Thread: Mallory E-spark conversion kit

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I am looking at one of these for my 72 Impala w/350. Would like to keep the original look, but do away with the points. If you have used one of these kits, please reply with your opinion.

Thanks

OK, the kit arrived, all installation parts was included. Install was real easy. I do have some reservation abouth the 2 piece Plastic trigger wheel, but we'll see. Startup, and running after timing adjustment is pretty darn good. Seems that it has a quicker throttle response now. The distributor has a slight "Hum" or "Whirr" noise now, but to tell you the truth, I wasn't listening for it before I did the conversion. I have removed the cap and checked for any rubbing parts and cannot find any. I beleive the noise is coming from the trigger wheel traveling thru the optical pickup module due to the tight clearance. NOW, here's some things you need to look for if you install this kit:

1 - The rotor has a square and round pegs on the bottom for alignment to the shaft, The square peg went too far thru and pushed against the trigger wheel of the kit causing it to deform. This can easily be solved with a couple swipes of a file to make the peg a touch shorter. Then the rotor sits flat and does not touch the trigger wheel.

2 - The package of white high temperature dielectric compund that came with the kit for under the module, was dried up into a clump and unusable. So buy some before the install, as it is very important to module life.

3 - Pay close attentin to the 2 piece trigger wheel, it has teeth on either side to match up when the 2 halves are joined. Also the overlap on one side was opposite on the other where the rotor bolts are. So just trial fit in in your hands to see what I am referring to.

4 - The directions say remove the distributor for kit installation. Although it looks like the kit can be installed in the vehicle, Removing the distributor makes life a whole lot easier. Especially when it comes to tightening the screws that hold the module mounting plate. With the dist out you can easily rotate the shaft to get the advance weights out of the way to gain easy access to the screws.

Anyway, so far, so good. It runs great, alot better than it did with the stock points in it, and I get to keep my Nostalgic look. But anyway, now we will see how long it lasts. If it takes a big fat crap, I'll let you guys know.

Well, was good while it lasted... Started out the other day, it was doing good. Then intermittently started developing a misfire at highway cruising speed. Idle and rev was ok. If you held it at about 17-18 hundred RPM, it had popping noises in the exhaust. Checked everything else, was ok. Popped the cap off and found that the plastic trigger wheel was either distorted or misformed due to the heat. It had distorted enough to start having contact with the optical light sensor, which I figured threw off everything including the timing. So, I re-converted it back to points and lost the problem. They really need to make that wheel in some sort of metal. Well, I guess this product works for some, not for others, but anyway, I had promised to let you guys know. I see HEI in the near future.

Get a Dodge pickup and a reluctor. Machine the reluctor to press fit over the points cam. Press fit it on with some loctite. Install the Dodge pickup where the points were (will have to re-drill dist plate). Find a cheap heat sink from Radio Shack and install a Chev 4 pin ignition module on it. Wire it all in. There you have an Electronic Ignition setup for a Chev points type dist. All the parts can be found at NAPA.

Or you could get Bubba to do it for you.
Bubba's

Contact Dave Ray. He posts on other boards under the name of Ignition Man, and he will rebuild your points distributor into an electronic distributor. I have heard very good reports about his stuff. Contact him at sparkman451@earthlink.net