Author Topic: Duraspark Wiring Question  (Read 1021 times)

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rockhouse66

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Duraspark Wiring Question
« on: May 14, 2022, 08:00:17 AM »
I have a Duraspark distributor with a 3 wire plug in connector.  The black wire appears to be ground.  Do the other two wires care about polarity?  In other words, which wire is + and which wire is -?
I am being cautious here because if you hook up a Pertronix I with the wrong polarity it fries.
Jim

Faron

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Re: Duraspark Wiring Question
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2022, 12:21:37 PM »
What are you hooking it to ? The polarity is critical
« Last Edit: May 15, 2022, 10:25:45 PM by Faron »

rockhouse66

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Re: Duraspark Wiring Question
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2022, 02:45:47 PM »
Hi Faron
I saw a diagram that showed green, purple and black wires.  The black is ground.  It showed the purple as +.  Mine is orange, purple and black as your diagram shows.  So is it safe to assume that purple is + on my setup as well?
Jim

Falcon67

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Re: Duraspark Wiring Question
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2022, 02:56:28 PM »
Check your respective wiring diagram for your control box.  On MSD, Orange is +, Purple is -.  If you get it backward, it will run with retarded timing.

Henrysnephew

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Re: Duraspark Wiring Question
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2022, 09:00:42 AM »
   Your module will trigger if polarity is reversed, but not properly and the engine won't like it.  I ran into this last year with a new "Standard Motor Products" pickup. I thought buying a recognized name brand would assure quality but the polarity was reversed when properly wired orange-to-orange and violet-to-violet.  You can check polarity with a DVOM.  Put it on volts and attach the leads to the pickup wires.  Turn the dizzy slowly in it's direction of travel and observe the readout.  If properly wired voltage will go from "+" to "-" as the trigger wheel passes the magnet.  If it goes "-" to "+" reverse the leads regardless of their color.
   From now on it will be MotorCraft pickups and control boxes for me.  Randy M

Rory428

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Re: Duraspark Wiring Question
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2022, 08:58:51 PM »
What are you hooking it to ? The polarity is critical here is a factory hookup
Faron, are you certain about the white wire going to the S post of the solenoid?  I have a Duraspark distributor and blue module on my 59s 428, and I had the white wire connected to the I terminal. Today, I switched the white wire to the S terminal, and once the engine started to crank over, and the engine started, the starter was still cranking. Even with the key turned off, the engine kept cranking, until I unhooked the white wire from the S terminal. I put it back to the I stud, and everything was back to normal.
1978 Fairmont,FE 427 with 428 crank, 4 speed Jerico best of 9.972@132.54MPH 1.29 60 foot
1985 Mustang HB 331 SB Ford, 4 speed Jerico, best of 10.29@128 MPH 1.40 60 foot.
1974 F350 race car hauler 390 NP435 4 speed
1959 Ford Meteor 2 dr sedan. 428 Cobra Jet, 4 speed Toploader. 12.54@ 108 MPH

Faron

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Re: Duraspark Wiring Question
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2022, 10:21:23 PM »


good catch,. Rory I shared a diagram without double checking