Lars,
Mopar Performance does indeed make an electronic ignition upgrade kit. It's
available from any dealer, or for much less money from the mail order houses,
or my friends at Mancini Racing in Detroit (if you've got a good buddy in the
parts department at the dealer, you may do better yet). The part numbers are
as follows:
Engine Family Part Summit Mancini Mopar Perf
Number 800/230-3030 810/294-6670 (Dealer)
170-198-225 Slant Six Engines P3690789 $128.95 $129.95 $158.00
3.9L V-6 Engines P4529402
273-318, 340-360 Engines P3690426 $119.95 $119.95 $159.00
350-361-383-400 Engines P3690427 $143.95 $139.95 $179.00
413-426W-426 Hemi-440 P3690428 $143.94 $139.95 $179.00
The kits include the high performance electronic ignition distributor (with
performance advance curve and adjustable vacuum advance), the orange ECU
(electronic control unit), ballast resistor, wiring harness, electrical
connectors, and detailed instructions.
The Feburary 1999 edition of Mopar Muscle (on your news stands now!) has an
article about Electronic Ignition upgrades. While they do mention the
aforementioned kits, this article focuses on a low-buck approach to the
conversion, using just the Mopar performance harness (P3690152), and ballast
resistor (P5206436), with the remaining parts coming from the local auto parts
store and the junk yard.
I am unsure as to whether the "LA" style 318 and the older "A" 318
distributors interchange. If nothing else, perhaps the newer guts could be
made to fit the older housings. If anyone has this information, please share
it! If I don't hear in the next few days, I'll check it out and advise the
group. I seem to remember a local fellow who had done this to his Poly 318,
and he was no brain surgeon. We'll figure it out!
One last note for those of you living with poor fuel distribution - cross-
rams, etc... I run a Max-Wedge in my Barracuda, and the Max-Wedges are
notorious for poor fuel distribution at at low RPM's (street driving). I
chose to use a remanufactured electronic distributor, modified the advance
curve to suit me, then used a Crane HI-6 Ignition control. The HI-6 is a
multi-spark unit (similar to MSD), that fires the spark plug up to 12 times
each compression cycle during cranking. "At idle and cruise, the number of
sparks is adjusted to maintain a spark duration of 20 degrees (crankshaft)
assuring smooth idle, improved throttle response, and eliminating lean surge."
(quoted from the instructions)
Let it suffice to say I no longer suffer from snotty idle or sluggish
throttle response.. she idles smooth and cracking the throttle open is like
pulling the trigger on a rifle. Turn the key and the car is running - it
nearly explodes to life! Want to hear what my engine sounds like cranking?
Sorry, can't help you. Once after adjusting the carb linkages (and
subsequently bumping the accelerator pumps repeatedly) I was sure I was going
to have to install clean plugs to get her to start. Turned the key... ZOT
ZOT RRRROOOAAARRrrrrrrrr. I love it!
Hope this helps - good luck!
Steve
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