1968 300 Inline Six - Duraspark Conversion

[dolinick]

Hello Frens,

My distributor roll pin sheared again last night and my old distributor seems pretty wore out so
I decided to steal the distributor off of a 1977-79 300 Inline six engine I had stored in the bed
of the 1958 truck. I actually broke down on my way home from work when I had this epiphany.

I removed the distributor from the donor engine but I didn't have an ignition module on the truck.
Then I remembered I had another truck at home with a module. I have a 1983 project or parts truck.
It has the module on the inner fender.

This is all new to me. I did a little research this morning when i finally got home from work.
I had to sit most of the night waiting for a shop technician to drive me home. I work for an oilfield
vacuum truck company. Their mechanic is really good but he is VERY busy all the time.

Also the timing isn't even the reason i broke down. I think my carburetor got clogged up. The engine stalled
and even after clearing the fuel line it would only run if i poured gasoline straight in the carburetor. or perhaps
the carb wasn't clogged but the timing was slowly slipping. That actually does make sence because i had adjusted
the timing a few hundred miles earlier. Also, when I removed the old distributor the small gear was missing. Hopefully
oil drain pan now. I don't really know where it is. Amen.

Thanks You All in Advance for any help or suggestions.

Daniel Olinick

2003 F250, 1983 F100, 1979 GMC C20, 1993 Ford Festiva, 1968 F500 Utility Truck.

[dolinick]

I think this video is good: https://youtu.be/m88xAflUotM?si=oU7f9PeKkvtaLFjI

[dolinick]

Yesterday I installed the electronic ignition. I installed the distributor and coil and duraspark module. I must have got
the timing pretty close because the truck actually started. It ran very poorly and backfired and stalled. I think I might need
to connect a "ballast resistor" instead of directly to the battery. I think maybe the coil was getting too much voltage.
It got warm and there was arcing from both terminals to the coil wire on the coil itself. Also, I am missing one spark plug wire
and I think maybe some of my plug wires might be bad. Today I'm gonna try to find some moar spark plug wires. I can't afford
to go buy a set until Thursday or Monday. I'm gonnna try rewiring it to the original cable that the old ignition had connected to the
coil. I am not 100 percent sure a 1968 points ignition coil has a ballast resistor.

Also, I think if i get an aftermarket coil I won't need the "ballast resistor". I saw that on another youtube video of a man wiring
his bullnose ford to a durspark ignition.

The shop mechanic from where I work towed my truck home 15 miles for me last night so I can now work on it in my own driveway.
Also, If I wait the mechanic is coming to help me get it running. He actually brought two technicians with him and two shop trucks.
One truck to pull my truck. Another truck to follow with hazard lights on. And one technician to steer and possibly use the brakes
while being towed. Maybe on my day off next week i'll go grill some chicken and pork chops for them to show my appreciation.

Why is it so dark outside this morning? It used to be daylight already. I"m in South Texas in the Central Time Zone.

[dolinick]

Well, I finally got the truck to run without backfiring and stalling. But it is running poorly.
Basically there is no power at all. I can barely accelerate in low gear. I did take her for a short
test drive.

I think I need to check the spark plugs and wires but i'm wondering could a grounding issue cause
low power. What is actually grounded in the Duraspark system? The distributor itself grounded to
the engine? The only ground wire goes from the module to the distributor and another wire to the
coil. Can I splice in another ground wire from the negative terminal on the coil to the battery or
somewhere?

Also, right now I have the power wire from the module going to a fuse and directly to the battery.
I might try connecting it back to the factory "run" positive wire that was connected to the old coil.
I might try doing that and also re-installing the old coil from my points ignition system.

As far as I know there should be a ballast resistor wire but I by-passed it.