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MM,
What, you didn't read my entire post and see where I had done the same thing as Art by going to a Duraspark distributor triggering a MSD?
Then to make matters even worse, I put a dual point distributor into AlphaCat. What a nightmare. I was continually frying points. I finally got fed up and followed my buddy's lead by going with a Duraspark distributor triggering a MSD. No more tuning problems.
*mutter, mutter, mutter* Doesn't anyone listen to an old man anymore? *mutter, mutter*
The best part about this Duraspark/MSD swap is you don't even have to use the factory Duraspark ignition module. You are using the MSD as the ignition module. The downside is it won't
look original, so that's why we went Pertronix on the wife's Mach. Like I said, she's a stickler for originality.
Vfret,
Yes, I know you can just use a matchbook cover for setting points. I think I was doing that since before you were born!
The thing is, you really need a dwell meter to ensure you really have the points gapped right. You can set your points with a damn feeler gauge or matchbook cover and still be off by five or more degrees. Your car
will know the difference! on a Ford you have to get it close initally, then button the thing up and start the car, check the dwell, then tear it aprt again to take another guesstimate of how much (and which way) you have to readjust the points to get the dwell setting right. Then button it up, fire up the car, and see if you were right. If not you do it all over again...and again....and again... Like I said, PITA!!
The biggest problem I had with my first Cougar was setting the timing. Since that distributor hold down bolt is buried under the a/c compressor (PITA factor one), and I didn't have one of those specialty contorted distributor wrenches (PITA factor two),
and the bolt was rusted in there (PITA factor three. Three strikes - you're out), I had a hell of a time getting the timing set right until just before I sold the car. Only then would it burn rubber if I straight punched it. (351C-2V and 2.75 rear gears really aren't conducive to tire fries!)