High Dollar Ignition System?

[dodgecharger72]

I am in the process of rewiring my '72 Charger and I have thrown away my old points ignition system because of how dated it was. I have a pretty strong 360 in it right now and my question is will buying a top dollar distributor and coil make a noticeable performance gain or should I just get the stock mopar electronic dist package? And if the price does matter what brands do you guys like?

[375instroke]

Either it fires or it doesn't.  High compression, big cam that loads the plugs, then you need something better.

[elacruze]

My 440 is currently a straightforward Direct Connection book build, 509 cam w/11:1 compression. I have the drop-in Mopar electronic conversion and it's been steady on for a long time. I'll only change it if I go with port fuel injection, then I'll add an engine management system including mappable ignition.

[dodgecharger72]

I do have a pretty big cam. I just wanted to know if it was worth spending the money for a high performance ignition system

[dodgecharger72]

Yeah I have seen some pretty strong engines with that stock mopar ignition

[Nacho-RT74]

has been tested on tracks ( at least somebody at Moparts made a table and posted ) that the gain is MARGINAL with an High Dollar ignition system againts a MP ignition system. just couple miliseconds what are IMPORTANT ON A PURELLY RACE CAR, but doesn't worth on a primary street car.

some advices or notes:

Go with a chromed ignition box instead an orange. Has been told oranges are having quality issues. I'm getting some issues with my chromed box what I got suposselly new, but I think used, from an OLD STOCK piece, not the newers being made.

Mopar Performance distributors against stock distributors are basically same pieces with just some diff on they are adjustable mechanical advance. THEY HAVE SOME ADJUSTMENT ISSUES needing a check with gap on rest and vacuum position and also reluctor points need to be measured. Some points will need a light mill job to guarantee about keep same gap. Geometrically the gap on rest position and with activated vacuum are ALLMOST IMPOSIBLE to be made with same measurement, so will need an average. I needed to bend a little bit back and forth the pickup coil untill get the best of both positions. I finally set the gap aproximatelly at 009 on rest and 007 on vacuum. If you don't check that you could set maybe correctly the gap on rest position, and when vacuum is activated, pickup coil can bite the reluctor.

If you don't want to deal with that, MSD distributor is far away a better option, with bearings instead bushing on shaft and better quality product. THAT is definitelly a worthly change. I have known READY TU RUN MSD dist won't need an ignition modules so thats a good option.

Another deal with MP distributor ( Mallory made ) is the "number one" location is set diff than the stock unit, so that will need to be revised. Shaft drive end is about 90º off from the stock unit, so either you can relocate the oil pump drive shat to keep number one on the right position on exterior, or you simple can turn around the spark plug wires on another location on Distributor cap

Myself being kinda purist on look, I optioned by the Mopar Performace distributor, but if you not, MSD distributor is best choose. With the not Ready to run distributor, you can match the MSD dist with the chromed Mopar box perfectly.

An advantage about get a MP distributor is pieces toward to damages ( rotor, cap, pickup coil, vacuum, even bushings ) are regular stock replacement parts that you can find ANYWHERE ANYTIME. They are not special parts, as stated only diff is the mechanical adjustment spec, what never get broken

[Cooter]

M       S         D   Period..Never had a problem with it and it likes Nitrous too...

[lisiecki1]

i've heard that the Mopar Performance pieces are reliable to 650 horse....yes MSD is great stuff...I'm runnin Ma Mopar on the 500 horse 383 though....

[dodgecharger72]

Wow thanks for the responses guys. It sounds like with the MSD dist youre paying for convenience as well as quality, which is a good thing for me because adjusting timing and advance is not my area of expertise.

    I can either get a plug and play for $350 or one that requires a box for $200 and then get the box for $150 so either way it will cost me $350. What do you guys suggest?

[Rolling_Thunder]

I like running a box - you can get a 6AL2 or something of that nature that has a 2 step rev limiter and it small enough to conceal just about anywhere...   

The MP kit is still a good system - totally adequate for a street / strip car...      I have run a MP distributor with an MSD box before...     

[Nacho-RT74]

     I have run a MP distributor with an MSD box before...   

I would make JUST RIGHT the opposite

[Nacho-RT74]

and then get the box for $150 so either way it will cost me $350. What do you guys suggest?

chromed Mopar box is priced at $60

[Cooter]

I've got too many blown turbo mufflers due to Mopar Perf. kits and those ECU's..I just can't seem to get that kit to work for some reason...I've heard the quality has gone in the toilet lately on the ECU's..

[dodgecharger72]

Who else makes the ECUs? Everyone I've seen is mopar perf brand

[Nacho-RT74]

FBO