So what do you run for an ignition system on your hi performance engines?

 

An HEI.

 

Contact points on 3 and GM HEI on two.

 

MSD all the way.

 

What system?

 

HEI. Don't know how "hi-performance" my build is, though.

 

points on my good performance engine...……..

 

MSD Pro billet distributor, 6AL MSD box, 8.5 super conductor wires.
nothing special but it gets the job done and has rarely failed me.

 

HEI with an Accel Super Coil.

 

HEI from Davis unified ignition. Nothing else. Spins to 7k with no issues. After running a sniper and realizing how much RFI these old cars really kick around I wouldn't run anything digital. I did install a digital rev limiter and the RFI would make it kill spark around 5k mounted it inside the car and it was better but still felt very weak above 5k RPM. So I'm gonna keep it basic until it needs it.

 

Good to know is it possible to shield the box?
Is it the old style wiring harness and connectors?

 

The wiring harness was replaced . I added grounds , and even after mounting it in the car it still did weird stuff. My AFR gauge ( digital ) also does weird stuff in the car while running.

 

Stock points on the '55 Olds and '62 Rambler; HEI on the 442; Duraspark I (the CA version with the red strain relief) on the 460 Ford '76 F-250.

 

I run my stock points distributor with an MSD 6A ignition box. I like CD ignition and the MSD is very reliable regardless of what some people say.
Rick

 

Pro Billet, 6AL2, Blaster coil, Taylor wires, NGK plugs

 

I ran a MSD6AL ignition box with HEI for 25 years, never missed a beat. No I have the same ignition box triggers by Holley EFI.

 

MSD digital 6 box, Mallory distributor, MSD wires, Petronix coil.

Everything but the distributor has been in the car since 2007. 630 hp big block on pump gas, sees 7k through the traps....never an issue.

 

Progression ignition hei.

 

Not saying my crap engine is high performance. I use mas wires 8.8 ,Msd distributor, Msd 6AL box.

 

MSD 7AL2 with a crank trigger, with a shielded pick up wire.

 

Accel 37000 series ball bearing dual point, with tach drive. MSD 6T or 7AL. Positively the best most precision distributor ever for late Oldsmobile. Mechanical advance field adjustable without pulling the distributor. Big cap adapters are available if you worry about terminal spacing, but I never carbon tracked a Accel cap even with wide plug gaps. I have seen them with a Hall cell trigger adapted, but the Accel point sets work like a champ to 6500 and beyond, even old used sets.

Plenty of others in my collection, but I maintain this one is the very best.

 

I am currently upgrading my ignition to an MSD distributor eliminator with individual LS coils, to supplement my Holley Fuel Injection system on my BBC 454. I must re-pin some circuits for the computer to work (ground) the coils. It will the make setting timing really simple...set the crank at the timing you want plus the computer lead, and turn the distributor eliminator until the LED goes out, clamp the distributor eliminator down...timing is set. Power must be on to light the LED.

 

Are you running solid core wires & plugs or resistor wires & plugs ?

 

Anyone here have experience with a megajolt and ford edis coils? It seems as though a lot of people are switching to multiple coil distributor-less ignition systems. 1 coil only has so much time to charge when feeding 8 cylinders.

 

Ok, I will play


I would assume I am 1 of 1 on my system…
468 Oldsmobile with Batten iron heads

distributor:
Holley Dual Sync

ignition system:
Motec single channel CDI

coil:
Mercury marine CDI single coil

spark plug wires:
Taylor 409 pro wires 10.4mm custom fit


How does it work? Good so far!

 

Two big blocks - one originally 425, now 455; one ‘70 or so. E-head 455

Both have Taylor coil-in-cap HEI with Buick vacuum advance modules, 8mm MSD wires and NGK iridium plugs.

Works well, but I keep spare modules in the trunk.

Cheers
Chris

 

PerTronix distributors are great!






For turning into engine primers. 😂😂😂

 

Would you mind sharing why you went with Motec ignition system V others?

 

Sure thing.

Several reasons.

One, I had a Motec M8 ecu/efi system that I was going to run and thought it good to match systems.

Two, the Motec stuff is usually head and shoulders above other brands for quality and reliability. This Motec CDI ignition system was actually made by M&W ignitions, and Motec required a very high standard to put their name on these boxes and sell them as their own.

