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Which ignition control module?

Which ignition control module to get

  • Duraspark

    Votes: 10 50.0%
  • MSD

    Votes: 7 35.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 3 15.0%

  • Total voters
    20

recoiljunky

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 19, 2007
Messages
1,478
Loc.
Dothan, AL. USA
I think I zapped my current Duraspark ignition control module. I was welding on the Bronco with the battery still hooked up (I know, I know.) I cranked it up and parked it a few feet away. A week later I tried to crank it and it would not crank.

This motor has less than 1k miles on it.

It is getting fuel. It tried to crank a couple of times but just wouldn't do it. I suspect my module is fried.

The motor is kinda hi-po. It's got aluminum heads and intake, roller rockers, it's stroked, blah blah blah. Right now I'm running a Duraspark dizzy, coil and ignition control module.

I seldom rap the motor past 4,500 rpm.

Most of my research tells me to keep the Dura dizzy but upgrade the coil. What about the ignition control module? Is it time to spend the coin on MSD? Some other brand? I don't mind spending some extra if I'll be able to feel it, but if the Duraspark ICM is as good as it gets I'll stick with it.
 

RedLeg0811

Sr. Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2006
Messages
836
Loc.
Maltby, WA
I would go with the duraspark. I had a unilite that I killed the module. I had heard they tend to do that. Bronko69er said he had problems with some MSD modules. I went with the duraspark for several reasons.
1. Cheaper for the whole setup
2. If it breaks I can go to any Napa and replace it. MSD and Mallory are special order.

3. If I go to EFI down the road I don't feel bad about replacing my setup.
 
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recoiljunky

recoiljunky

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 19, 2007
Messages
1,478
Loc.
Dothan, AL. USA
Thanks Red.

Viper- No I haven't checked for spark but I could hear it try to fire a couple of times. I was thinking it had intermittent spark. I know it has fuel and air, and it better have compression, so I've kinda hung my hat on the module idea.

Edited to add: Oh yeah, it carburated.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
I can't tell you for sure that it's NOT the module, but with that intermittent firing and the general insensitivity to outside influence, you should definitely LOOk for spark before throwing another module on there.
Sure, it could be the module, but there are still other things it could be too.
"Most" of the time, when a module goes bad, it's just bad and you will get zero spark. When you get intermittent spark it's "usually" something else.
I say most, maybe, and usually because, as we all know by now, normal rules don't apply to Broncos (or anything else that you happen to be working on at the moment) so you just never know.

I had good luck with my Duraspark replacement module made by MSD for Ford. Better still I replaced my module with an Accel 300+ module and coil. Still runs off the Duraspark distributor, but with it's own multiple-spark digital CD setup, it ran even better than before.
So that's an option too.

Paul
 

broncnaz

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
24,341
Keep the duraspark everything else your just paying for a name. You might want to check all your connections in the ignition system especailly the grounds.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,833
Engine cranking has nothing to do with the module. You can completely remove the module and the engine will still crank. I have cranked an engine with no head on it once. If it isn't cranking, it is in the starter somewhere.

Once you get it cranking, then the ignition will provide spark. With welding and modules, if it ran after you finished welding, generally you didn't hurt the module. It is actually a lot harder to hurt modules by welding on cars then you would think. You would almost have to be trying to hurt one or completely ignorant of your ground paths to force power through modules the wrong way.
 
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recoiljunky

recoiljunky

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 19, 2007
Messages
1,478
Loc.
Dothan, AL. USA
Sorry, it does "crank" in that the starter turns the motor over. It just doesn't "crank" in that it won't go "varoom, varoom." ;)

My bad for using the wrong terminology.

The thing is, nothing happened to the motor after I quit welding on the Bronco. I haven't driven it anywhere. My last module was weird when it went out. The motor would die all of a sudden. Even though the motor is connected to a manual tranny, it would not restart until I cycled the ingintion switch (resetting the module, I guess.) Replacing the module fixed the problem.
 

Bundy

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 10, 2009
Messages
2,045
i had the same issue with my unilite where it would die randomly- after i bypassed and replaced everything but the module, i replaced the module for $38 that was the culprit.
 
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