[sgtbookie]

96171 Autolite Ignition IGNITION WIRE SET AUTLT $28.88
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=ATL&MfrPartNumber=96171
This is what I used from Advanced... Has the correct wire for the 2F cannister coil.

[DirtEater]

Okay, I found some 8mm silicone plug wires at Carquest, that are made by Prestolite for $40. Don't laugh. Think they're any good. I'm just not finding crap locally.

[thornl01]

to Jeephammer,

Next door neighbor just bought a 77 cj / 258 & prestolite ign. runs very bad.

He has asked me to help him w/ the tune-up etc.

Got the Motorcraft 2100 carb built & wanting to upgrade the ign.

Anything different about the 77 that I need to know, or will I be able to install the 78 + dura-spark w/ wiring upgrades or what would you reccommend ?

thanks

[John Strenk]

Originally Posted by thornl01

to Jeephammer,

Next door neighbor just bought a 77 cj / 258 & prestolite ign. runs very bad.

He has asked me to help him w/ the tune-up etc.

Got the Motorcraft 2100 carb built & wanting to upgrade the ign.

Anything different about the 77 that I need to know, or will I be able to install the 78 + dura-spark w/ wiring upgrades or what would you reccommend ?

thanks

You should be able to install a Duraspark distributor and ICM with little problems if your comfortable with modifing your wiring.

I installed a distributor of an 84 CJ into my 76 and added the ignition harness out of my 79 CJ to make it work. I would of installed the 79 distributor but the plats had a lot of slop inside. Not sure what was missing in that distributor.

[thornl01]

Thanks

Wiring will be no problem.

[JeepHammer]

Originally Posted by lopezzi

Hey everyone.

Hello.
-------------------------

So I have been reading all about the Team Rush upgrade and decided to do it.
I bought all the parts and got them all installed over the last couple days.
But now I have two questions. I purchased the coil from an 84 F-150 with ECC like the posts said.

The plug that I purchased with it had one red wire, and two green wires.
I hooked the red wire up to the red wire from the old coil, and one of the green wires with the other green wire from the old coil.
I then connected the remaining green wire to the block as a ground.

Big mistake!
DO NOT GROUND THE 'GREEN' SIDE OF THE COIL OR YOU WILL SMOKE THE COIL WHEN POWER IS APPLIED!

That extra green wire is for your aftermarket tach, or other accessory. If you don't need it, clip the wire off or tape it over!
------------------------------

On the other posts about the Team Rush upgrade, it was said to make sure you put an extra ground.

That would be a dedicated GROUND wire to the module 'Black' wire,
OR a dedicated GROUND wire to the engine cylinder HEAD(S).

YOU DO NOT GROUND THE COIL CONNECTIONS!
-------------------------------------

When I had the other wire connected to the block, my Jeep would turn over, but it would not start.
The coil got extremely hot when it was connected this way.

Leaving the key on without the engine running is a GREAT way to cook the coil!
We've covered this may times...

There is a 'Quirk' in the DuraSpark ignition module used in Jeeps from '78 to '90, and you CAN NOT leave the key switch on when the engine isn't running or you will overheat both module and coil!

I decided to disconnect that extra ground to see if it would fire up. It did! Great I thought. Do I decided to drive it around to see if my efforts paid off. My Jeep did start a lot easier and seemed to run better with more power.

The engine will ALWAYS run better when the spark energy is actually getting to the correct spark plug, and getting there at the correct time...
------------------------------------------

However, at high RPM, the engine started to pop and backfire.

I don't have a tach, so I don't know at what exact RPM it would do this. As the engine got warmer, it seemed like it was doing this popping thing more and more, until finally it would hardly run.

Sounds a lot like your module might be on it's way out.
Very common when you overheat it by dead grounding its feed to the ignition coil...
-------------------------------------

In the upgrade process, I gapped my spark plugs to .45. Don't know if that's related or not.

I hope you mean 0.045" and not 0.45"!
0.45" is nearly half an inch!
---------------------------------------

I also noticed that I could hear a loud clicking, almost buzzing noise, that sounded like it was coming from the coil or distributor when the engine as running.

That is usually an air gap in the high voltage system somewhere...
Plug wire or coil wire not pushed in all the way,
Rotor not seated on the shaft correctly,
Cheap parts that are actually rubbing on each other,
Something like that.
-------------------------------------

So I guess my questions are, is it possible to fry a coil?

In just a few minutes!
When you grounded the green wire, then turn the ignition switch on, you were dead grounding the coil with full current going through it.
It's a wonder it didn't make 'Magic Smoke'...

You can also kill your coil over time if you engine head (Spark Plugs) don't get a proper ground, so run a dedicated ground wire to your cylinder head!

Am I supposed to ground that other green wire somewhere or leave it off?

Some accessories, like some tachs and engine diagnostic machines, or fuel injection computers will need a coil negative source, but for what you are doing, you don't need it.

And, what could be causing the popping/backfiring thing?

Take the cap/adapter off, make sure the adapter is properly seated,
Make sure the rotor is properly installed, look for signs of rubbing or contact inside the cap or on the rotor nose.

You will get a 'Popping' sound if the rotor center terminal doesn't make full contact with the center electrode in the cap, so make sure the center 'Spring' isn't pushed down on the rotor,

Check each and every one of the plug wires, makes sure they seated on the terminals correctly... On both the coil and the distributor cap...
Since it's an I-6, check the plug wire to plug connections also.


Oh and its an 83 CJ7, 258 with a Weber 34/34. Sorry for the forever long rant, but I really hope this upgrade will help my Jeep. Im sure I'm missing something.[/QUOTE]


Just a suggestion, but break up your thoughts a little more, when you guys run everything together, it makes it hard to read for me!

[JeepHammer]

Originally Posted by thornl01

to Jeephammer,

Next door neighbor just bought a 77 cj / 258 & prestolite ign. runs very bad.

He has asked me to help him w/ the tune-up etc.

Got the Motorcraft 2100 carb built & wanting to upgrade the ign.

Anything different about the 77 that I need to know, or will I be able to install the 78 + dura-spark w/ wiring upgrades or what would you reccommend ?

thanks

Covered this SEVERAL times...

'74 to '77 had PRESTOLITE.
NO UPGRADES FOR PRESTOLITE.

I would use a 'Junk Yard' HEI with a gear change If I were doing it,

OR,
I'd switch over to the distributor from '79 Jeep with 258 I-6 Engine and use HEI style module to trigger factory coil.