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Installed Unilite Distributor

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geno8769 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geno8769 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Installed Unilite Distributor
    Posted: 21-January-2013 at 4:41AM
I installed a unilited distributor over the weekend in my 73 351C.
 
Car will now only run with the key 1/2 way between start and run.
 
Has anyone else done this swap? How did you wire it? I thought I had it exactly like the instructions indicated, but they leave a little to be desired. Also Mallaory is closed today.
 
I have the original wire going to the + on the new coil, teh red wire from the new distributor going to the positive, the green going to the - on the coil and the brown wire going to ground.
 
Car runs great if you hold the key 1/2 way to start, or if you run 12 volts to the wire feeding the coil.
 
And suggestions, sketches, words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21-January-2013 at 5:59AM
No help here, the unilite I had was converted to Petronix. Dizzy had two wires, black and red, each went to - and + on the coil.
Paul
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robbdtme Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21-January-2013 at 8:45AM
Sport dash with 2 wire tach? Those tachs get wired in series between coil - and dist. Unlike the newer 3 wire tachs. The 73 tach wiring is in files on the front page here for download.
Might be your problem
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dvldog2513 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21-January-2013 at 1:01PM
I have a unilite in mine red + coil, green - coil,and brown ground.I added a wire to the ignition side of the solenoid .You may want to add a ballast resistor to the pos side of the coil because power spikes will blow the eye out.
Bennie
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geno8769 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21-January-2013 at 1:54PM
So where did you run the original stock wire that went to the + side of the coil? I have that also going to the + side of the coil?
 
You said you added a wire to the ignition side of the selenoid. From the I post to the + on the coil?
 
Thanks..
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geno8769 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21-January-2013 at 1:55PM
Thanks I'll check that as well.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robbdtme Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21-January-2013 at 4:19PM
2 wire tach = series, 3 wire tach is probably what your instructions called for. Let us know what you find :0
Johnny cash Special 74-75-76 freak. 77 XR7. 78 LTD II sport looks pretty but poop 302 in it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dvldog2513 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21-January-2013 at 11:22PM
mine is a 1972 but i changed the wiring harness to a 1974 .today I will trace the wires and take some pictures.It's been awhile since I changed it over.I was having the same problem with the car would start until I let go of the key switch.
Bennie
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rockatansky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-January-2013 at 8:25AM
geno, the 3 wires that connect to the Unilite are; switched Positive, ground, and 'trigger'
 
trigger gets hooked up to the coil - side, switched Positive gets hooked up to a 12v source that operates with the ignition switch like the electric choke connection or you can find a terminal in the fuse block that switches on/off properly with the ign... then the ground is just that ground, i used a ground terminal on the back of the alternator
 
the switched Pos and ground operate the optic light, the trigger tells it when to fire the coil  


Edited by Rockatansky - 22-January-2013 at 8:27AM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote stanman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-January-2013 at 9:23AM
Doesn't the original Ford ignition wire have a built in resistor? I seem to remember others commenting that they ran a dedicated 12 volt wire from the battery for these aftermarket ignitions.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rockatansky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-January-2013 at 9:51AM
yup, cars with points have a resistor wire in the harness behind the dash
 
not sure what'll happen to a factory tach if the resistor wire is removed or bypassed?
 
but that wire feeds the stock coil, it's designed to operate at the resisted volts
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote dvldog2513 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-January-2013 at 2:33PM
I have two red wires coming off the + side of the coil one to the ballast resistor the other to the distributor the green wire to the - side of the coil  from the distributor                                                      two red wires coming off the other side of the ballast resistor one from the wiring harness the other from the ignition side of the solenoid                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I drive my car about every day and haven't had a problem yet.hope you get things worked out .                                                                                             
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geno8769 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23-January-2013 at 4:22AM
Thanks for all of the help.
 
Spoke with Mallory, it was the resistive wire, which dropped the voltage too low to fire. So when the ignition is in the start position it sends 12 volts straight to coil. When key is in the run position, it then goes through the resistive wire, and the voltage drops.
 
They told me to replace the rssistive wire, or run a seperate "keyed" 12 volt sourec to to the + on the coil.
 
Again, thanks for all of the help.
 
Love this site.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote unlovedford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23-January-2013 at 6:22AM
This is awesome info for me, as I am getting a Mallory setup from a member!
Joe
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Rockatansky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23-January-2013 at 9:24AM
easiest way to over-ride the resistor wire is to use a relay. the original wire that went to coil + is now the actuator wire for the relay, and direct battery voltage (switched) flows through the relay on the high amp contacts bada bing
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geno8769 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23-January-2013 at 1:45PM
I like the relay idea. Thanks.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geno8769 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-February-2013 at 3:04PM
Did the relay and it worked great.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rockatansky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-February-2013 at 7:04AM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geno8769 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-February-2013 at 7:17AM
Now my only issue is that my factory tach does not work. Looks like I will be doing some more research on how to get it back to the land of the living..
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rockatansky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-February-2013 at 4:02PM
you'll probably have to have it retro-fitted / upgraded by replacing the mechanism with aftermarket guts. the factory tach is wired in series to the coil + terminal, changing anything on the far end of the circuit janks the tach 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dvldog2513 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-February-2013 at 12:45AM
the way mine is wired my factory tach works fine.Your tach might not be in the loop.In the middle picture I have two wires hooked to the same lug one from the wiring harness the other to the 12 volt power source.Not sure if that is the problem just trying to help.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geno8769 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-February-2013 at 1:58AM
Super :-)!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geno8769 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-February-2013 at 2:01AM
Which picture?
 
I definitely need the help:-)..
 
It makes sense since I am only using the + wire to activate the relay.
 
I suppose if I run a wire from the the + post to the tach it would read the revs.
 
 
Originally posted by dvldog2513 dvldog2513 wrote:

the way mine is wired my factory tach works fine.Your tach might not be in the loop.In the middle picture I have two wires hooked to the same lug one from the wiring harness the other to the 12 volt power source.Not sure if that is the problem just trying to help.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dvldog2513 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-February-2013 at 12:42PM
If you look in the center picture I have two red wires going to the resistor .One is from the original  wiring harness and the other is to the 12 volt the single wire is to the coil I hope this helps 
Bennie
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote unlovedford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-February-2013 at 1:39PM
Thanks Bennie. This is very helpful.
Joe
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