1971 Plymouth duster, 225. Current ignition system is bone stock

I've heard that much of the sl/6 m/p stuff is still available up in Canada.

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'66 Cuda 225/4spd
'66 Dart GT convertible 225/auto
'64 Dart GT 340/4spd

I don't know if its available or not up here, most likely they have some excess stock liying around. Hey bud I think you should be able to use your current alternator setup as Mopar apperently only upgraded the voltage regulator to lreduce the risk of shocking the ecu with a spike from the old style. Apparently the old ballast and reg's work with elec ignition. I am gonna try it ou as I can't get the ballast and voltage reg in for a week. I'll let you know what happens.

jedi-
the thing with the electronic regulators is not only chance of a spike but also lack of voltage causing the car to run like $#!+. the point style regulators do not work nearly as well as the electronic ones do much in the same way as point type ignitions do not work nearly as well as electronic. in case you hadn't noticed, the electronic voltage regulator appeared in 1970 and electronic ignition appeared on mopars in 1973. that does that tell you?

-james

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Indeed no doubt they are better. Thats why I bought one today. but I think the mechanical ones will still work. Also picked up a new ballast resistor. Only the ecu and wiring harness remaining. hopefully tomorow I'll pick up the ecu from napa and the harness from a local wreckers.

REMEMBER: If you are swapping to the 70 and newer electronic voltage regulator you need to swap the alternator too. The pre 70 system had one side of the field windings in the alternator grounded and the mechanical voltage regulator switched voltage on and off to the single field winding. The 70 and newer system has two field winding terminals on the alternator. One is connected to switched 12v the other is connected to the regulator and the regulator grounds this connection to control the alternator output. The new systems primary advantage is better charging at idle rpm's.

You can get an electronic voltage regulator from Autozone (Wells brand) or from MP that is a drop in for the mechanical regulator. This solves the potential issue of spikes.

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Dave Clement
68 Barracuda (Hot-Rod \6)
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4pgxf/

I hooked up the ECU in my '63 Dart to the existing ballast. See the second wiring diagram at http://slantsix.org/articles/elect_ign_ ... wiring.htm.

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Chuck Rivers, Webmaster

Chuck:
Ok so then I don't need the new ballast resistor. Ok I'll take it back. The Brown and black wires(at the bottom) That goes to the plug on the distributor? Where is the voltage regultor in your system? Or did you just use the existing mech voltage regulator. The thing in my engine bay right now labelled as ALT FLD. Is that the ballast resistor or the voltage regulator?

DGC 333:
So Should I take back the voltage regulator I got also? I bought a wells one intended for a 73 Dart. Is that the wrong one? Do you have the wells part number of the "conversion type" voltage regulator?

Thanks for eveyones input this is getting very confusing.

Someone earlier posted that I had to switch to a ballast resistor of a different value. thats why I got the new ballast resistor. My car is a 67 valiant btw. So I have the old alternator setup and don't really want to get a new alternator til this one gives up the ghost. I thin I have this pretty much sorted out now. The only two things are the voltage regulator and the ballast resistor. Can I or can't I keep them both or either one? I believe the thing in my engine bay labeled Alt Fld is the mechanical voltage regulator. If so that stays in place unless I get the drop in Wells replacement right?

The ballast resistor. I have the dual one and I am certain mine has a single one. Can I just take the existing ballast reesistor out and put the new one in and just use the existing wiring and only use half of the resistor?

Also does the existing wiring from the pos terminal on the coil go to #3 in you diagram? If so then I would only have to make the following connections?

1) ECU pin 4 and 5 to the two wire conector on the new distrib

2) Remove current wires on the negative terminal on coil and run pin 2 on the ecu to the negative on coil.

3) Pin number 1 on the ECU to the ballast resitor(labelled number 4 on your diagram)

Thanks I think I am getting this sorted out now.

Where and how does the ecu get power?
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Ok maybe we should close the other thread and keep everythihng on this thread. Please reply here, thanks, getting confusing jumping back and forth.

Ok I have determined that I'll be keeping the original ballast resistor. The ECU I bought(new one). Its a five pin one. Can I still use it and just not use the fifth pin? Is there any switched 12v under the hood, or do I have pull it in from the interior of the car? Do you have a diagram dgc or could you give me a breakdow of exactly what parts I need to get and what hooks up to what eg
ECU pin 1 goes to ....
ECU pin 2 goes to ....
ECU pin 3 goes to ....
ECU pin 4 goes to ....
ECU pin 5 goes to ....

The ecu get's it power from the ignition on wire, doesn't it? It is the wire that meets the wire at the ballast resistor (blue one). You never emailed or responded to my email of the cover page of the article. I have an even better diagram (read simpler) that is on page 786 of the Mopar Engines manual. I think you are making this WAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY harder than you need to.

Blue wire- run side of ballast resistor
Black wire- negative side of the coil
Green wire- not used
the other two are the plug that plugs into the distributor.
The only other wire you need is a wire to the other terminal on the ballast resistor.



Good luck and K.I.S.S. !!!!!

Jason

Just checked my email today. I am downloading it now and I'll compress it and post it on my site. I may not be able to do it til tomorow but anyways.... I have figured out the wiring now ok, but I am getting mixed responses on if I can use my existing voltage regulator and ballast resistor. My car is 67 and the voltage reg is stamped Alt Fld on the chrome case. I have a 5 pin ecu and a dual ballast resistor If its easier I'll just use the one half of the new resistor and just move the wires on my single one onto the new one as I was told the old one is not the right resistance. I just need help on identifing if the voltage reg and the old ballast should stay or go. and if go what part number do I need to pick up.

Looks good I can compress it nicely in adobe photoshop(I'll have to do it at work though). Email me any/all of the ones you have and I'll shrink em and chop em and post em.

Jedi, there are 3 different ballast resistors available for mopar products; a 2 terminal unit for points ignition, a 2 terminal unit for electronic ignition and a 4 terminal (dual element) unit for the 5 pin ECU electronic ignition.

The 2 terminal points ballast will work with the 4 pin ECU but the two ballast resistors designed for the electronic igntion are a better match.
If you are using a 5 pin ECU then you need the 4 terminal ballast. If you are using a 4 pin ECU then you can use either the 2 terminal or 4 terminal ballast (you just do not hook anything to the 2 extra terminals).

Remember swapping to electronic ignition is an idependent activity from swapping to an electronic voltage regulator. It is recomended that the upgrade to an electronic voltage regulator be made becuase of the concerns of voltage spikes damaging the ECU but I know people that have run the electronic igntion for years on a mechanical voltage regulator with no problems.

If you purchased a voltage regulator for a 73 car and you do not want to swap in the new style alternator too, then return it and just get the Wells voltage regulator for your year car. Wells does not make a mechanical regulator.

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Dave Clement
68 Barracuda (Hot-Rod \6)
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4pgxf/

Ok Great thts what I needed to get.
I'll keep the dual ballast as my ecu is a 5 pin wells. I will return the voltage regulator and get a wells replacement for my model year. Now that thats all sorted out I think I should be good to go.

I will send the second page, let me know how big your mailbox is so I can send the rest, it seems like it will be 4mb per page.

Jason