I have a 289 we think a bit worked engine not sure --we are doing wiring harness now and were going with Elec Dist & MSD Box ** guys told me NOT to use the box. It is not needed they say AND i was told if if fails while I'm on the road i'm screw'd A) What are your thoughts b) What set up "electronic" are you guys using with 289 ford?
It depends on what kind of distributor you are going to run and which MSD box you have. Some distributors can run stand alone and a MSD is then used as an amplifier, other distributors will not trigger the coil without an amplifier. If you have a stand alone distributor and the box fails you can disconnect the box and keep going. The MSD 6 and its variants are made for continuous use, i.e. street, oval track, endurance, while the MSD 7, MSD 8 and its variants are made for drag racing and not recommended for the street. That being said I ran a MSD 7AL on the street for 10 years witout a problem. I have used MSD boxes for both race and street applications for 25 years without a failure (knock on wood). As far as being stranded I dont think that is an issue as Autozone stocks the MSD 6, at least they do in Bastrop, TX.
I used an MSD 6AL box that was wired into my old Ford, it was very reliable. The box was under dash, away from heat.
Most problems seem to come from incorrect instalation, and points and condenser can and do fail also. I would use a ford Dura spark dist. and a ford box or msd or even a gm moduel to trigger the coil. use a ford box, not an aftermarket, get the one with the blue strain relief grommet underneath,youll probally have to shop in the junkyard, and save the aftermarket ones for a spare. The ford boxes have better circuitry and are way more reliable.Goodluck, Tom.
The only failure I ever had on one was in the 80s on my Falcon. The cause of casulty was solid core wires. Other than that I have seen them last over 10 years and counting.
I'm using a 6AL-2 box that works well. The MSD coil failed after only about a year in vehicle though so I carry a spare now
My roadster runs the MSD as does my 46 ford daily driver and my 77 truck. All driven frequently and over 10 years without ignition failure.I like the MSD6al as there not to costly and dependable. I did buy a spare which I have not used as yet because I am in the country and no close supplier which leaves me with mail order.
It might be true that it's harder to fix an ignition failure with the electronic stuff, but on the other hand, it is substantially less likely to fail. I can't count how many times I've had to fiddle with points by the side of the road. Those idiot engineers at Ford, GM and Chrysler didn't put that newfangled stuff on the cars because it cost more; truth is, it works better.
I am using a 30 year old Accel electronic distributor on a 64 model 289 in my 56 F100. No problems yet.
Could you acquire a Duraspark II setup from a later model 302? I replaced the points in my truck with a DSII and it has been very reliable since. Practically the same thing as what you are looking for.
If you like the looks of a points style distributor, you can use it to trigger the MSD box and your points will last almost forever, as the MSD will carry the load, not the points. Or, most MSDs will work with an electronic distributor. An MSD box is well worth the money and regularly last the lifetime of the car. Most failures are from improper installation or lots of heat. They are also internally sealed, so no need to worry about getting them wet. My advise is to install it and never worry about it again. Mine has been on my car for over 15 years. Good luck, -Abone.
I use the Duraspark to trigger a 6AL thats under the dash. No problems in 15 yrs. I cut the va***e advance off and filled in the hole with epoxy. Shot the housing with alumablast and put the old style cap on it. Looks like an old dual point now.
I think the most important thing about the 6al box, the slightest bit of welding will kill it. you must disconect the battery to weld anything
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