Which Distributor for BBF 460?

[WriedtStuff]

I am going to replace my ignition system during my restoration and need some guidance. What suggestions do you guys have? The motor is pretty much stock....with a singe 4 bbl carb. Who makes the best bang for the buck and a reliable system?
Thanks!

[ONAROLL]

Pertronix, points to electronic ignition kit, 15 minutes and 75 bucks. assuming its a medium performance "lake boat". .02

[TopCat]

If you hav the stock magnetic pickup dist. thats plenty good just switch to a brass gear and an MSD//MSD uses a magnetic pickup so the install is really quite simple call them and they'll fax or send you the directions for free it works and is low cost but if you're rich & famous you can spend 3times as much doing it some trick way but i guess my advice is just call MSD and check it out it might be worth the time....!

[nielly]

MSD 6AL all the way. It's worth the money, I have it in my BBF. I got a smoother idle and quicker starts and with the rev limiter you can't grenade the motor if the boat gets out of the water.

[WriedtStuff]

Just to clarify here...I need the whole system....Distributor....Cap, Wires, Coil and what ever else goes with it.....I have nothing right now.. Thanks

[Checkmate]

Ditto on the MSD6AL, I have it and love it, just make sure you buy the correct spark plug wires. I had Accell super stocks on mine and the MSD would not fire though them at all, even though 2 different people from Summitt told me that they were okay to use w/ it. I bought the spiral core MSD wires and it fired right up.
You can also pull the rev limiter chip out and it will act as a theft prevention device.

[WriedtStuff]

I took a look at the AL6 and it is just the ignition module...I need a distributor 1st I think.....does the AL6 take the place of the coil? Or will I need a coil also?
Thanks

[Checkmate]

You will need the MSD distributer, the MSD coil and the 6AL module for the complete setup. I will say that the MSD does help real well with quick starts and such.

[Checkmate]

Ohh, one more thing. If you buy the wires and the coil wire going to the coil is female and they give you an adapter to use, do yourself a favor and buy a seperate wire with the male end, or make one. That adapter is a POS and gave me a bad miss at times.

[TopCat]

not to repeat but a stock Ford dist from wrecking yard with the mag pickup will work just like the Msd dist. from there you'll need an after market cap and wires and coil if you doubt what i say call MSD and see what they say its only a phone call 5min at the most

[nielly]

The place to find the MSD set up would be Summit Racing. You could also use Taylor wires also. They come in different colors if needed.

[058]

Originally posted by TopCat
If you hav the stock magnetic pickup dist. thats plenty good just switch to a brass gear and an MSD//MSD uses a magnetic pickup so the install is really quite simple call them and they'll fax or send you the directions for free it works and is low cost but if you're rich & famous you can spend 3times as much doing it some trick way but i guess my advice is just call MSD and check it out it might be worth the time....! Brass gear? Why? If its a stock 460 you want the stock iron gear to be compatable with the iron camshaft thats in 460s. Brass gears are used with steel roller cams.

[WriedtStuff]

Gonna be difficult for me to find a 460 in a junk yard around here....will the distributor for any other ford motor work? I have no idea what year my engine is....so don't know what to look for.

[058]

Originally posted by WriedtStuff
Gonna be difficult for me to find a 460 in a junk yard around here....will the distributor for any other ford motor work? I have no idea what year my engine is....so don't know what to look for. You can use a distributor from a 351 C or M/400 those are the only ones that will interchange.

[retromek]

I'm selling one on ebay for 50.00 came off a 460
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2480044513&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ALC%3AMT%3A1
Brand new.

[TopCat]

Originally posted by 058
Brass gear? Why? If its a stock 460 you want the stock iron gear to be compatable with the iron camshaft thats in 460s. Brass gears are used with steel roller cams. reason for the brass gear is the iron ones are prone to shattering after awhile brass doesnt it saves you pulling the motor and pan to clean out the debris but if everything is going to stay stock it not as big a priority

[LakesOnly]

The best deal out there for your box-stock 460 is a recurved OEM Ford Dura-Spark distributor and box. (The 6AL set-up actually uses the Ford reluctor and pick-up coil--even on the Chebbies.) I know a guy that used this system on a 2000HP drag car without problems; in fact, he laughed at me whan I told him I'd be running a Vertex.
You can buy a freshly recurved and ready-to-go OEM Dura-Spark distributor from Scott Johnston @ 253-988-6648. $109.95 Tell him Paul Kane sent you.
LO

