Mallory ignition systems and componets

[Michael C Henry]

My car came with all mallory ignition.It had been operating flawlessly. It had a Mallory 38 serues Unilite distributor, Mallory 29440 Pro master coil , Hy FireIV cd ignition box , Mallory ProSidewinder 8mm plug wires . It had an adjustable propotional revlimiter built into the dash .I thought it was functional. I found out later that it was only functional when it was only the distributor and coil. So I changed over to a new HyFire VI 685 Ignition box adding a #700 mallory balast resister and a 29351 active power filter to the system . It has two programable rev limites and progrmable auto start retard along with multiple strike spark plus alot of other features I'm not using.
Anyway I had problems. I had fouling plugs and missing -stumbling.I thought it was the carburetors over fueling and fouling the spark plugs. After sending the carbs off and having the romanced by pros. I still had problems. I was later convinced to look at the ignition system. I had a time. It would start and idle for awhile.Then when driving after ten minute drive the car would start with a slight miss and get worse from there. The car would idle but ingear trying to leave a stop lite or drive was terrible.I cleaned the spark plugs each time before the next test. The time period that it would take to start the miss when driving the tim it would take for the miss to start would vary but ten minutes is a ruff guess.The miss would get worse trying to drive the car home. While stopping at traffic lites, the engine would idle great but trying to leave the lite, accelerateing even slightly was terrible .While looking online at Mallory's site compairing my wiring to their diagrams. I came to the conclusion that they are not clear or consistent.Reply's from their tech's also varried. What componets receive resisted power what componets get full 12V .I'm now convinced that it was the miss that caused the fouled spark plugs. I'm at the point where I have bypassed( elminated) the box ,running on distrib and coil and seems to be fixed. they say the boxes either work or don't and the coil is more than likely the problem.I'm blaming the box.
Anyone else have similar story?

[trularin]

Mike, had something like that. Ended up with just the UNilite and a set of 150 Ohm wires, new plugs and lost hours.

It would idle fine until I would take her out and then the misfire and back fire would start.

Rebuilt the carb and replaced just about everything. Then I put the original Boss distributor in and it still did the same thing.

Ended up being the box I was using. NOT ANY MORE!!

Set the initial by way of the final timing with the box out and she runs great!

Hope this helps.

[Michael C Henry]

Mallory said that when the boxes go bad they do not work at all.I would like to get a box that works as advertized without the problems . I'm allso irritated about the contradictions between the different techs responding and the instructions offered for the different Mallory componets . What I got out of all this experimenting and e-mailing is the balast resister is only used when the box isn't used and only supplies resisted power to the coil. The Unilite distributor gets full 12V . The ignition box receives 12V but that lead is moved on the balast resister to supply resisted power when the box is removed or bypassed. I've rewired to reflect that change and make ready for the return of the HyFire VI box and a one wire switch on the balast resister.
also I ask a question in parts and they answer one part.Tag ,your it!

[trularin]

Dang MIke, you made ma put on my glasses. Okay, the resistor is needed for any period where the car may stop running but the ignition will be on. And, over a perioid of time the coil will heat up if you run the car with out the coil.

Given that, the 12V is for the Infrared module in the distributor. The green wire will drop to something like .2 V when the shutter is open making the coil see a differential and fire. The Positive terminal of the coil should see some thing like 8 to 12V, depending on the resistor.

SO, the box, which I determined to be twitchy takes the place of the resistor and adds "enhanced" spark. Yeah, well I had a number of conversations with them and they just about told me it would die if I took the box off. Personally, I am not going to use it.

Want to hear a nice trick with your setup ( seeing how it is the same as mine ) I used the .85 Ohm resistor and wired it directly to the coil as designed. Then I fused it to a seperate line at 15 Amps. What I found was people sit and play with the insides of the car with out asking. The fuse will blow after about a minute, IF the car is not running.

I have had to replace the fuse three times in cases where the person(s) confessed to sitting in the seat.

The car will not run without the fuse in place.

Another thing, depending on who you talk to at Mr Gasket, you may get the voice of doom about the unilite module and "overvoltage". I have not had this happen yet, but acording to them, the modul may cut-out or die if exposed to voltages above something like 15.2V.

You can fix this if you wish, two capacitors and a TO-3 cased 7812 voltage regulator. It is what is in those little "protection" moduls they sell for $35.00 ( or more ). Don't have one myself, but I considered it for some time.

I was wondering what you have your initial set at? I have something like 36 total and only get 18 to 20 out of the distributor, but the CAM eats up the advance.

Well, back at you.

[Michael C Henry]

I have initial set at 12° bftdc and the box had a programable start retard I had programmed at 8°. So It starts at 4° bftdc and above 500 rpm it becomes 12° bftdc. Total is at 32°-34° bftdc . I have theMallory 29351 power filter inline to the distributor . The Unilite distributor and Promaster coil are the one that came with the car. but with an older HyFire IV box ,no resister no filter. The chance of someone sitting in my car and fiddeling are removed .I have a series of master switches, a functional key switch .
I don't understand the cam eating up the advance thing. Did you meen it likes it?
I can't find the line I read somewhere where it said , in effect,the Unilite distrib doesn't need a resister. Several comp[onet instructions show the Unilite distrib getting power before the resister-then again there is a diagram that shows everyting after the resister. When I read this stuff I need to print it out and hilite it.The last test everything was after the resister (No box )Box is in shippment to Summit .I'm ready to try distrib getting power before resister through filter, and coil receiving power after resister . this was the last instructions from Mallory tech. I explained what I wanted to do and he said correct.
I have the balast resister mounted under the wireng on the left wheel well .I have those flat 1/4" spades on the Mallory #700 balast resister.The resister actually has screw post terminals and has 1/4" male spades bent at a right angle on the srew post under a nut. I have two male spades on terminal 2 and four male spades on terminal 1 (one extra) . I have the switched power wire and the red wire that powers to the distributor( red wire in the three wire harnesss) connected to the spades on terminal 1. Terminal 2 has power from starter relay that bypasses the resister (when actually cranking) and the wire ( I chose an orange wire) that powers the the box( if being used) or the coil ,if bypass plug is used. I just move this one (orange) wire from terminal 2 to terminal1 if I take the bypass plug out and reinstall the box. So when installing or bypassing the box I install or remove the plug and move one wire.

[Michael C Henry]

I drove the car hoping the weather would come around ,It didn't , 40° and no sun shine at all . With the Mallory HyFire VI ignition box eliminated (bypassed) 12V through the fliter to the distributor and coil fed from resister ,It ran great and didn' even sneeze.
I firmly beleive it is the Ignition box that was at fault .I've been chasing this gremlin since August or September getting these carbs redone ,thinking they were the source of the spark plug fouling and missing . I was cleaning spark plugs, adjusting float levels ,compairing wiring diagrams ,questioning Mallory techs ,and local bussineses, spending money, and mostly waisting time .