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Factory ignition upgrade info

niceolddart

niceolddart

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I have an 87 D-250 318 2bbl, 4 speed manual trans. All original! Has NO vacuum advance chamber on distributor. It has an "ECU" box mounted on the inner drivers side fender, with a vacuum advance unit mounted to it, & vacuum hose going to it. (hose has vacuum, like a regular advance set up, at idle) Looks like the older junkie "Lean Burn" set up I had on my 77 Cordoba. I would like some input on getting rid of this lousy system (revs slow, ETC. ETC.) & installing an electronic ignition conversion set up like I did on the Cordoba (35 years ago). Has anyone done this to their truck, or got rid of this type factory ignition system for a better set up? Not sure if it's similar to the Lean Burn system, & I don't want to disable this thing for more than a day, weekend at most. Thanks for ANY info.
 
I got a Proform kit for my Dart. Did not like it, (JUNK) & will not buy anything from Proform again. I would rather spend extra & buy the Summit Racing kit. But I still don't know if I can install this system without any problems from removing the factory system.
 
Go to the GM type HEI one wire with tach output. Don't think you can go much simpler. I don't like using GM type parts in my Mopars but this is proven tech. Parts are available any where.
 
I have no problem wiring up a new ignition system, just not sure what will happen when I do away with the system it has now. Has anyone done away with the box on the inner fender for the ignition, to swap over to a better set up?
 
I would not remove it. Just disconnect the distributor and move the vacuum line to the distributor can.
 
OK, this is the problem I'm having. The factory distributor has NO VACUUM ADVANCE UNIT mounted on the body of the distributor. There is a box on the inner drivers fender, mounted on a bracket that mounts to the inner fender. It has two connectors / electrical plugs going to it, very much like the old Lean Burn units used to have. It also has a vacuum diaphram mounted to it, like a vacuum advance distributor would have. The wires are routed in the wiring harness & some must go to the distributor for advancing the timing through the box mounted on the inner fender. I just need to know if someone has done this specific upgrade to their truck. I don't want to disable this thing too long. Can I by-pass the factory "Ignition Advance" box with a Mopar Performance type ignition conversion kit?
 
You can but will be a pain in the you know what compared to the single ignition wire distributor that only needs and IGN 1 & 2 wire feed. On the vacuum line disconnect it at the computer advance and connect it to the new distributor. Why make this more complicated than it needs to be?
 
Got it. I've done ignition up-grades before & I think you helped me on this a lot. Now I wont hesitate to do this job. It looks very similar to the old Lean Burn system with the 2 sets of electrical connectors & vacuum diaphram. I will start sourcing part I need tomorrow. Thanks again for all your help on this confusing (for me anyway) situation 7mopar. Have a great New Year.
 
That diaphragm is just a vacuum advance that sends an alternative signal to the ecu. Not much different than the distributor type with mechanical adjustment. Both adjust timeing.
 
I learned 2 things today, & I learned how to spell diaphragm the correct way. I knew that word looked wrong. Thanks, once more for the help.
 
niceolddart said:
Got it. I've done ignition up-grades before & I think you helped me on this a lot. Now I wont hesitate to do this job. It looks very similar to the old Lean Burn system with the 2 sets of electrical connectors & vacuum diaphram. I will start sourcing part I need tomorrow. Thanks again for all your help on this confusing (for me anyway) situation 7mopar. Have a great New Year.
Click to expand...
The factory system you have I believe the last of a lean burn style system. I did some looking and prices are all over for the HEI depending on where you order from, summit or cheap e-bay China built units. I do like the HEI, like 7mopar said very simple and parts are everywhere. You can build your own HEI if you have a electronic vacuum advance Mopar distributor.
Here is a link to a bracket to mount the module

Mopar HEI Conversion

www.designed2drive.com
 
Thanks for your help on the upgrade too 65 sporty. Between you & 7mopar's explanations, it will make this job very simple. (Sorry, I have a hard time understanding things at times, but very lucky to be here still) Also thank you for the link to the module mounting bracket & instructions. I just might have a vacuum advance distributor to use for this job.
 
Ive done away with a few of those, most recently my 85 /6 truck. youll need the 4 pin ECU, a ballast resistor, a vac advance distributor and a carb with the ported fitting to run the vac advance can.
You mention Cordoba, had a couple of those too. Currently also have a 78 2 door Fury, my next victim to lose Lean Burn..... yes what you have on that truck is very much the same as the lean Burn that was on the Cordoba.
 
If I go with the electronic ignition system upgrade, that's what I'll do. Not sure yet how I will approach this yet. Thanks volaredon
 
I have a 87 318 w150, you have to watch some have a HAL effect distrib. You have fuel injection also? If so it goes through the computer not just a distrib change. I want to do the same and PIA to go back to a carb to do it. Lord knows I have the parts for the ignition.
 
87shouldnt be fuel inj yet unless it's built very late in 87 making it really an 88.88 was 1st year for that setup, and it sucked.
We made the conversion to carb on my son's 89 ramcharger. We put in an 87 gas tank and converted an 87 harness from lean burn to 4 pin ecu, and plugged that in at the bulkhead just like a stock carbd truck with an ecu ignition would have been. We also made the 360 into a 408.
 
I didn't look at the month it was built, I know it's an 87 though, but it's a stock 2bbl carb with the high idle solenoid & other stupid emissions related items. I might also get rid of the air pump set up.
 
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