I am planning to add some electronic ignition components to my 87' Ram in a grouping on the passenger fender and I have a few questions. I need to attach a MSD blaster coil, ballast resistor, and Mopar orange box.

I have a 6"X9" aluminum plate, but was wondering if I could bolt all three of these items to the single plate without any electrical interference problems??? Also the ECU needs to be grounded to the plate correct? but from where to where?

Also, I was intending to use the ballast resistor that came with my MSD coil, it is a .8 ohm resistor. Is this suitable for my application? (I've read some places that .5 ohm is what is required)

Finally, I discovered an old forum talking about electronically controlled torque converters on later model 904 torqeflites such as the one in my 87 D150. Because the converter control wire is connected to the lean burn computer, doing an EI conversion/lean burn removal would effectively disable my converter. So I would like to know if there is anyway to do this conversion (eliminating vacuum hoses/other lean burn input devices) while leaving the lean burn computer intact for the sole purpose of engaging/disengaging the converter? Is this possible/practical or am I just tripping? and no, I do not want a switch inside the cab...

Thanks all.

BTW: If anyone has a 2bbl factory intake manifold (or just one that mates with the stock exhaust manifolds hot box) that is not horribly pitted aluminum for sale, please let me know! I will pay you monies and shipping, because I live in Alaska..

_________________
1987 Dodge D150 Shortbox /6 904 auto
1982 Dodge D150 Longbox /6 833OD 4spd

Why don't you want a switch in the cab? That is an easy, and fool proof fix. It does not lock up until you want it to. The only real problem is you must remember to turn it off when you slow down and stop. There may be an automated solution to that.


I don't know for sure, but suspect the factory lean burn ecu was designed to lock up the tranny above a certain speed, and at a certain vacuum level. Maybe you could work that out. A map sensor and a solid state switching circuit that turned on at a specific voltage maybe. . An EE could likely figure this one out. A map sensor simply outputs a voltage that varies with the vacuum. This should be a simple circuit for the right guy. Now the speed thing is a different story. I suspect you have a mechanical speedometer there, which will not yield a useful out put for an electronic circuit.

Another thought, could you keep the tranny function of the lean burn ecu while going to the older orange box? Just thinking out loud here, trying to help. You maybe have to keep the stock air cleaner. Isn't that ecu housed in the air cleaner?

Were it me, I would just install a switch in the cab.

Sam

_________________

Perhaps the switch in the cab is a viable option if only because it is so much simpler than anything else... Being a Sam also, I'm finding myself vulnerable to your logic.. I'm just concerned about being more inefficient at engaging it than a computer would, and damage resulting from forgetting to turn it off or turning it on prematurely. I don't really know how simple a torque converter is.

Fortunately, I have a very late model lean burn truck so the lean burn computer is mounted against the drivers side fender. It could remain unnoticed and undisturbed even with a shiny holley aircleaner.

I only care because a main objective of the EI/2bbl conversion is improved economy (and less dogged up those inclines ofcourse). The torque converter is intended for exactly that purpose, correct?

_________________
1987 Dodge D150 Shortbox /6 904 auto
1982 Dodge D150 Longbox /6 833OD 4spd

Greetings, Sam! On my late model cars with auto there is a switch in the cab to look out the luck up torque converter. So a switch in the cab is not entirely atypical. On my Toyota Matrix, and two Scions, I can hold out the lock uyp until I want it to happen. And I do. I keep it locked out until I get to 40 MPH or so. On my Miata I lock it out until 30, because the engine seems to have a little more torque than the Scions. And I shift up and down manually in and out of lock up just like I do when selecting 5th gear on the Dart. I honestly think you would get used to the drill of doing this and not think about it. On my Toyota and Mazda this switch is on the gear shift lever.

You could always do this first with plans of changing it over if and when you figured out how to do so.

Sam

_________________

Slant6AK,

Can’t help with the lean burn, lock up converter question. However, I run the MSD Blaster 2 coil & resistor with the orange box on my car.

I would keep the resistor mounted in its factory location just because the wiring is all ready there, no fuss, no muss. Also this resistor gives off a lot of heat, and probably shouldn’t be mounted in conjunction with the orange box which also produces heat.

The orange box has to have a good ground. I run a wire from one of its mounting screws to a near by ground on the fire wall where the ground from the head lands. I don’t have a heat sink associated with the orange box.

This MSD Blaster 2 coil & resistor work well on my car, and I believe Aggressive Ted also has the same set up as well.

_________________
67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC