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I want to install electronic ignition in my 51 ford flathead. What do I need? What's the difference between the mallory Magnetic breakerless full mechanical the unilite full mechanical? Also, do I need a multiple spark discharge control box like the MSD ones? what do they do?
The magnetic dist uses a magnetic sensor to fire the electronic module. The unilite, uses an interupter ring with slots, there is a light and a light sensor that sense the slot postion to fire the electronic module. both are inductive type systems that will fire strong to 5000RPM. The capacitive discharge boxes are good to 9000 plus. All multi strikes really work well for cleaning up your idle due to low piston speeds and will keep the plugs clean. If you get black soot and raw fuel at start up the multi strikes can clean up the exhaust as well. You can use your points dist to fire any inductive or capacitive boxes. You will need to remove the condensor and get a new coil for the type of ignition your want to run. The points will last much longer because your coil draws 2amps and the electronic box will draw less than 0.1amps. Oh yeah, the points won't burn if you leave the key on when the engine is off. In either case, you can also eliminate the ballast resistor, which sometimes fail. last time I hooked up a MSD6 on a 302, the idle speed increased about 200 RPM, the engine warmed up much quicker, got a few more MPG, and even ran a little hotter due to ALL the fuel being burned up. I reset the idle and was alot happier knowing raw fuel was'nt washing the cylinder walls and wearing out the rings.
jerchap, Acklands sells a Flamethrower electronic module that replaces the points in the stock distributor, uses the same (or any) coil, and installs in minutes. The last one I got cost about 120 bucks in Swift Current. Turned a pig into a sweetheart!
Mallory & Msd both make electronic distributers for the flatheads, check speedway motors website as they have all kindsa stuff for flatties.....
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/