Ignition Coil Options

[cudacarl]

What coil would you guys recommend. I have a '73 340 (mild street rebuild) cuda 4-Speed. The ignition is a stock type setup with a MP chrome box & new Mp advanced curve dist (recurved by don fob). I've used accel "super stock" coils (round one same size as factory coil) and have had some of the same issues i've seen posted here. I'm not wanting to change out the whole ignition system just get some thing that works well. I still have the stock 4-wire ballast resistor setup. Any thoughts? - thanks

[70AARCuda]

msd blaster 2....

[beepbeepsrule]

The Accel is sensitive to the ballast resistance. In almost every case you need to use the resistor recommended by the coil manufacturer, and that Accel coil wants you to us "their" 1 ohm resistor.

I currently have a .509/292 cammed 440 and with a quick-curve MP distributor and MP Chrome box with an MSD Blaster3 coil, stock shape but red, and it has a very tall tower. I use a stock single ballast resistor. That setup has no issues from idle up thru 6,000 rpm.

I think the Jacobs stock type coil is very good also. It is it not as sensitive to ballast and can be run without it. I have run one of those in the past when I was experimenting with Dr. Jacobs electronic setups and that coil worked great. I also used it without the Jacobs computer setup on a stock MoPar ignition and did not use any ballast, it was a good universal coil.

Watch the spark plug gap, too wide and you can cause problems with coil-like symptoms. Make sure you have the proper boots on the coil wire, use a coil with a tall tower to keep down the chances of the spark leaving the tower and heading toward the negative terminal on the coil. Try to mount oil filled coils with the tower up or at least angled up, it does make a difference.

[beepbeepsrule]

OOPS!!!

My coil is the MSD Blaster2...sorry!


Looks like 2 votes for that one....

[dgc333]

I am using a MSD Blaster SS ad I am quite happy with it. This is a potted E-core design that is not subject to the mounting position issues of an oil filled coil.

[cudabob496]

Originally Posted by dgc333

I am using a MSD Blaster SS ad I am quite happy with it. This is a potted E-core design that is not subject to the mounting position issues of an oil filled coil.

Cool car. Takes me back to my teen years cruising in the late 1960's!

[peg leg]

At FBO has the coil you need. I run his whole system, and the performance is excellent in every respect.

[aarracer]

Blue Streak HD. inexpensive, 43,000 v output, very long lasting(unknown -still going after 8 years). Not sensitive to heat.

[cudacarl]

With the coils that have been mentioned, can they just be installed like the stock one without changing anything. Can i keep the 4-wire ballast ?

[aarracer]

The 4 wire ballast is likely the wrong resistance rating for your ignition system! I'd get a two wire of the reccomended resistance for your system!

[cudacarl]

Are there any coils that can work with the 4-wire ballast setup or is it only the oem coil? I was hoping to keep the stock look. I see that the blaster 2 has a primary of .7 ohms / secondary of 4.7 k okms turns 100:1. Would that woork O.K. I was also hoping to mount it in the stock location (horizontal). I could try to angle it up a bit but probably not much.

[BELVEDERE2]

Get the one at FBO. You already have his recurved distr. just go for the whole package deal.

[Walkercolt]

Use the recommended ballast resistor with whatever brand coil you buy. Every coil needs the resistor they spec, or the coil will overheat, or under-perform or more not-good things. I think Jacobs has been absorbed by Accel/Mallory from their web-site. I have always used Jacobs wires with excellent results. A 340 may benefit from "indexing" the plugs, placing the outside electrode of the plug either at the 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock position. Don't waste money for precious metal plugs on a MOPAR ignition. The orange box or chome box puts plenty of juice into the coil for regular plugs. The chrome box may cause some problems on the street, getting hotter than normal.

[beepbeepsrule]

The Orange and Chrome MoPar boxes and even most replacement boxes do not use the "extra" resistor. Look at the receptacle on the box and you will probably only see 4 terminals. And as Walkercolt and others have said, it is best to use a compatible resistor from the manufacturer of the coil.

I have read only good things about the FBO system, if I were you and was going to spend some more money I would definitely just go with them and complete your system.

But going with the MSD Blaster2 with their resistor would be a good setup also.

There are several guys here that can help with the actual wiring if you feel that is an issue.

[dgc333]

Originally Posted by cudacarl

With the coils that have been mentioned, can they just be installed like the stock one without changing anything. Can i keep the 4-wire ballast ?

The Blaster SS I mentioned does not fit a stock bracket. It is basically square and has four mounting holes and comes with rubber isolators to mount it on.

If you are running the MP Chrome ECU then you don't need the 4-wire ballast.

The original stock ECU had 5-pins and the second resistor in the 4 wire ballast resistor supplied a bias voltage to the ECU. All of the MP performance ECUs and most stock replacements don't use that bias voltage and only have 4-pins. The second resistor in the 4-wire ballast doesn't go anywhere.

I would use the ballast resistor that is recommended for the coil you get. You will just have to make sure that you plug the half of the connector onto the single ballast that goes to the coil.