What ignition system are y'all using?

[Challenger340]

I suppose when the "time" comes, I will switch over to an electronic unit ? Firecore's reputation being about one of the best, IMO.
but for now...
as long as it runs as well as it does, and it runs very well with absolutely no problems whatsoever, I will leave it alone.

Just yearly Points, Plugs, and Condenser.
It doesn't even crank half a turn..... Hot or Cold, wing..boom and running, idles well, decent mileage, works like it should.

[70-500-SE-EXPORT]

Firecore ready to run with their wires. Best money I ever spent on my car yet. Had the proform kit with the orange box it was a POS made in china. So I bought the pertronix with the ignitor 3 billet distributor. It was a even bigger POS and the motor misfired horribly. It was made in china to my surprise. The cap was such a poor fit It was hitting the brass terminals and chipped them. I returned it and bought the Firecore It was the best decision I ever made!

[Nacho-RT74]

Do you have a good idea of when the Chinese crap started showing up in them?

negative. Anyway is just a guess

[familymopar]

I think it is likely I had a grounding issue.  My plan is probably to do the firecore all in one but I would lik eto finish up this season with the rev n nator, as opposed to my newest orange box.  So with that in mind, here are some questions.

I unwrapped the wiring going to the ecm to take a look at it.  The only thing of note was that one of the wires is cut.  it is a brown and green wire and matches up with the only spot on the connector that does not have a prong.  I actually noticed this a couple years ago but did not worry too much about it as a) the car fired up and ran fine and b) it was connected to the prongless spot.  Now that I see it again, I would like to know if any of you are familiar with this?

I am limited in photos so this will be a few posts....

[familymopar]

I also took a look at my mounting holes.  they were gummed up really bad so I cleaned them up pretty good and noted that body paint goes right up to the holes.  I intend to scuff this off good before re-installing the box tonight.  But one of the screws goes in nice and tight, the other barely catches and spins again, I do not think it is providing a good ground.

Under the box there was a small 1" by 1" piece of old duct tape.  I had seen this many times but had never worried too much about it.  I took it off and there is a small hole, also very gummed up.  I cleaned this area also but it was a little tougher.  I assume that maybe this was a mistake hole in originally putting the box there, but I really don't know.

So with the orange box, my concern is that it may not be grounding due to either or both 1) the paint is not allowing sufficient contact (although I think the ground is through the screw not the box lip, or 2) that screw not catching.

With the rev n nator, there is a ground wire with loop.  Rev n nator makes clear to put this wire atop the box between the box and screw, not between the box and firewall.  So, if I use the rev n nator, need I scuff the firewall?  There would be no contact there it would just be down the screw.  Should I scuff the lip of the box itself where the ground loop sits?  Am I maybe not getting ground this way because it is on the side with the "loose screw"?

[familymopar]

Next, and hopefully lastly, does the center screw of the wiring connector serve a purpose besides holding he connector on?  My connector is tight and isn't going anywhere.  The center screw, though, is like the one mounting screw, turn it and it starts to feel a little snug then it skips and is loose again.

[Bob T]

Yep, mines the same, just went out to the garage and checked it.
The unused core on mine is terminated in the plug housing but there is no corresponding pin on the Rev n Nator, so don't worry about it, maybe put some heat shrink on that spare wire so it doesn't contact with anything it shouldn't.

I cleaned off the paint around the ring terminal so it would ground properly, works fine.
Also, it helps to scrape a little paint off the r.v.n. around the mount holes too. I'd use a multimeter to check the frame off the r.v.n. against the chassis to prove it actually is grounded, I'm a Sparky so I like to test my results to prove the work/theory.

  But did you also change your coil out at the same time? Troy recommended the Accel AC8140 coil and I have a 1ohm ballast resistor, dizzy is Accel 59300.
Hope that helps.
Just pulling it outside to wash & polish it now, might have a couple of beers too  

[familymopar]

Yep, mines the same, just went out to the garage and checked it.
The unused core on mine is terminated in the plug housing but there is no corresponding pin on the Rev n Nator, so don't worry about it, maybe put some heat shrink on that spare wire so it doesn't contact with anything it shouldn't.

I cleaned off the paint around the ring terminal so it would ground properly, works fine. But did you also change your coil out at the same time? Troy recommended the Accel AC8140 coil and I have a 1ohm ballast resistor, dizzy is Accel 59300.
Hope that helps.
Just pulling it outside to wash & polish it now, might have a couple of beers too 

Thanks Bob!  That is good to know.  I will wrap it back as it was.  I had wrapped the cut wire individually in electrical tape and then taped it all together.

I got the MSD Blaster 2 coil because that is what Troy recommended to me.  Since you have the rev n nator, did you disable the vacuum advance?  If so, how did you do it?  I recall Troy telling me that sometimes it wasn't necessary so I didn't.  But I recall him telling me something about pulling the vacuum hose and sticking a bb in it?

I will get the box back on in a bit.  Then I get her dirty tonight and bathe her tomorrow, that seems to be our method.  Beers, of course, will be involved (after driving is done!)

