Mystery electrical box in engine bay? January 11, 2009, 02:51:27 AM Hey, I am currently working on an engine swap and I am deciding what I want to keep in the engine bay, and I have been unable to determine what this box does. All it says on it is manufactured by standard motors, or some such.If I recall, it has three connectors, only one is hooked up, goes into the harness through the firewall. The wires are White/Light blue stripe, and red/green stripe I believe. It also has yellow and black wires going into it from some sort of vacuum check valve? Looking thing. Any information on this would be appreciated. Yes, I know, the engine bay is filthy, the car has 186,000 miles on it, which is why it needs the swap, and I haven't cleaned the engine bay in 60,000 miles. It is a 1983 T-bird with 3.8l V6 and a C-5 automatic. Has AC, buttstuffog gauges, etc. Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #1 – January 11, 2009, 03:39:53 AM It's the electronic Igntion box, Duraspark, what year car is it? Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #2 – January 11, 2009, 04:12:11 AM It is an 1983, but the car has an MSD box, it is carburated, and why is it still hooked up? Also, the redundant vacuum mechanism?Since the distributor has vacuum advance built-in...Ok, well, now I feel like an idiot. I had WRONGLY ASSUMED that when the previous owner had the MSD installed that the original ignition was removed. So, any way to get rid of it?Well, maybe it has been cirspoogevented, I'll have to take a closer look this weekend. Still, any info you have on what that little vacuum module that looks attached does would be appreciated. Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #3 – January 11, 2009, 04:55:32 AM I think it's just bolted there, has nothing to do with ignition, maybe cruise control?? Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #4 – January 11, 2009, 03:29:12 PM well that for sure is NOT a dura spark II box. Possible part numbers could help as well? Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #5 – January 11, 2009, 04:53:36 PM Looks like an aftermarket replacement Duraspark box to me... Lord knows I replaced enough of 'em in my old '85 before I realized the coil was fvcked... Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #6 – January 11, 2009, 04:56:47 PM The vacuum thing has 1 black and 1 yellow wire going from it to the module. I did not see any numbers on it, but I will dismount it from the engine bay and check the back and sides, but the wiring scheme, for the module matches the Chilton manual pretty close, maybe I'm just a little colorblind as far as the stripe on the red wire goes.. Also, this is a carburated engine, and there are no provisions for cruise anywhere else on the car.Ok, the chilton manual shows it as 12A244 duraspark w/ 3 leads, So it looks like the black and yellow are spark retard, which keys into that vacuum module. Any ideas as to whether it actually functions with the MSD box? Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #7 – January 11, 2009, 05:13:33 PM Quote from: jrad235;251231 Any ideas as to whether it actually functions with the MSD box?when I did my v6 to 302 swap,I removed that and had no issues.I am also running a msd box now. Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #8 – January 11, 2009, 08:58:01 PM Quote from: Thunder Chicken;251228Looks like an aftermarket replacement Duraspark box to me... Yup it's a Standard...The reason it has three leads is it is a "High Altitude" Duraspark II Module... One set of leads is power in, the next is to the distributor and third is the altitude sensor, that's roughly equal to a BAP... Should have a yellow grommet(the plastic insulator on the module where the leads exit the module)... Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #9 – January 12, 2009, 04:53:44 AM Quote from: Chooglin;251238when I did my v6 to 302 swap,I removed that and had no issues.I am also running a msd box now.Ok, I think I have this figured out now. When the previous owner had this installed, they did not purchase PN#8869, which connects to the magnetic pickup in the distributor and eliminates the Duraspark box. Man, that really threw me for a loop, luckily for me, MSD provides all their manuals, diagrams, etc in one PDF file.So, unless I am completely off track, all I need is that part, and I can ditch the Duraspark box.BTW, Turbocoupe50, you are right on in describing the box, I don't suppose you can tell me what exactly the altitude sensor is supposed to do can you? Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #10 – January 12, 2009, 08:06:49 AM Quote from: jrad235;251334BTW, Turbocoupe50, you are right on in describing the box, I don't suppose you can tell me what exactly the altitude sensor is supposed to do can you?Duhhh ain't that self explanatory??? It senses altitude... LOLVehicles that were delivered in mountainous/high elevation areas received this module and sensor... I suppose it tells the module to retard the timing slightly to prevent spark knock at higher altitude, due to a leaner A/F mixture(remember we're talking carb vehicle here)... Never really looked into it's actual operation...AFIK those can be replaced with the standard two connector module(blue grommet) and just toss the sensor... Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #11 – January 12, 2009, 04:23:48 PM Quote from: TurboCoupe50;251340Duhhh ain't that self explanatory??? It senses altitude... LOLHar Har Har. Heh, ok, well, since I live in a valley! I will just cap the vacuum block thing it goes to and toss it. Thanks for all your input everyone! Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #12 – January 12, 2009, 05:49:09 PM See, you get the help here. Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #13 – January 13, 2009, 01:22:35 AM From the 84 shop manual:The Duraspark II ignition modules can be distinguished by two connectors/blue grommet on the standard module and three connectors/yellow grommet on the Universal Ignition Module (UIM).Additionally the UIM can respond to another control signal from either an Ignition Barometric Pressure Switch, Ignition Vacuum Switch or the Micro Processor Control Unit (MCU) depending on the engine calibration.In responding to this second control signal, the UIM provides additional spark timing control for certain operating conditions by turning off the ignition coil current flow at a different time than what would happen from just the distributor signal. Quote Selected
Mystery electrical box in engine bay? Reply #14 – January 13, 2009, 05:13:08 AM Well, I think I'll just cancel that out, and get the msd adapter, the less vacuum I leave, the happier I'll be. Quote Selected
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