Third, I liked that the Motec has a single bosch-tyco weatherproof connector for reliability and weather resistance.

Fourth, it can do multi-strike pulses at less than 3,000rpm if I program the ecu to tell it to do so.

Fifth, I only paid ~$125 for it, brand new in the box off of eBay.


Last, I used to work at a old hot rod parts shop, and I took on a ton of MSD systems for warranty even 25 years ago. Not saying I don’t like them, but I would certainly carry a spare box with me if I was running an MSD.

 

Thanks for the detailed reply.
Have you had any experience with Ice Ignition systems?

 

Of course!

No personal experience with ICE systems, but I have heard very good things.

I honestly don’t know if an ICE system would show much benefit on a naturally aspirated engine making less than 700hp on the street, or how the reliability would be, but I would think it is good.



If money was no object, I would likely run a crank trigger, a Motec CDI-8 box, an 8 channel M&W, or an ICE system with eight separate coils.

I would really like to have my ATI damper setup with magnet pickups for a crank trigger and configure a cam position sensor off the cam gear of the timing set for the most accuracy, and just have a dummy drive and gear for the oil pump in the distributor. I might even eliminate that completely and go dry sump.

For me, for now, the simple Mercury Marine CDI coil I run is supposed to have excellent reliability and very strong spark, capable of 9,000rpm + and 800hp+ even with nitrous or boost.

The distributor gear shows less than 1 degree of slop, so not bad at all for accuracy for our setup. The dual sync distributor shows good sync overall for the cam and crank positions, so we will be running it for now.

 

Don’t worry about accuracy on the cam sync. It’s only purpose is to tell the ECU where number 1cyl is. Even if it’s off 10* you can still figure out optimum injector timing.
And virtually ALL multi strike systems quit above 3000rpm.
What’s really more beneficial is to be able to alter the coil dwell time for inductive type coils. That’s the best bang for the buck imo.

 

I've had friends tell me about good M&W ignition quality too. And I've installed a lot of MSDs. The only MSDs I've seen fail did not have a capacitor on the input wires to protect them from spikes (hooking up battery backward, high-voltage AAA boosters, etc.).

Install a cap with any ignition box--or else carry a spare box as you suggest. Buy one with a minimum of 16 volts and 25 millifarad (mF), sometimes shown as 25,000 microfarad (μF). It's cheap insurance against failure of whatever box you run.

 

The A quality CD or CDI ignition box provides a hotter spark through out the rpm range and having multi spark at lower rpm never hurts.
Some boxes claim 3500 rpm multi spark output given that most Oldsmobile engines shift at 5000 to 6500 rpm its operating for a good part of the pull.

 

Thanks for posting very informative.

 

Ok go with that if it makes you happy.

 

Its not about what makes me feel happy! MSD as well as other brands of CD ignitions have a proven down track results. It was worth a tenth with our set up. Street engines rpm is often under 3000 rpm not to mention the hotter spark through out the rpm range. Stock and supper stock racers do not use unproven technology,if there is better system available they use it.
If you have a modern EFI system that incorporates ignition timing or have a modern ignition system them you probable don't need a CD ignition box. But for those that still use a Carburetor and conventional distributor CD/ CDI ignition boxes are proven performers. The CD/CDI box ensures maximum primary coil voltage is always available. The CD box also can provide you with a rev limiter a must have for any performance Olds engine.
Your always on HP Hunter or BTR for having strong opinion its like you get offended when someone does not agree with you. You have brought many performance parts to the Olds community, I congratulate you on your success. But that does not make your opinion more valid.

 

HP Hunter? Don’t know who that is.
And Bill is as opinionated as anyone anywhere, let’s be honest here.

But I’m not offended at all. I’m simply pointing out other popular, viable ignition combinations that are proven as much as anything else.
Lots of guys take junkyard LS engines for example and put blowers on them making 800hp and above. All with stock inductive style coils. No boxes or any other ignition mods.
Simple stuff.

 

The point is you are on them because of their strong opinion and I see no difference. I have no problem with someone that has a strong opinion.
HP Hunter = Vortecpro

The LS engine has a coil per cylinder and a has computer controlled ignition. Our engines run one coil and conventional distributor.

 

Correct but you still have limits on dwell time etc.
As far as the rest of it goes, our opinions differ. That’s fine.