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

[Lelo 500]

I had one of these FBO units:

View attachment 1701692

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.

Did you talk with Don at FBO about your problem with the ECM? Maybe hide a HEI in a stock case? I have seen a Pertronix HEI with a Rev limiter, be pretty cool. Not stock but could look like it.

 

[Kern Dog]

Did you talk with Don at FBO about your problem with the ECM? Maybe hide a HEI in a stock case? I have seen a Pertronix HEI with a Rev limiter, be pretty cool. Not stock but could look like it.

I got the FBO box and Flamethrower coil USED from a friend.
Also, Don is semi-retired and isn't around as much for advice.

 

[Houle #382]

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:

View attachment 1701686

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:

View attachment 1701690

View attachment 1701691

I had one of these FBO units:

View attachment 1701692

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.

View attachment 1701694

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

I have the FBO setup in my 68 Coronet RT and it works perfect, you have to make sure the box is grounded. I made sure it had a good ground against the fire wall, then I also ran a ground wire from the box to the engine block. No issues at all.

 

[Kern Dog]

I ground every ignition box that I've tried in the car.

I really wanted it to work. The rev limiter was something that I have wanted since I swapped in a manual transmission. The FBO system caused my tachometer needle to bounce around. The "fix" was to use an inline diode in the tach wire. It didn't work, the tach still flopped around. I have aftermarket Dakota Digital gauges that can be troublesome with some ignition systems. I pulled the FBO unit and set it aside.

 

[MarPar]

I ground every ignition box that I've tried in the car.

View attachment 1705170

What if you ground the bracket the ecu sits on too?

Idk, Greg Im just learning as we go along here. lol

 

[Kern Dog]

What if you ground the bracket the ecu sits on too?

Idk, Greg Im just learning as we go along here. lol

This is just a guess but I'd think that if the FBO unit is grounded, it could be just be hanging off the engine and still work. Grounding the mounting bracket shouldn't matter.

 

[MarPar]

This is just a guess but I'd think that if the FBO unit is grounded, it could be just be hanging off the engine and still work. Grounding the mounting bracket shouldn't matter.

True, but it would take a man of your talent 15 min to fab one up. You have mentioned (IIRC) that you keep burning up boxes and all the pics I have seen the ecu is mounted on the this same bracket.

 

[Kern Dog]

In 2013, a guy from our car club offered to help me rearrange the wiring on the car. For about a week, I had everything on the RH fender apron.

Before the A/C installation in 2019, I had the ECM in a different spot. WITH bracket:

WITHOUT bracket:

 

[1MYTGTX]

I used to have my FBO module in my Charger mounted on the rear intake rails....no issues!

 

[padam]

 

[Kern Dog]

Thanks. I'm not putting that clutter under the hood of my car.

 

[padam]

Thanks. I'm not putting that clutter under the hood of my car.

You really only need 1 box, like a 6AL, with a built in rev limiter. Then you can do away with the ballast resistor.

Seems like a good system. Of course anything can fail but the system you’re using seems guaranteed to fail.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

If you are getting a 6AL look for a older one lots of issues from the new ones out there. Kind of overkill for a driver car.

 

[padam]

If you are getting a 6AL look for a older one lots of issues from the new ones out there. Kind of overkill for a driver car.

It is kinda of overkill, except that he wants 6000+ rpm, a rev limiter, tach compatabilty, reliability.
Maybe a different model number would be more appropriate, but with the difficulty of finding proper components for the old system I think its time to go modern.

 

[padam]

I should ad that I ran a 1980's orange box kit up until last year. IT was still working fine when I replaced it with the MSD because I wanted the 2-step. The only problems I had with it over that time period were traced to faulty wiring.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

I should ad that I ran a 1980's orange box kit up until last year. IT was still working fine when I replaced it with the MSD because I wanted the 2-step. The only problems I had with it over that time period were traced to faulty wiring.

What is MSD 2-step ?

 

[Bee1971]

I should ad that I ran a 1980's orange box kit up until last year. IT was still working fine when I replaced it with the MSD because I wanted the 2-step. The only problems I had with it over that time period were traced to faulty wiring.

Same about wiring
Bulkhead connections and reproduction harness

I have never had a Ballast Resistor or Ignition Module fail completely

And I have tested them all

Ran the Mopar Performance Chrome for decades

Now mismatched Chinese Ignition Coils

That’s a different story in itself

 

[padam]

What is MSD 2-step ?

Msd is a company that makes aftermarket ignition systems, Multiple Spark Discharge. 2-step refers to 2 different rev limiters, use one for launch and one for high rpm limit.

MSD has a million different versions that have just as many different functions

 

[Bird 426]

I have the FBO in my Dart. It does bypass the ballast, and uses a different coil. I have Petronics flame Thrower porcelain end plug wires. It's a small block. Have had no issues with the unit itself, but had a bad coil 2 years ago.

 

[Sinitro]

Msd is a company that makes aftermarket ignition systems, Multiple Spark Discharge. 2-step refers to 2 different rev limiters, use one for launch and one for high rpm limit.

MSD has a million different versions that have just as many different functions

MSD is now owned by Holley, today most of their products are sourced from China.
In 2015 Holley bought the MSD Group, which includes brands MSD, Mr. Gasket, Accel, Superchips, Edge, Racepak, Mallory, Hays, QuickTime, and Lakewood.
My experience with present day MSD products is mixed some are more reliable than others..

Just my $0.02...