Usually the "death" of a spark module is from overheating... so is there any reason (other than ease) that the spark module is inside the distributor? (I'm talking about the 8 pin modules for remote HEI.) What would be different if we extended the wires from the pick-up coil a few inches, and just mounted the module to the firewall?

Or, would the signal from the pick-up coil be too weak if the wires were extended? Would an extra 10 inches of wire cause the signal to be slower? I wouldn't think so, but is that a reason?

I wish my distrib used the old 4 pin module; then I could just use my MSD box in place of it.

 

Ford has done what you're talking about with their famous TFI module that california says is defective. They made a finned aluminum block that the tfi module bolts into. Then mounted it on the fender away from the motor heat.

Also when people use an msd box the box takes the place of the module. This is basically the same thing you're asking about. Don't see any reason this won't work. Other than finding a way to block the hole in the distributor cap. Could always leave a toasted module in there to do that though.Or come up with some sorta custom plug that the pickup wires pass through.

 

See, you can't use an MSD box in place of the computerized module (like I said in the first message). The MSD box only replaces the 4-pin module. With the later 8 pin modules, such as the one below, you can't. The MSD box gets wired to the coil's connectors, so it acts like a "fancy coil", instead of being central to the ignition system.



But if this is a good idea, why hasn't anyone done it yet? I doubt I'm the first person to think of it.

 

My buddy has like a 96 silverado with a vortec 350 and I could have sworn that it had the module on a braket outside the distributor, but Im not sure maybe some one else would know.

 

So, nobody's got any other opinons, eh? Funny.

 

Yes the vortec motors have the module externally mounted. Bolted to a bracket on the intake on the passenger side. Vortec truck motors also have a plastic distributor and use a crank trigger.

 

I thought about converting to the vortec motor style by getting the bracket and mounting the module outside. I would probably just have to extend the module wire harness by like 6 inches. I'll have to take a closer look at my buddies truck to see what needs to be done.