Crank Trigger/Distributer for more reliability?

[Eticket]

There's much lately about converting to a distributer setup for more power and less chance of burning coil packs etc in fast SII cars.

Ultimately, would changing over to a distributer setup help any turbo buick? Keep in mind, I am one that had rare coil pack/module issues, but have had plug wire issues.

My impression is that if the distributer is more power, wouldn't it sensibly lead to a more durable ignition system that burns the fuel better and may lead to reliable timing that might help in not cracking heads or popping head gaskets?

I wonder at what HP level or cylinder pressures the distributer actually helps?

It seems that converting the Fast Box Crank sensor to be a pickup is relatively easy.. is that true?

Thanks,
John Nguyen

 

[Reggie West]

John to answer your question, yes I think its a good idea for a couple of reasons.

According to Ken Duttweiler, going to the LS1 coils and the FAST adapter box is worth about a 1000 rpm increase in the motor.

Once you hit a certain level of performance it seems the waste spark coil packs become a problem. I cant say exactly where.

One reason for the distributors on Stage motors is that the stock cam sensor can take some abuse but if the motor backfires or blinks it seems to make the sensor jump and loose its orientation between the gears. The distributor seems to be able to handle the abuse much better.

Check out the Hot Rod issue for January, they have an article on the TA blocks for Buicks and you can see a couple of examples of the coils and the distributors.

HTH

 

[bruce]

Ultimately, would changing over to a distributer setup help any turbo buick? Keep in mind, I am one that had rare coil pack/module issues, but have had plug wire issues.

My impression is that if the distributer is more power, wouldn't it sensibly lead to a more durable ignition system that burns the fuel better and may lead to reliable timing that might help in not cracking heads or popping head gaskets?

I wonder at what HP level or cylinder pressures the distributer actually helps?

It seems that converting the Fast Box Crank sensor to be a pickup is relatively easy.. is that true?

Any Turbo Buick?, No.
Distributors need more maintance, you have the cap and rotor air gaps to worry about. There is also an actual wasted spark with a distributor, vs DIS, people just constantly seem to ignore that. With the distributors you can run a 7 series of MSD ignition, with DIS 6 is the top of the ladder.

With some of the aftermarket ecms they HAVE NO WAY of using a rev limiter with the oem type of module, so you have to change to a distributor becuase of the ecm, not because you're making more actual HP.

 

[SPEEDSTAR]

Any Turbo Buick?, No.
Distributors need more maintance, you have the cap and rotor air gaps to worry about. There is also an actual wasted spark with a distributor, vs DIS, people just constantly seem to ignore that. With the distributors you can run a 7 series of MSD ignition, with DIS 6 is the top of the ladder.

With some of the aftermarket ecms they HAVE NO WAY of using a rev limiter with the oem type of module, so you have to change to a distributor becuase of the ecm, not because you're making more actual HP.

This is what I have observed from the discussions about distributors verses DIS, ,,,,,Crank trigger/distr. works with any TB with an XFI or Gen7,and Motec .....theres a gain in HORSEPOWER.,wastespark so what..... lowers cyl. head temps......lowers exh. gas temps....no rich backfire in the header....gain in RPM.......a functioning rev limiter..... that air gap doesnt bother me, .....maintance on a distributor/a minor thing. ....less problems overall.. alot of guys using them say they are more reliable and wouldnt go back to a Dis..I think the only ign. that may be better is CNP. Just my 2 cents

 

[oldtimer]

John to answer your question, yes I think its a good idea for a couple of reasons.

According to Ken Duttweiler, going to the LS1 coils and the FAST adapter box is worth about a 1000 rpm increase in the motor.

Once you hit a certain level of performance it seems the waste spark coil packs become a problem. I cant say exactly where.

One reason for the distributors on Stage motors is that the stock cam sensor can take some abuse but if the motor backfires or blinks it seems to make the sensor jump and loose its orientation between the gears. The distributor seems to be able to handle the abuse much better.

Check out the Hot Rod issue for January, they have an article on the TA blocks for Buicks and you can see a couple of examples of the coils and the distributors.

HTH

What is the complete list of parts required to make the conversion to distributor and where could I get them ? Are the required parts and pieces readily available ?


George

 

[Reggie West]

What is the complete list of parts required to make the conversion to distributor and where could I get them ? Are the required parts and pieces readily available ?


George

George I think Ken Duttweiler can give you all the info you need.