[familymopar]

Yep, mines the same, just went out to the garage and checked it.
The unused core on mine is terminated in the plug housing but there is no corresponding pin on the Rev n Nator, so don't worry about it, maybe put some heat shrink on that spare wire so it doesn't contact with anything it shouldn't.

I cleaned off the paint around the ring terminal so it would ground properly, works fine.
Also, it helps to scrape a little paint off the r.v.n. around the mount holes too. I'd use a multimeter to check the frame off the r.v.n. against the chassis to prove it actually is grounded, I'm a Sparky so I like to test my results to prove the work/theory.

  But did you also change your coil out at the same time? Troy recommended the Accel AC8140 coil and I have a 1ohm ballast resistor, dizzy is Accel 59300.
Hope that helps.
Just pulling it outside to wash & polish it now, might have a couple of beers too 

Bob, one more thing, you cleaned off the paint off the top of the rev n nator so it is grounding to itself?  Did you also clean off the paint under it on the firewall?

[Bob T]

Yep, mines the same, just went out to the garage and checked it.
The unused core on mine is terminated in the plug housing but there is no corresponding pin on the Rev n Nator, so don't worry about it, maybe put some heat shrink on that spare wire so it doesn't contact with anything it shouldn't.

I cleaned off the paint around the ring terminal so it would ground properly, works fine.
Also, it helps to scrape a little paint off the r.v.n. around the mount holes too. I'd use a multimeter to check the frame off the r.v.n. against the chassis to prove it actually is grounded, I'm a Sparky so I like to test my results to prove the work/theory.

  But did you also change your coil out at the same time? Troy recommended the Accel AC8140 coil and I have a 1ohm ballast resistor, dizzy is Accel 59300.
Hope that helps.
Just pulling it outside to wash & polish it now, might have a couple of beers too 

Bob, one more thing, you cleaned off the paint off the top of the rev n nator so it is grounding to itself?  Did you also clean off the paint under it on the firewall?

Yes, the msd coil is also correct, I remember Troy recommended it in the install notes.
Yes, a small bb forced into the line will do it, then plug it back onto the stem and it'll still look stock.
Yes to scraping off the paint on the firewall, its all about getting the best earth connection.

Let us know how you get on.

I just finished the polish, so a quick trip down to the liquor store , put it away in the garage ready for tomorrows run and now have a few beers & guitar tunes, sweet!

[familymopar]

Yep, mines the same, just went out to the garage and checked it.
The unused core on mine is terminated in the plug housing but there is no corresponding pin on the Rev n Nator, so don't worry about it, maybe put some heat shrink on that spare wire so it doesn't contact with anything it shouldn't.

I cleaned off the paint around the ring terminal so it would ground properly, works fine.
Also, it helps to scrape a little paint off the r.v.n. around the mount holes too. I'd use a multimeter to check the frame off the r.v.n. against the chassis to prove it actually is grounded, I'm a Sparky so I like to test my results to prove the work/theory.

  But did you also change your coil out at the same time? Troy recommended the Accel AC8140 coil and I have a 1ohm ballast resistor, dizzy is Accel 59300.
Hope that helps.
Just pulling it outside to wash & polish it now, might have a couple of beers too 

Bob, one more thing, you cleaned off the paint off the top of the rev n nator so it is grounding to itself?  Did you also clean off the paint under it on the firewall?

Yes, the msd coil is also correct, I remember Troy recommended it in the install notes.
Yes, a small bb forced into the line will do it, then plug it back onto the stem and it'll still look stock.
Yes to scraping off the paint on the firewall, its all about getting the best earth connection.

Let us know how you get on.

I just finished the polish, so a quick trip down to the liquor store , put it away in the garage ready for tomorrows run and now have a few beers & guitar tunes, sweet!

Thanks for the info Bob.

So I went out tonight and mounted the rev n nator back on.  It seems that both my mounting screws are now a little stripped and loose.

I also stuck the bb in the vacuum advance line.

Went to fire up the car and had a flashback.  Last year when I quit using the rev n nator it was because it was dying on me.  And then the dying turned to not firing up.  When I would try to fire her the carb would smoke like nobody's business.  I mean a lot of smoke, not a little.  We could never figure it out.  Eventually though it wouldn't fire and I went back to the orange box.  Never had the smoking or popping again, but it would die once in a while, just like going to sleep, no sounds, and I think it was a lack of spark due to poor ground.

So anyway, tonight I put the rev n nator back on.  Would not fire at first.  After a minute I got her to fire and the car backfired ferociously.  I'm pretty sure both my kids and both my dogs all messed themselves.  For which apologies were given.

After the backfire she woke up just fine and I let her idle.  After about 5-10 minutes of idling, she went to sleep.  When I went to fire her again, smoke billowing out of the carb.  Not a little smoke, a lot of smoke. I immediately shut it down.

