Saturday, September 23, 2006
Installing an HEI ignition on the Dart
Back when I was trying to run a carb with a turbo, the system's biggest weakness was that whoever had initially prepped the carb didn't know what he was doing. But the second biggest issue was getting the timing right, something I would have had to tackle if I ever got the carb in tune. I had bought a used MSD BTM off eBay, but it turned out to be broken. So I didn't have any way of backing off the timing under boost.
With Megasquirt, I can put the spark under computer control. While the V3 board has built in spark features that let it act as an ignition module, I have a V2.2 board. So I decided my best bet was to use a Lean Burn distributor and a GM 7 pin HEI module. Well, actually, it was an HEI module made by Standard Motor Products, so I hope this won't be quite as offensive to Mopar purists as the Ford throttle body.
I completed the underhood wiring today, including swapping out distributors. I guess I've had a bit more experience working in cramped conditions than when I first started working on the Dart, because I remember the last time I had the distributor cap off, I couldn't get one of the clips on without removing the oil filter. It's one of the few things I don't like about the slant six, the way they crammed the distributor into such an awkward location. I also put on an Accel Super Stock coil.
Now all I have left to do with the ignition wiring is adding the mods to the Megasquirt itself.
Still waiting on the LC-1 to get back - I've got an email from Innovate that it's in the mail.
With Megasquirt, I can put the spark under computer control. While the V3 board has built in spark features that let it act as an ignition module, I have a V2.2 board. So I decided my best bet was to use a Lean Burn distributor and a GM 7 pin HEI module. Well, actually, it was an HEI module made by Standard Motor Products, so I hope this won't be quite as offensive to Mopar purists as the Ford throttle body.
I completed the underhood wiring today, including swapping out distributors. I guess I've had a bit more experience working in cramped conditions than when I first started working on the Dart, because I remember the last time I had the distributor cap off, I couldn't get one of the clips on without removing the oil filter. It's one of the few things I don't like about the slant six, the way they crammed the distributor into such an awkward location. I also put on an Accel Super Stock coil.
Now all I have left to do with the ignition wiring is adding the mods to the Megasquirt itself.
Still waiting on the LC-1 to get back - I've got an email from Innovate that it's in the mail.
Labels: Dodge Dart
