Aftermarket Ignition Systems - Why you shouldn't bother with any sort of aftermarket ignition box, coil, etc.

Post Date:    Wed, 18 Apr 2001
Subject:      Re: Jacobs Electronics Products
List:         merkurowners@merkurowners.org




If there was only some way to broadcast to the entire Merkur 
community, newbies and the like, that the stock Ford ignition 
system, solid working order, is better than any aftermarket 
ignition system you can spend money on...

I tried MSD's non-revlimiting multiple spark box with an Accel
SuperCoil on my racer, back before it was "the racer".  I would 
have been better off setting fire to $200 of my money.  The car 
worked exactly the same as it did with the stock ignition 
system in place, with one difference.  It liked to cut out on 
occasion, usually while moving with the flow of traffic on the
highway.  It would fire back up after about 5 seconds, but I was 
on my way to the shoulder at the time.

So no improvement, plus the problems lead to one thing... 
returning my ignition system to stock.  This is how it remains 
to this day.  Stock.  And I race the thing competitively in 
Street Modified SOLO II competition.  I just run Ford Motorsport 
wires, for a 5.0, and good, stock Motorcraft plugs.  I just 
change my plugs twice per season.

If all this doesn't comvince you, how about this.  Rick Byrnes 
went 180 to 190-some-odd miles per hour at Bonneville in his XR,
putting out 450+ hp (this was a few years ago), with the stock 
ignition system.  If this doesn't convince you, what will?