MP Electronic Ignition Conversion

[john66ny]

I'm in the process of planning my conversion install using the Mopar Performance "street" kit from Bouchillon.

I'm torn about where to mount the orange box. Part of me says hide it to look original, the other parts says slap it on the firewall since it's easier to do that. Thoughts? (I can't hide it behind the air cleaner as mentioned somewhere here because I have the vacuum trunk release canister there.)

If I do hide it I will need to extend the harness. What concerns me is the distributor cable, the one with the 2-pin flat style connector. I notice that in this section of the harness that comes with the kit, one of the two wires is actually a fusible link. Will it still function as such if I extend it using 18 gauge wire? The connectors look to me like trailer connectors, maybe I should get some and just make an extension cable so I don't have to cut and splice?

Anyone have any relevant experiences I should know about?

Thanks in advance, John

 

[Wildaugust]

I would make an extension instead of cutting the actual harness that came with the kit. The fuse link should still function normally.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

On my daily driver 69 Polara I mounted it in the factory location for a 73.

On my CHP car I plan on mounting it in the fender, on the 69 there is a shelf like reinforcement.
With the big block the harness works just fine.

Alan

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Places I have seen these mounted.
1. Under the battery tray (I have done this on my 67 Barracuda)
2. In the air plenum, inverted between the vent openings
3. Under the floor next to the transmission.


Alan

 

[BJS racing]

What ever you do make sure you mount it in an area that can get some fresh air. Those modules are nothing much more than a resistor type of system. When they get too hot they will not function like they are supposed to and will eventually end in catastrophic failure and you will be sitting on the side of the road not real happy. The more exposure to air they have the better and make sure when you mount the module that the case of the module is grounded very well.

 

[john66ny]

For air flow it would seem that the front side of the rad support might be ideal, but what about moisture?

 

[BJS racing]

They are actually sealed pretty well. The back is sealed with a potting material kinda like a dense version of silicone and the plug area on them seals pretty good when the retaining screw is tightened up.

 

[65sporty]

I had the same thought as BJS make sure it get's plenty of fresh air

 

[commando1]

In other words, don't mount it like a coil

 

[70NPORT]

Be sure that it's grounded properly

 

[tallhair]

You could paint it black

 

[john66ny]

Thanks guys! I'm going to try on the radiator support under the battery tray and see how that goes. I got it mounted yesterday, with a secondary ground wire just to be certain, and I'm working on extending the wiring harness.

 

[john66ny]

Next question: my kit came with a new ballast resistor which has a higher resistance than the one I have on the car right now. (I did measure them, but 2 days later the actual numbers are no longer in my head, the new one was 1 point something and the current one is 0 point something ohms.)

Given that the purpose of the ballast resistor is to reduce the voltage to the coil, and I'm not changing the coil, is there any reason to use the new ballast resistor which would lower the voltage even more?

Thanks in advance.

 

[BJS racing]

Any thing between .8-1.5 ohms of resistance is good to go.

 

[john66ny]

Hardware help?

Updated: I now have the orange box mounted, the cables extended and routed, and the distributor installed. A few gotcha's that I could use some help with though.

My kit came without the mounting hardware for the cables and ballast resistor. Spoke with the vendor and they said they haven't shipped them with hardware kits "for years" but they would see what they could do; not holding my breath though.

I had most everything I needed on hand anyhow, except for the screw that holds the harness into the orange box and the screw for the ballast resistor. For the ballast resistor I need to order a spare anyhow and they usually come with the screw, but until it arrives does anyone know the thread on that one? Looks like it should be 1/4-20 but that seems to be jamming. (Edit: it is 1/4-20, what I bought from the hardware store's 1/4-20 bin turns out to be 1/4-24 :-( )

But for the orange box harness I have no idea, anyone know anything about that?

Plus, I lost the nut for the (-) post on the coil, and the aftermarket coil on my bench has a different thread. Should have taken the coil with me to the hardware store instead of guessing... who would have guessed M5?

Thanks in advance!