Hot Rods From Troubleshooting Wiring to Ignition Hell

I've been working on this 1929 Model A truck for 51 years and counting and have finally come to the point of starting up the engine, a 351 Windsor that I decided to retain the Duraspark II ignition. It is among the last things electrical that I've tackled, but I've spent the last nine months studying how to meld the 1977 ignition system with the Rebel Wire 9+3 harness that I'm using. I've still got some parking and emergency hazard light issues to troubleshoot, and I'll figure that out.
But today I put in the spark plugs, installed the ignition wires, hooked up the coil and . . . nothing. The starter spins the engine, the firing order is correct for the 351 (1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8), but no spark.
Now a couple of weeks ago, before installing ignition wiring, water or fuel, I spun the starter for a couple of turns to get the engine at TDC. I had the plus and minus wiring to the coil attached and saw spark in the coil wire hole that connects to the distributor and felt a very warm coil soon after doing this. Did I fry the coil or the ECM? I've heard over and again how sensitive and vulnerable these ECMs are, and read that the aftermarket versions are generally poor so I ponied up for the Motorcraft version. Where do I begin to find out the issue? I know mechanical things and understand the old points ignitions but this has me baffled.

 

So...you had the primary side of the coil connected, but not the secondary side? So the coil was making 20,000 volts, with nowhere to go to, except the wires that go to the electronic module?

It's possible you fried stuff.

You always need the secondary side connected to a spark plug, or ground, when you power up the ignition system.

 

Thanks, Squirrel. I'll swallow hard and shell out more dough on a new ECM, which I think is the most likely part to have gone south. I also need a new adapter for the distributor. The Standard I bought is wobbly - not a good sign in my book. Yesterday I filled the radiator and engine with water and had to pull and re-seal the leaky thermostat housing. This morning I put 5 gallons of gas in the new tank and had a leaky rubber band gasket at the sender opening. Fixed that before the ignition fiasco. Two steps forward, one step back.

 

Ain't hot roddin' fun?!!

 

Hey, good news. You're heading in the right direction.

 

Getting there isn't half the fun sometimes. Overcoming setbacks makes for a good story - later. You all make the journey worth it.

 

Sometimes I think stuff stops us for a reason. Gas leaks and stuff are scary. We want you to be safe. I know you wanna get the engine running. You're right there. And it's exciting. But take a breath. And take the down time to check things you might not have otherwise.
At the same time...
Can't wait! Take a video!

 

http://wrljet.com/fordv8/duraspark.html
77 to 84. They were really not the best of the big 3, or even Ford's best.

 

You got more patient than I do. I know it’s spelled wrong but that’s the best the IPad could do.

 

I'll be blunt, that Damned Dura spark would have been gone the first day I had that engine. As with everything Ford in the years that engine was built there are too many eithers, ors or iffs. I'm thinking that there are three modules depending on the color and design of the plugs.
I worked in one shop when those were new that wouldn't even touch them. The owner's standard excuse was that he didn't have the special Ford test equipment to test or work on them and sent them to the dealer. They were headaches when new and now that wires are worn out and deterioriated they are big headaches.

 

Once upon a time our WI branch sent over a piece of equipment they couldn't get running. It had a Ford industrial engine with Dura spark. Decided it was the box; but nobody could find module that matched. Did a little research and rewiring and got it running a with an old HEI module I had laying around. Seems to me HEI module are less sensitive and cheap to buy.

 

That's what we did, even with the new ignition module there was no spark, we removed the old box and installed a HEI module and the engine started.
Greetings Harald

I corrected it, thanks

 

^^^^^^^translated
We did that, even with the new ignition module there was no spark, we removed the old box and installed an HEI module and the engine started.

 

@Kerrynzl ,
@Mimilan ,
any suggestions for Duraspark II ignition?

 

I don't think you're blunt, I think you're right and frank enough to call a spade a damned dirty shovel. I'm going to replace the module one more time and if that doesn't get it, I'm gonna shoot for HEI or something even simpler.
You remember back in the day when Ford's tagline was, "Ford has a better idea?" Well, no, they didn't. They had a bad idea as far as function and reliability was concerned, but probably a great idea as a way to sell replacement parts.
Thanks again, guys, for chiming in. Hotrodding is an adventure, isn't it?

 

From points to duraspark conversion




Personally I would convert to points and use the Ford TFI [way better than the Duraspark or HEI module]



@Deutscher
The HEI module has rotor phasing issues [with points conversions] they trigger when the points close, instead of when the points open.
The backyard butcher method is to clock the dizzy cap BUT you can use a simple transistor instead.

 

I swapped out the Duraspark box, for an HEI module a couple of years ago. Pretty simple, and smaller.

 

I have a tester that will test those modules.

 

You do have that correct firing order counter clockwise right?

 

Yup 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 CCW. I am humbled by all the help and support you all have given me. Saltflats got me through rebuilding the AOD and I am finally on the verge of setting up the TV cable, once I get the engine going and broken in. Lumpy 63 helped me through routing of my lower radiator hose to pump (I got a 1/4" clearance between hose and fan belt!) Man, I shoehorned that 351 Windsor engine in so tight that I've got 3/8" between the fan and the radiator. I got to build a shroud, though, as the 13" fan sits way low on the radiator. Building a hotrod sure makes you appreciate the details that go into everyone else's hotrod. That's why I go to cruise-ins, not so much to see perfect bodywork and paint jobs but to see how clever every builder is in solving all the challenges they encounter.

 

I could mail you this tester in one of the padded file size flat rate mail. Just need a 9 volt battery to use it. Works on many different brands of the early models electronic modules. The paper work is a little fragile.

 

If that works for you, I'd appreciate it. You know I'll get it back to you quickly.

 

Will do.