the 'S' terminal of the starter solenoid, but I have also not wired it up and it seemed to work fine both ways.

good luck!

Eric

[willowbilly3]

I have seen guys just twist the red and white together. If your switch allows the red to get power during cranking you can probably leave the white unhooked and never know the difference. On my 72 I had to use the I terminal of the solenoid to run full 12 volts to the coild for starting. Cold starts are really hard with the resistance voltage.
FWIW, on the 80s pickups that whit wire is the only one getting juice during cranking mode. I have had failures to start be a module with just the white wire out.

[fitzwell]

Cap size has no bearing on Duraspark I or II. The difference is the control moduls. The distributors are actually interchangeable between a I and a II. Hawkrod

Here is the best thing on the web for Duraspark:

http://www.maverickcomet.com/Repair/Rep ... aSpark.pdf

Cap size ( and style) DOES have a difference. The larger cap, with vent, is designed to handle a higher voltage signal. Run a hot coil in a DII setup with the small cap, spark scatter & high speed miss will sometimes appear.

[montana_hiboy]

I suppodely dont need the white wire, but it helps start the truck faster by retarding the spark, from what I have been reading.
By the way I guess I have a Duraspark I as I have the smaller, but deeper cap.

You're correct the white wire isn't absolutely necessary, as you stated it retards the timing during start up which in turn allows you to run more initial advance, so i'd connect it were i you.

[sideoilerfe]

Cap size has no bearing on Duraspark I or II. The difference is the control moduls. The distributors are actually interchangeable between a I and a II. Hawkrod

Here is the best thing on the web for Duraspark:

http://www.maverickcomet.com/Repair/Rep ... aSpark.pdf

Cap size ( and style) DOES have a difference. The larger cap, with vent, is designed to handle a higher voltage signal. Run a hot coil in a DII setup with the small cap, spark scatter & high speed miss will sometimes appear.

What I think he meant was the cap size doesn't dictate Durospark I or II.

[Hawkrod]

Cap size has no bearing on Duraspark I or II. The difference is the control moduls. The distributors are actually interchangeable between a I and a II. Hawkrod

Here is the best thing on the web for Duraspark:

http://www.maverickcomet.com/Repair/Rep ... aSpark.pdf

Cap size ( and style) DOES have a difference. The larger cap, with vent, is designed to handle a higher voltage signal. Run a hot coil in a DII setup with the small cap, spark scatter & high speed miss will sometimes appear.

What I think he meant was the cap size doesn't dictate Durospark I or II.

You are correct, I was not refering to the cap size in relation to ignition function, I was refering to it as a way to identify Duraspark I versus Duraspark II. The distributors are based on the standard Ford distributor and so you can use a small cap or the large one (or you can put the large one on your points distributor if you like the look!). Hawkrod

[fitzwell]

Cap size ( and style) DOES have a difference. The larger cap, with vent, is designed to handle a higher voltage signal. Run a hot coil in a DII setup with the small cap, spark scatter & high speed miss will sometimes appear.

What I think he meant was the cap size doesn't dictate Durospark I or II.

You are correct, I was not refering to the cap size in relation to ignition function, I was refering to it as a way to identify Duraspark I versus Duraspark II. The distributors are based on the standard Ford distributor and so you can use a small cap or the large one (or you can put the large one on your points distributor if you like the look!). Hawkrod

ok.....i'll shut up now.

[binder56jd]

probably one of the better threads regarding this topic i have seen in a long time--lot's of good info

[AK F100]

I agree. A lot of good info. I have a standard Mallory Unilite distributor and was not sure what else I wanted to run with it.

On a side note.... You guys did a great job at keeping this thread on the topic - Congrats.

[Darrman]

Ok, I am having a problem now. I am not getting full power when I have the module hooked up.
To be more specific, if I leave the red power wire unplugged, I will get 12.48 volts the the dizzy, the coil etc. If I plug the module power wire in, I will get 12.48 volts at the plug, but will get 7.1 volts at the dizzy, coil etc.
I replaced the brand new module with another brand new module, didnt change anything. I have checked all my wiring, no shorts.
Anybody have a clue what the problem could be?

[BobbyFord]

You can also run an MSD box on the duraspark dist.
Wiring diagrams are available in pdf format on the MSD website under the "support" tab.