[evilemokid94]

hello all, im wanting to convert my dads 68 cougar from points to electronic ignition. we just bought a new motor out of a 77 ford F250 that had the electronic ignition so i dont have to convert the distributor. my question is this, i went to zone and bought an ignition control module for a 77 ford F250. the harness on the engine plugs into the box perfectly but there is another 2 prong plug on the box that im not sure about, im not sure how to rewire the cars original ignition wireing to the new box wireing. the cars wireing system has 3 different wires running into a plug just outside the firewall that then ran to the oil pressure, coolent temp, and coil. well on the new engine, the harness plugs into all those and thats the plug the fits correctly into the new ignition module, but the other connector that i figure go into the cars wireing is only 2 wires, red and white. since the cars wireing has 3 wires im lost. help!!!! this is the only thing stopping me from getting this car running.

this is the box i got

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Ignition-Control-Module/1977-Ford-F250-3-4-ton-P-U-2WD/_/N-ingoqZ9n80t?itemIdentifier=118422_300759_0_

 

[Bad69cat]

Duraspark conversion is a good way to go:

 

[towcat]

That's a great diagram, that should get you going.

 

[evilemokid94]

Duraspark conversion is a good way to go:

this diagram is a huge help but im not seeig the original wires coming out of the firewall, the connector with the green,orange,purple and black all plug into the engines harness. the white and red are what im confused about because im not seeing how everything ties into the cars harness.

 

[Bad69cat]

Looks to me like they have illuminated the pink resistance wire and then they take the wire from the "run" position (which on a 69 is the bottom most post on the ignition switch - red/blue stripe according to my diagram book) and goes into a little connector where they pick it up take it to the red on the duraspark and also tie it to the + on the coil.... (68 may be different color on run -- IDK?) I think they are using red as an indicator that wire carries the battery to the duraspark from the ignition switch....since the box is taking control of the coil functions I guess that makes sense - no?

There are two different harness' that come into play on the start circuit depending on if your car was AT or manual for safety switch reasons - so keep that in mind.

I'm running an MSD setup, so I can't speak to this for sure - somebody who has done this should be able to confirm it. A pretty popular conversion.

 

[evilemokid94]

Looks to me like they have illuminated the pink resistance wire and then they take the wire from the "run" position (which on a 69 is the bottom most post on the ignition switch - red/blue stripe according to my diagram book) and goes into a little connector where they pick it up take it to the red on the duraspark and also tie it to the + on the coil.... (68 may be different color on run -- IDK?) I think they are using red as an indicator that wire carries the battery to the duraspark from the ignition switch....since the box is taking control of the coil functions I guess that makes sense - no?

There are two different harness' that come into play on the start circuit depending on if your car was AT or manual for safety switch reasons - so keep that in mind.

I'm running an MSD setup, so I can't speak to this for sure - somebody who has done this should be able to confirm it. A pretty popular conversion.

that makes alittle more sence and any help you can provide is a major help. the neutral safety switch wiring has been removed prior the other owners so i dont have to deal with that. just have to worry about the ignition sending signal to everything when the key is turned. i have the engine wired, just not the ignition switch wiring to send the correct signal to what needs to fire.

 

[woodsnake]

If you look at the diagram, (it's kind of hard to see) the blue square is slpit into two groups. Three wires, and two wires.
The white wire will need a piece added, so that it will reach the start ( "S" ) terminal. The red, gets put on the battery positive side of the coil. Just cut off teh connector, and make a good splice.
You have two sides to the starting circuit, low and high voltage, basically. the low side, turns the starter motor, once you let go of the ignition switch, from "start" to "run", the high energy side is what actually "runs" the engine. Coil, distributor, spark plugs...
Because the ignition module is not stock, it won't plug directly into the factory harness...

 

[evilemokid94]

If you look at the diagram, (it's kind of hard to see) the blue square is slpit into two groups. Three wires, and two wires.
The white wire will need a piece added, so that it will reach the start ( "S" ) terminal. The red, gets put on the battery positive side of the coil. Just cut off teh connector, and make a good splice.
You have two sides to the starting circuit, low and high voltage, basically. the low side, turns the starter motor, once you let go of the ignition switch, from "start" to "run", the high energy side is what actually "runs" the engine. Coil, distributor, spark plugs...
Because the ignition module is not stock, it won't plug directly into the factory harness...

but my ques.tion is how does the box get the signal from the ignition switch to run everything? im not seeing how the wiring diagram adds in the ignition switch so when its turned to run it will send the signal out telling everything under the hood to run. ie telling the starter to turn over the motor so it can start the engine. see what im saying? im not understanding where the orignial interior harness that comes out of the firewall comes into play and still tells everything what to do. because i believe in those 3 wires going to the orignial plug im sure the ignition switch wire is in there somewhere.

 

[woodsnake]

what engine was in the truck?

 

[evilemokid94]

what engine was in the truck?

302 crate motor as says the previous owner, but i atleast know its a 302.

 

[evilemokid94]

do i even mess with the plug comming out of the firewall? because i do remember that the wires that came out of the plug went the the coil, the oil sensor, and temp sensor. since the box is in the place of all those do i even need it?

 

[Spartikus]

Read all of the info at Mustangsteves site. When I did my conversion last year it educated me on everything I needed to know. Best advice I cangive is don't guess at anything. If you aren't 100% sure dont smoke your parts

 

[woodsnake]

The oil and temp wires have nothing to do with the starting/charging/engine run circuit. Cut the plug end off the two wire connector, run a longer wire on the white wire to the "S" terminal, and put another round end, from teh red wire onto the coil, (as illustrated in the diagram) and you should be good to go...

 

[Bad69cat]

That sounds right - I couldn't tell from the diagram if they used an existing wire and tied it to the red or they ran a seperate one. I guess it wouldn't matter as long as the guage of the wire is heavy enough to carry the load. The Mustang Steve site pretty helpful - ony I don't see any recommended wire guage - since it's tied to the 15A fuse, i'd say just go 12 guage to be safe....I maight actually make this conversion on the vert when I get around to working on it.

BTW the white wire on the duraspark is a retard run to help the car start easier - you don't have to use it, but I'd try to use it....it would tie the the S terminal on the switch....

 

[evilemokid94]

so all i do is cut the plug off, run the white wire to the start relay, and the red to the coil?

 

[Bad69cat]

Yep - red to coil AND run position that is.....

 

[Leroy Reeves]

From the diagram above, it looks like the red wire from the duraspark goes through a T-splice or otherwise splits into two wires. One goes to the positive side of the coil and the other leg goes to the run terminal on the ignition switch. The wire going to the run side of the ignition switch will be a new wire that you pull through the firewall, not an existing one in the harness. The leg going to the positive side of the coil will also be a new wire not an existing one.

The original pink resistor wire that went from the run side of the ignition switch to the positive side of the coil gets disconnected from the ignition switch and the coil and is no longer used.

 

[Leroy Reeves]

It looks like the red wire is providing 12V to the coil and the duraspark when the ignition switch is in the run position.