[WriedtStuff]

Hey Lakesonly,
Is the one RETROMEK has for sale, what you are talking about? His ad says nothing abour recurve...what ever that is.....
Thanks

[LakesOnly]

Originally posted by WriedtStuff
Hey Lakesonly,
Is the one RETROMEK has for sale, what you are talking about? His ad says nothing abour recurve...what ever that is.....
Thanks
The link above that you mention is to a Dura-Spark distributor. The large distributor cap actually sits on a removable adaptor (on most all Dura-Sparks), and so you may run either big or small cap with no mods necessary. (A tunnel ram requires the small cap for clearance.)
"Re-curving" the distributor refers to modifying the ignition timing advance curve so as to be more aggressive/suitable for a performance application, and would suit your boat motor better than the stock curve.
LO

[retromek]

wreidstuff the one lakes only is talking about would suit you better as it's already going to be set up for you. (recurved)
mine is just stock

[Blown 472]

Originally posted by LakesOnly
The link above that you mention is to a Dura-Spark distributor. The large distributor cap actually sits on a removable adaptor (on most all Dura-Sparks), and so you may run either big or small cap with no mods necessary. (A tunnel ram requires the small cap for clearance.)
"Re-curving" the distributor refers to modifying the ignition timing advance curve so as to be more aggressive/suitable for a performance application, and would suit your boat motor better than the stock curve.
LO
And the beauty of the stock stuff too is you can get parts for them at parts stores, where you going to find a 6al on a saturday when you are broken down? the ford module with the blue plastic clip where the wires go in is the best one, ran a recurved dura spark with "blue" module in a blown motor last year after my msd shit the bed.
I have an msd box in my car but also carry a spare as I dont trust it.
You dont need a brass dist gear, if you dist gear looks fine run it, the reason fords eat gears is they are not getting enough oil to them.

[Jake W]

Hey Blown my local parts store is open on sat and they carrey all the msd 6AL box and blaster coils.Oyea thay are open on sun too.
Go with the MSD i have used one on my 460 (6 AL Blaster 2 coil and MSD billet dis with a(MSD) chevy cap and roter and never one had a problem with it, it has been in two boats in 4 years and no problems.
I used the chevy cap and rotor to clear a tunnel ram the MSD Ford dis is too fat at the cap.
Jake:D

[Hallett19]

My stock Ford distributor craped out and caused me ALL TYPES of issues. I had the carb rebuilt twice thinking that was the problem, I went and spent about $400 on the MSD pro-billet dist which requires the MSD box and get the wires too. Get everything on the motor brand new and you will have fewer problems. That was the last part I put on that was new and I have never had any problems since !! Well worth the money !

[Jake W]

Hallet 19 what are the numbers on your dis 400 bucks seems high.
Mine was not that much but you might have a diffrent one than mine.
Jake:D

[Hallett19]

I did not clarify, I spent around $400 for the whole deal. I actually bought the distributor for $200 when I was on a river trip after pretty much tracking down every other problem I thought it could be. Little did I know I needed the MSD box as well and I had just drivin an hour to get to the auto parts store to buy it and I was not about to drive another hour to get an MSD box and wire it up for one more day on the water. I had to buy the wires as well and I got new plugs while I was at it. Sorry for the confusion but I really like the pieces I got and they did help me out alot ! The only thing is, the distributor doesnt let my motor cover fit right :(

[WriedtStuff]

[i]
You can buy a freshly recurved and ready-to-go OEM Dura-Spark distributor from Scott Johnston @ 253-998-6648. $109.95 Tell him Paul Kane sent you.
LO [/B]
Paul, I get a message saying this number is disconnected....do you have another one...or an email address...or website?
Thanks

[LakesOnly]

Originally posted by LakesOnly
You can buy a freshly recurved and ready-to-go OEM Dura-Spark distributor from Scott Johnston @ 253-998-6648. $109.95 Tell him Paul Kane sent you.
LO
CORRECT NUMBER: Scott Johnston @ 253-988-6648