All Small Six Duraspark Dizziaster

[Rev.LowBuck]

Hey guys, I really need some help on this.
Recently installed a boneyard Duraspark 2 module and distributor in my 200. I blocked off the SCV port on my carb and am using manifold vacuum to the dizzy.

Crack the throttle just a bit and it DIES. No backfire, just bluh. Smack the throttle to the floor gets me the same thing.
Feather the throttle oh so very gently and it stumbles through til it revs.

Checked and double checked my timing marks for TDC.
Vacuum advance canister holds vacuum until I take my tongue off the line.
Good smooth idle with initial advance at 10-12 degrees.
Advancing the timing to ridiculous will mitigate the problem enough to get it down the driveway and onto the road but driving very gently it feels like the spark is laying down. No pinging but I can't get into hard enough to make it ping anyway.

12+ volts to the MSD Blaster 2 coil. Replaced the MSD with factory coil- no change.
Disconnected the white (spark retard) wire from the solenoid- no change.
Before installing the dizzy I did the "recurve mod" replacing the lighter spring with one from Mr Gasket 925D. Having read of trouble with this I put the original spring back in but no remedy. Then I replaced the heavy spring with the 925D, still nothin'.

So is it the ported vacuum?
Bad Module?
Something else?
I have a rudimentary timing light with no dial back and no tach.

Thanks in advance
Steve

 

[pmuller9]

The initial timing should be set to 10 degrees BTDC with the vacuum advance line disconnected from the distributor.
How did you set the timing?

 

[Rev.LowBuck]

I set the timing as you described, pmuller9. I have a T at the manifold, one side goes to the transmission, the other to the distributor.
Remove distributor line from the T and cap it before setting timing.

 

[drag-200stang]

I am just going to throw this out there, is carburetor icing possible?

 

[bubba22349]

Crack the throttle just a bit and it DIES. No backfire, just bluh. Smack the throttle to the floor gets me the same thing.
Feather the throttle oh so very gently and it stumbles through til it revs.

Is your Accelerator Pump working as it suppose to? Have you tried Tuning the Pump Shot any?

 

[Rev.LowBuck]

No carb icing here in central Florida, drag-200stang.
Bubba, I'm confident the carb is functioning right. Haven't tried tuning the pump shot as all appears to be where it should, I'll look at it again.
BUT forgot to mention in my first post, swapped in a spare carb early in my diagnosis with no change in behavior.

In the meantime- I ran a wire from the module case to the NEG side of the battery to eliminate a possible ground issue. No help.

 

[wsa111]

First of all 10 degrees initial advance is way too low. However you have no idea what the total centrifugal is or how much advance is in the vacuum advance.
Have you checked the pulley to make sure TDC in correct on the damper pulley?
Did you get the factory wiring harness with the module & distributor from the junk yard?
Ohm the pickup coil in the DS11. Most check close to 650 ohms.
When you installed the distributor springs you have no way to check the results.
Make sure the polarity from the module to the DS11 is correct.
Check out my DS11's in the small six for sale section at the bottom of this forum.
All mine are custom curved for your engine combination using a Sun Distributor Machine, so i know what i want is what i get.
If interested in talking with me PM me your phone # & the best time to call. billythedistributorman@live.com Bill

 

[Rev.LowBuck]

Thanks wsa111
Checked TDC by turning over by hand and having an assistant monitor a drinking straw that I put down the #1 bore. When the straw stopped the timing mark was at zero. Knowing that slippage is a problem on old motors, I did it again with the same result. So I'm pretty confident on TDC.

Distributor and Module were from 2 different vehicles both plugs were so rotten they fell apart in my hand. I wired in new plugs that I got at the auto parts store. Not OEM style but carefully soldered and heat shrunk.

I'll have to take off my auto parts store plug to ohm the pickup coil as my probe won't get in there, but I'll do it.

Polarity- Distributor has orange and sorta tan. Module has orange and purple. Orange to orange, Sorta tan to purple.

I'll take my harness apart and temporarily splice the wires, maybe my plug is the problem. That way I can switch the polarity easily.

 

[wsa111]

If you can afford it i would junk what you have & go with a MSD 6425, Blaster 2 coil, MSD 8869 harness which will plug the DS11 to the MSD Box.
You need to get one of my DS11's which will be custom curved for your engine.
I hate to say it but your DS11 is junk. Questions i will be glad to talk to you, Bill

 

[John Ha]

Distributor and Module were from 2 different vehicles both plugs were so rotten they fell apart in my hand. I wired in new plugs that I got at the auto parts store. Not OEM style but carefully soldered and heat shrunk.

I'll have to take off my auto parts store plug to ohm the pickup coil as my probe won't get in there, but I'll do it.

Polarity- Distributor has orange and sorta tan. Module has orange and purple. Orange to orange, Sorta tan to purple.

I'll take my harness apart and temporarily splice the wires, maybe my plug is the problem. That way I can switch the polarity easily.

Are you sure that you got the reluctor wheel (the star piece that fits on the shaft - see green arrow in pic) installed in the same position it was in before you removed it? There are two ways it can be installed on the shaft and normally it needs to be marked before it's removed so it's reinstalled in the correct orientation on the shaft.

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, to see if you are losing spark, put an in line spark tester between the coil and the distributor.
My wild guess is the module has an issue. Good luck

 

[John Ha]

Hi, to see if you are losing spark, put an in line spark tester between the coil and the distributor.
My wild guess is the module has an issue. Good luck

It's not a bad idea to buy a new module. Even if it makes no difference after you swap, it's good to have a spare. I've only had to use the spare I carry once but was glad I had it when I did need it.

Also, you can get the connectors for the harness. The female 2 Wire connector (power) used to connect to the module is Standard S-629. The female 4 Wire Connector (Control) used to connect to the module is Standard S-698. If you use these you won't have an issue if you have to change the module - it'll be plug and play. I think both are available from Amazon and probably other places as well.

 

[Rev.LowBuck]

Thanks for all your help guys.
John Ha- Reluctor wheel is righteous.
B Ron Co- Good call on the spark tester. I'll bet it goes dark when I crack the throttle. I'll chase down those connectors.

Gonna be a couple weeks before I can report back as garage time is limited but you've given good direction.
I think I bought a bad module.

I'll reach out to Bill in the meantime.

 

[Rev.LowBuck]

SOLVED IT. My homemade hack job harness was the problem. I spliced wires in direct from dizzy to box and it runs fine.
Bill is advising me as I continue to learn things.
As always, thanks for all your help.