Mopar electronic ignition ECMs: Which to consider and what to avoid!

[Kern Dog]

Remember when the popular thing to do was to buy the Mopar Performance electronic ignition conversion kit? YES, It came with all new parts: The distributor, the ballast resistor, an Orange box ECM and the wiring with the plug to convert any points ignition car to electronic.
It was great! It was easy and it worked. I bought one for the red car and still have part of it in the car....the wires and plug.
Over the years, I've puked several ECMs, ballast resistors and a couple coils. Oddly, my stock cars rarely ever have a failure. I have original ECMs in some cars, stuff I pulled from junkyards that look terrible but still run great. I've used ballast resistors that are greasy and crappy looking but they work.
From what I've heard, the Orange boxes used to be American made but got outsourced. Same with the other Mopar Performance parts.
In March I installed a distributor and ECM from Rick Ehrenberg. It included this Hi Rev 7500 unit:

The setup ran great until yesterday when the ECM crapped out.
I have an MP Chrome box that died too.
@HALIFAXHOPS

Does anyone have suggestions on a quality replacement? I want to retain the same type of system with the factory appearing units like so:

I had one of these FBO units:

It made my tachometer bounce a lot. I tried soldering in a diode in the tachometer wire but it didn't help. I have an aftermarket instrument panel that somehow isn't compatible with the FBO ignition module.
I'm only interested in a factory type ECM. Do I need to look for an old original unit?
These parts store generics and Wells brand units do work but I read that they are not rated above 5000 rpms.

Who makes a reliable unit that is rated to 6000 rpms?

 

[Don Frelier]

I think the factory ignition modules were good for 6,000 rpm.
I had a 77 fury with a 360 that I held in first gear and it would wind up pretty high probably over 5,600 rpm. No sign of ignition break up.

With the stock ecu you should try and stick with a coil in the 1.5 ohm range.

 

[kiwigtx]

I would suggest a Rev-N-Nator unit Greg, but I think they are still backordered. You could try and contact them... The Rev-n-nator, the revinater, the revonator and R/T Garage - Mopar Restoration and Performance Services in Belle Plaine, MN

They work well up to 7,500 RPM. I have used several in different vehicles.

 

[Bee1971]

Yes on the Ignition Coil 1.5 OHM - I agree

So the Chinese Rick E Box shall now bee called

HIREV 6000

So Kern , what ignition coil brand and OHM rating is your coil

Your Ballast Resistor , what OHM rating is your ballast

 

[Bee1971]

Standard Motor Products - Made in the USA - Before they bought out Borg Warner

Late 80s 90s into the early 2000 s

 

[Belvedere408]

I use a RevNator box have had for over a decade. It’s been on multiple cars and has been great I do carry a spare. I’ve had an orange box failure also around 2007. The FBO ignition look like a nice product it’s made up the road from me 30 miles.

 

[Bee1971]

Chrysler

One on the left supersedes all previous boxes - Four pin so it will work with all ballast resistors

One on the right is a true five pin box , will only work with the factory dual ballast resistor

I run the 4111850 4 pin on my Stroker motor - I have had it up to 6,000 but I shift at 5,500 mostly because of my camshaft and valve train

Chrysler Ignition Coil - 1.5 OHM
Chrysler .5 OHM Ballast Resistor

 

[Bee1971]

Put this bad boy on your car - Good to 10,000 RPMs with the proper ignition coil

I ran it on the street for a little bit - Idle characteristics and low RPM drive ability was terrible

Hence - Intended For High RPM use only

 

[moparedtn]

In general, I like replacement parts that are old - but new in box (i.e., USA made).
I don't need anything more than the factory orange box, as long as it's that old/new type.
Other than that, as @Bee1971 says, the good aftermarket brands of the day fall under
those same criteria (old but new, USA made).
Knock wood, as much as I've read/heard about others having Chrysler units fail over the
years, I've never had one do so as a result of avoiding the known crappy ones.

 

[Kern Dog]

I actually would be willing to use a Rev-N-Nator if they were compatible with vacuum advance. They had a built in rev limiter that was a great feature.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I actually would be willing to use a Rev-N-Nator if they were compatible with vacuum advance. They had a built in rev limiter that was a great feature.