Whichever way you go, coils or a distributor.

I dont have the part numbers to give you.

 

[Louie L.]

What is the complete list of parts required to make the conversion to distributor and where could I get them ? Are the required parts and pieces readily available ?


George

Sent you a PM

 

[odell4o8]

I have a 7al-2 and im thinking about going to a msd 10 ,any one running the 10 on a v-6 ? thanks, oc,

 

[oldtimer]

Sent you a PM

Louie,

PM'd you back

George

 

[Joe Lubrant]

I have a 7al-2 and im thinking about going to a msd 10 ,any one running the 10 on a v-6 ? thanks, oc,

Not sure why you would want to convert

Pretty sure the 7Al-3 or MSD 10 are for V8's only.

Why would you think it would help anything?...seems to me 7AL-2 provides more than enough spark power.

Joe

 

[odell4o8]

joe. local speed shop guy runs a turbo mustang had one and he was telling me all about the 7al-3 and the ten and i just wondered if anyone had one, i know they cost a lot more than the 7al-2 and thats all i know about them, oc,

 

[Louie L.]

Louie,

PM'd you back

George

George,
Did not get your PM. Try again ...

 

[oldtimer]

George,
Did not get your PM. Try again ...

Tried again!!

George

 

[Nashty]

Joe, can you soup up the BS3 box to run LS1 coils?

I cannot physically fit in a distributor. I can't really see how a motor hiccup would set things awry either.

-------------

Odie, you should update your corn picker to a 60 series 9880 bullet rotor before you update that MSD box. Of course, if you had that new green combine, you'd have the cash to buy one of those for all of us.

Same thing goes to you Brad.

 

[odell4o8]

nasty, i dont have a combine, only hay making equipment, my friend has a 12 row head on a big a$$ combine and its green, and its only money, oc,

 

[InjectConnect]

Joe, can you soup up the BS3 box to run LS1 coils?

The BS3 LS1 box will work with the Buick V-6, They have a 24x crank trigger wheel ( 1/8" thick steel about 6" dia.) and a pick-up that will screw into a MSD bracket. You can use the factory cam sensor. We have converted conventional SBC using this set up just a different cam sensor and they work great.

 

[Sparky_wp]

MSD’s 7AL-2, 7AL-3 and MSD-10 can be used on 4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines.
These boxes get a signal via Crank trigger or Distributor pick up and output a Signal to a Coil.

These Ignitions are primarily input output type. For example, if you send these Ignitions a 6 cylinder input, you will receive a 6 cylinder output.
Depending how many signals these Ignitions receive per 720 degrees of Crankshaft rotation (4, 6 or 8), will determine how many Coil Signals the Ignition will send to the Coil, which the Coil Spark is then sent to the Distributor, which sends the Spark to the appropriate Cylinders via a firing order.
(1-6-5-4-3-2)

I hope this helps
Sparky

 

[EightSecV6]

MSD’s 7AL-2, 7AL-3 and MSD-10 can be used on 4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines.
These boxes get a signal via Crank trigger or Distributor pick up and output a Signal to a Coil.

These Ignitions are primarily input output type. For example, if you send these Ignitions a 6 cylinder input, you will receive a 6 cylinder output.
Depending how many signals these Ignitions receive per 720 degrees of Crankshaft rotation (4, 6 or 8), will determine how many Coil Signals the Ignition will send to the Coil, which the Coil Spark is then sent to the Distributor, which sends the Spark to the appropriate Cylinders via a firing order.
(1-6-5-4-3-2)

I hope this helps
Sparky

The above boxes will work fine, however if they are not configured for a V6 (different MSD part number for the 7AL2 for sure) the tach signal will still read as a v8.For example if you are spinning 8000 rpms, your tach will read 6000.

 

[Nashty]

Joe, can you soup up the BS3 box to run LS1 coils?

The BS3 LS1 box will work with the Buick V-6, They have a 24x crank trigger wheel ( 1/8" thick steel about 6" dia.) and a pick-up that will screw into a MSD bracket. You can use the factory cam sensor. We have converted conventional SBC using this set up just a different cam sensor and they work great.

Why do you need the cam sensor then? Doesn't the BS3 get it's info from the crank or does it still need the cam sensor to find cyl. number 1?

PS, sent you an email.

Roger

 

[InjectConnect]

It needs it to find #1 cylinder.