I put a centech wiring harness in my 74 bronco 302, about 16 years ago, it did not come with new harness for the ignition system and I ended up just using the old harness for the ignition system. Its getting pretty old and brittle, so I want to just make a new one, using new connectors, for the end that connects to the dura spark box. I've search on the form and got great insight, but I'm a little confused about what dura spark I have? one or two. Here's a picture of the plugs on my box. It has the four prong and then it has the two prong, where I'm stumped is looking at VIPEWOLF schematic's, if you look at the bottom of the box where the wire's go in it's black and the 2 prong plug, has one blade horizontal and the other vertical. I thought it ran the blue one, but not sure now.
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Dura spark 1 or 2
- Thread starter savage
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broncodriver99
Bronco Guru
I believe the black grommet module is a '74 only DS I module. Is your bronco a '74 California model? That would be the correct module if it is.
broncodriver99
Bronco Guru
broncodriver99
Bronco Guru
My understanding is that DS II didn't come out until '76, the blue module being the most commonly used box.
In 74/75 it was DS I. Looks like the breakerless ignition was an option that someone ordered. In 74 the only option would have been to use the black grommet module being installed in CA vehicles.
In 74/75 it was DS I. Looks like the breakerless ignition was an option that someone ordered. In 74 the only option would have been to use the black grommet module being installed in CA vehicles.
broncodriver99
Bronco Guru
Looks like you have an Echlin TP35 module. One of the wires in the "3 prong" connector was eliminated in '76 as they changed something in the module and it was no longer necessary.
broncodriver99
Bronco Guru
Here is a link to a picture of the LX200 wiring which is the Standard Motor Products equivalent to the TP35. Looks the same as what you have.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/smp-lx200
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/smp-lx200
A common misconception is that Duraspark I preceded Duraspark II. The truth is that they were both introduced in '77. The earlier versions were neither I or II. They could more accurately called pre-Duraspark IIs. The Duraspark I was a Cal. only high voltage ignition, designed to fire lean mixtures. This thread from the Pantera forum enplanes the difference;
http://pantera.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5650045562/m/7731000846
The Duraspark II is the one to use, just do to parts availability if nothing else. As Duraspark evolved the blue wire was deleted when internal circuits in the module rendered it redundant. The most important consideration in choosing a module is whether it is a US made Motorcraft part. Standard Ignition is better than most after market units but Motorcraft was better. I've never had a failure with Motorcraft module from the '80s-2000. Here's a good example;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ignition-Co...F700-7-0L-V8-/141713540900?hash=item20fec9072
http://pantera.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5650045562/m/7731000846
The Duraspark II is the one to use, just do to parts availability if nothing else. As Duraspark evolved the blue wire was deleted when internal circuits in the module rendered it redundant. The most important consideration in choosing a module is whether it is a US made Motorcraft part. Standard Ignition is better than most after market units but Motorcraft was better. I've never had a failure with Motorcraft module from the '80s-2000. Here's a good example;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ignition-Co...F700-7-0L-V8-/141713540900?hash=item20fec9072
My '73 that I ordered to my liking came with points. Every source, from Ford shop manuals to Chilton's/Motor etc. agree Duraspark II came out in '77. The Pantera Forum thread is the best write up I've seen on the evolution of the Duraspark ignition. It's thorough and correct. Unfortunately threads from Ford Truck, Pantera, and Classic Mustang forums are more likely to make the effort to share correct well researched information than ClassicBroncos. Here there tends to be more advocates of short cuts and after market bling.
So I'm more confused than ever now, should I change the box or just rewire it for this box? , from what I read its the f solid state ford ignition, so I'm assuming its not a duraspark ignition, or is it. I know some after market boxes sometimes do not put the right color on the box, so you can't always trust that. Viperwolf, Dirtdonk, help.;D
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turbotim2, all good;D, I've looked at the wiring diagrams that's on viperwolf garage, and just trying to decide if I want to change boxes or just keep the one I have. I know that my bronco may have been changed by the PO'S that had it before me, I think the old ignition harness may have screw up my box, so I'm probably will have to replace it.
The fact remains that Ford improved the features of the Duraspark through '77. After that durability continued to improve into the early '80s. Cranking timing retard and maximized coil saturation may or may not apply to aftermarket modules. Ford only offered replacement modules for Duraspark II and the Centech only offers harnesses for Duraspark II. For the long term Duraspark II is the only choice.
When did centech start offering a harness for duraspark II ? I know in the day, I installed a centech wiring harness ( long time ago) they did not offer one.I tried to look on their site but it looked like they did not have a harness for the ford ignition system.
broncodriver99
Bronco Guru
Duraspark is nothing but a name that the Ford marketing department rolled out in '76. The system you have is the original version of what became known as Duraspark. There were a couple of different timing control schemes and a couple of improvements made over the years but if what you have works I see no reason to replace it. It is correct for how it came from the factory and my guess would be that it works just fine. I do not know if your module lacks the timing retard function that is in the later blue module.
I read a thread where someone with a Centech harness was trying to get the retard function working on a blue grommet box and after doing some wire tracing found that the way the harness was built it would not work out of the box. They had to separate a couple of wires in the harness so the retard function could be used. The retard feature is really the only improvement I could see being worth the upgrade, if your box doesn't have it that is, it may well.
They don't. Painless offers one though.
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While I'm usually in favor of leaving it alone if it works, like 99 said, in your case with the wires themselves getting too old to be reliable, this might just be the time to cut your losses and buy a Blue Grommet module and a new harness.
Here's the Painless kit: http://www.painlessperformance.com/webcat/30812 and the instruction PDF: http://www.painlessperformance.com/Manuals/30812.pdf
As with most, it states that it's for the Blue Grommet (blue wire strain relief) ignition control modules. And those are probably also the easiest to source at a local auto parts store at any given time too.
AAW also has a version here: http://www.americanautowire.com/shop/ford-duraspark-ignition-harness
Ford Racing has, or used to have, a decent one as well. That's what I was using on mine until I removed it a few weeks ago in preparation for the EFI install. Worked great with the different Blue boxes I used from MSD.
If you end up just using new wire and splicing it into your existing stuff, then like was said, just ignore the missing connector in the 2/3-wire plug, as it was eliminated as the years went by and the replacement parts morphed.
Paul
Here's the Painless kit: http://www.painlessperformance.com/webcat/30812 and the instruction PDF: http://www.painlessperformance.com/Manuals/30812.pdf
As with most, it states that it's for the Blue Grommet (blue wire strain relief) ignition control modules. And those are probably also the easiest to source at a local auto parts store at any given time too.
AAW also has a version here: http://www.americanautowire.com/shop/ford-duraspark-ignition-harness
Ford Racing has, or used to have, a decent one as well. That's what I was using on mine until I removed it a few weeks ago in preparation for the EFI install. Worked great with the different Blue boxes I used from MSD.
If you end up just using new wire and splicing it into your existing stuff, then like was said, just ignore the missing connector in the 2/3-wire plug, as it was eliminated as the years went by and the replacement parts morphed.
Paul