If you ask me I can’t se a reason to have got it sold, and nowdays and looking back maybe is/was a big mistake. I know they say not to connect the vacuum, but I still did and while my car was in one piece never miss a beat and cranked up fast. Althought I have “limited” a bit the vacuum with the adjusting screw, giving some pressure to the spring inside. Never felt it as hot than the old FBO A688 and MP Chromed (both failed) but quite smooth along all the aceleration without mis a beat and strong. I could feel the MP like missing some beat quite often when giving gas, and the FBO not so much… both similar in “hotness”. You could feel how hot they were just starting up.

I’m hoping the Rev-N-Nator never fail.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

ECUs are not what you think by color example look at the black ones. Most stock oem cars they had 5500 units in them. Heres a chart which helps. Note a chrome box, blue and gold ran on the street with the proper MATCHED ballast will burn out fast, get way to hot. Whpo needs 10 K anyhow unless racingh.
just fyi I have most of them if needed and NORS older standard, BW and Filco also good for up to 5500 rpm dont let the chrome fool you. The 7500 box is prob the better one out there made now also

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

We beat the hell out of ECU's on this thread on FABO. All over the place but great info.

1974 Brain Box saves the day.

Was heading out to a local car gathering a couple weeks ago, and a no start on my '76 Truck. Turns out the 1 year old replacement brain box failed. I had a well used 1974 5 pin brain box from my '74 Dart that I had replaced because all the goo on the back had melted out from the hot sun in...

www.forabodiesonly.com

 

[Bee1971]

Hops

1) You sell 1.5 OHM canister oil filled coils that you like , correct ?

Other then the Mopar 2495531 Chrysler factory original with date codes and stamping , they are nice if you can find them NEW and work great , but of course not cheap because of date codes

2) You also sell single .5 OHM Ballast Resistors

Then pick your poison on a quality Ignition Module

3) Like those old stock Standard Motor Products LX101 Made In The USA that I pictured with a real transistor

(Have you tested those three products together , that I just mentioned)

Thanx Scott

Personally that’s what I would run

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Hops

1) You sell 1.5 OHM canister oil filled coils that you like , correct ?

Other then the Mopar 2495531 Chrysler factory original with date codes and stamping , they are nice if you can find them NEW and work great , but of course not cheap because of date codes

2) You also sell single .5 OHM Ballast Resistors

Then pick your poison on a quality Ignition Module

3) Like those old stock Standard Motor Products LX101 Made In The USA that I pictured with a real transistor

(Have you tested those three products together , that I just mentioned)

Thanx Scott

Personally that’s what I would run

Have it all actually tested! PM me your e mail if you want them All are tested!

 

[Bee1971]

Hops - Sorry ,The reason I was asking was

I am trying to help out Kern Dog and everyone else for a quality system on the street
I know you have these products




Trust me , I have personally tested just about every combination known to man on my car

I know what works and doesn’t work when it comes to these Mopar Chrysler Ignition Set Ups

Stay away from the Chinese Junk , plain and simple



Kern Dog needs to show us the actual Ignition Coil and Ballast Resistor he is using today and the actual OHMs resistance on both

Something is causing those Ignition Modules to fail

 

[Kern Dog]

Stay away from the Chinese Junk , plain and simple
Kern Dog needs to show us the actual Ignition Coil and Ballast Resistor he is using today and the actual OHMs resistance on both
Something is causing those Ignition Modules to fail

Thank you.
The coil is the Accel yellow. I don't recall anything more specific than that.

It tested at 1.5 ohms.

This meets the guidelines as set by Rick Ehrenberg.

I used the ballast that he included in the distributor kit.

If the R55 is supposed to mean .55 resistance, it failed. I got zero.

I've had others fail too though.

I have a ground strap on the ECMs no matter the color or brand.

Still, I get failures.
Regarding the rpm ratings. What is supposed to occur when you try to accelerate beyond the number? It isn't a rev limiter so I'm guessing the spark starts to retard or just start to "sputter" ?

 

[NoCar2023]

Greg, you should perform this test with the coil circuits removed.
Also, what is the secondary resistance?

 

[Kern Dog]

I tested the resistance with the engine off. There is no voltage to the coil then but heck, man...I'm no expert at this stuff. I'm much better with suspension, steering and mechanical stuff than electrical things. I'm willing to learn and take advice though.

 

[MarPar]