Akshay

1989 2.8

My engine is stock, but I would like to upgrade the ignition.

Should I get the Ignition Coil first or the Ignition System?

I don't wanna get both right now because of $$$.


Akshay

WaynesRS

Get some better 8mm wires first , then get a coil .If you dont have 8mm wires , you can melt your 7mm .Then get a coil .Honestly , if I had to do mine over again . Id get my wires and plugs first (rapid fires) ,next accel or bluestreak cap and rotor , with better ignition control module , then msd box , or whatever box you want .

TomP

I agree; plus, like Wayne said, save the "big" one, the MSD 6-series box, for one of the last mods. I noticed no big/amazing/incredible difference with my 6AL box. I think the hotter coil made more of a difference!

KED85

Plugs
Plug Wires
Cap & rotor
Coil
I like Accel stuff & Bosch Platinum plugs.
Works great for me.
Ultimate
Pull distributorrebuild, insert GO FASTER!
THEN
Timing Chain any engine over 75K miles is due!

stuart69427

MSD 6AL!!!!!!!!!!

WaynesRS

I just read a Car Craft online review of ignition systems . They tested , ah shoot , I can't find the link now .But anyway , they tested a Crane hi 6 ignition system , accel 300 , Mallory hyfire and they all came out with the same results , they were all the same .

TomP

That's what I had heard. I bought the MSD 6AL over the Accel because it seems like MSD is favored much more. Plus I liked the idea of having an analog box instead of digital.

WaynesRS

Tom , Educate me a little Whats the diff in the analog and digital ?

KED85

Mechaincal vs Silicon Chip

TomP

Yeah, the analog one uses analog-type hardware, like resistors & capacitors, to create the multiple spark/stronger spark. The Accel box, or any digital unit (like the MSD Digital-6), uses a microprocessor to handle it all.

stuart69427

wouldn't a microproccessor be better than an anolo, corect me if I am worng, but ain't analog outdated?

KED85

The Accel idea has been around since the 60's (Joel Rosen & Motion Performance)

86bird_28v6_5spd_ramair

accel coil
good 8mm wires
some good plugs
and if you hunt around or even call first. but find a store that sell caps and rotor with the brass parts.

just that is enough to fire off some fuel, and make you feel it in your seat. and an easy trip to the local store.

I get the best performance from Sunoco ultra 94, when it get high in price and I buy lower grade i notice it in a few days and the rpms climb a tad slower.

stuart69427

I got an accel coil, Rapidfires, and Borg Warner Cap/Rotor, and bad wires, and it is better than stock. I am going to get some MSD 8.5 Super Conductor Wires and a 6AL, and I can't wait till I can see the difference...

I still want to know what the difference between analog and digital as far as performance?

WaynesRS

Digital is just the lastest . Maybe a little bit better , but not by much at all .

KED85

Again, digital has been around since the 60's.
Accel made a CDI set up (look at any Motion Performance ad) for "his" cars (Joel Rosen).
My Brother even had one on his 1961 Corvette (2nd) w/a 3/4 race cam in it.
My stock 1966 327/300 hp/4-speed(M-20 2:64 1st gear)/3:36 Corvette felt faster.
His was very uncontrolable, didn't feel stronger.
Maybe I wasn't used to the "steering" & suspension of his 1961. Meaning, I didn't feel "safe" exploring it's full potential. Yet, my Brother did destroy his rear gear racing a Ferrari in the mid 70's (can you say too high a RPM clutch release?)
I am setting up my 1974 Corvette point ignition system with an "old" style Accel CDI. It's just as good as the current MSD-type stuff. I can hide the box & I retain my original dated distributor. In Corvette world, that's a good thing.
Again, what's old is new again.
Just like recent cover song of one of my FAVORITE Beatles-John Lennon songs from "Help" "Hey, You've got to Hide Your Love Away".

86bird_28v6_5spd_ramair

I use to like accel plugs but no one keeps
them in stock anymore

TomP

That's what I was wondering, too- and then, look at all the big money racers out there that use the MSD (and Crane and Mallory and etc) analog boxes! Then ya look at all those people using them on the streets, and I guess they can't be that bad. They're still up to date; it's not like an ignition system is rocket science. Basically, it's just personal preference.

Keep in mind one thing tho.. the Holley Annihilator system (which I was originally going to buy) requires that you alter the distributor! Just check out all the different manufacturers websites, then look at prices, and go from there. Also, use Summit for prices. A friend of a friend told me he could get my 6AL box at a special price since he got a discount from a speedshop; I told him to let me know- he told me $250!! Meanwhile, Summit had it for $170. I told him "hmm... no."

TomP

Oh, 86, watch out for those Accel U-groove plugs. I ran a set; got a horrible misfire. You know the brass terminal they brag about on the spark plug, the one that the plug wire clips on to? Well, for me, those things kept loosening! They would unscrew from the plug! I'd wonder why my car was running like crap, and all I had to do was pull a plug wire and see if that terminal was loose; they always were.

I even went back to Pep Boys, and this was when they used to leave the Accel plugs out on the shelf- every box I opened had loose terminals. I told people on the V6 f-body mailing list (when it was around), and those with Accel plugs checked theirs, and found the same thing. My "last" fight with 'em was brutal; I took them to the workbench, clamped each plug in a vise, and tighted the hell out of the terminal with pliers as hard as I could. (I don't know how I didn't break a plug!) Well, they loosened up a few weeks later.