I removed the rev n nator, fished the bb out with a coat hanger, and out the orange box back on.  She fired up, but was hesitant, then went to sleep.  I suspected the ground again

I got under the hood and because the box is now a little loose on the firewall, due to the stripped holes, I just pushed the box up against the firesll to make sure there was good contact.  Fired right up.  Ran well (idling), no problems.  I shut her back down.

Now I figure tomorrow I will look for some screws that are a tad bit bigger.  Small enough to fit through the box's mounting holes, big enough to catch well on the firewall.  I suppose I may have to drill out the mounting holes a bit.

This is probably an elementary problem I am having.  But something about that rev n nator is causing backfires and carb fires, well lots of carb smoke.  Not happening with the orange box.  They both give me the occasional dying, but I assume that is grounding.

Any advice is welcome.

My carb has been gone through and is all good.  My timing is good.  But something is off.

[Dino]

Not applicable when you need a ground, but to make the box tighter against the firewall take a piece of paperclip and bend it.  Lay it in the hole and put the screw back in, it'll catch now.  I did this on two bolts that are not critical for ground and it worked great.

[Nacho-RT74]

I got striped "firewall" holes looong time ago... what I did is make couple of slots on area hidden back of ECU, and inserted U nuts. If these nuts gets stripped ( or bolts ) I can replace any of them easily, and bolts can be still the original look ones. Of course being a 3rd gen an original location could be easier than earliers, since I can reach the cowl area simply removing the cowl grilles and insert these from back of cowl panel... ECU is actually attached to the cowl panel, not really on firewall.

Note: You can see rear of RevNnator is totally painted... MP orange is not painted, so definitelly you are getting somehow better ground on it... need to be sure about a good ground.

The screw is just to keep secure the plug, that's all

The green traced red wire would go to the secondary resistance on dual ballast ( 5 ohms ) when using 5 pins ECUs

[familymopar]

Ok, I went to Lowes with my box and the screws.  I found a slightly larger hex head screw with nice course threads.  Got home, used the dremel to take the paint off around the mounting holes.  I wasn't sure how much to take off.  I ground around the mounting hole maybe a 1/4 inch at most.  Put the box back on with the new larger screws, washer on top the box, and a star washer between the box and the body.  Went on nice and snug.  Car fired right up, idled for a few minutes and I took it for a nice drive with the boy.  Car drove like a champ.  It might be my imagination, but I felt like it ran a lot better.  It always drove well, but this might be one of those situations of not knowing it could be much better.  It was a great strong drive.  I think the intermittent grounding problem has been unknowingly affecting more than just the occasional dying.

[Nacho-RT74]

Which ECU did you use?

[familymopar]

I used the mp orange box.  Been out cruising all evening with no problems.

The only time my car has ever smoked out the carb is with the rev n nator.  It worries me now.

[Bob T]

Hmm, strange occurrence indeed.
I'd suggest heading out on a cruise with both ecu's and changing one out to see if the fault happens again.
Or, contact Troy at Rev n Nator for his opinion too, he might request you send it to him for testing it out, how old is it, could still be under warranty perhaps. 

[familymopar]

Yes I probably will contact Troy, when I first got the box I found their customer service to be fantastic.  I doubt it is under warranty, I seem to recall it being a one year warranty and I am definitely past that if so.  Nonetheless, I can't find anyone to ever have a bad issue with the rev box, so I assume at this point it is something I am doing or with my set up.  I also haven't tried the rev box again since I have insured a better ground, although I do not see how a poor ground would make my carb smoke like a chimney.

[68charger440]

Your smoke back through the carb may have been fuel that loaded up in the intake and/or exhaust pipes when it was started and not running right.  That can burn off with a pretty dark cloud of smoke.

[HeavyFuel]

Ignition module made in the USA: 

STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS LX101


http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=49654&cc=1079423

[familymopar]

Ignition module made in the USA: 

STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS LX101


http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=49654&cc=1079423

Are you using this box?

[HeavyFuel]

Yep.  Replaced the orange box that I was using, since everyone was bashing them so much, didn't want to take the chance of getting stranded.  Still might happen with this box, but at least its made in the USA, has a 3 year warranty. 

I don't notice any 'performance' degredation from the orange box.  I think it lacks the built in rev-limiting the orange box has.  I was looking to get away from that.   

[familymopar]

Yep.  Replaced the orange box that I was using, since everyone was bashing them so much, didn't want to take the chance of getting stranded.  Still might happen with this box, but at least its made in the USA, has a 3 year warranty. 

I don't notice any 'performance' degredation from the orange box.  I think it lacks the built in rev-limiting the orange box has.  I was looking to get away from that.   

I don't think the MP orange box has rev limiting, that is one of the reasons many people are so keen on the rev n nator.  How long have you been running the SMP box?

[Nacho-RT74]

suposselly orange box are designed to work nice up to 6500 RPMs, chromed up to 8K and Gold up to 12K

[familymopar]

suposselly orange box are designed to work nice up to 6500 RPMs, chromed up to 8K and Gold up to 12K

I agree, but I did not think they had any "rev limiting" function, they just start to malfunction or not function optimally after those designated limits.