MSD Blaster 2 Coil on stock igniton system

[Pattywagon]

Do I need a ballast resistor? I did some searching and it seems like the wiring leading up to the stock ford horseshoe has a resistance wire built in? Is this true and can I just slap the coil in the stock holder? or do I need to find a place to splice one in?
How would one go about wiring a resistor? I dont want to burn up my points!

[CHICOWAGGY]

I've got the Blaster 2 coil also. Just cut the wires of the horseshoe, put a couple of ring connecters on it, and hook it up. Works perfect.

My waggy ran sooooo much smoother with that coil. 100 times better than the stock. I totally recommend that coil.:thumbsup:

[LouM]

Get the Blaster 2F and you can just plug the horseshoe connector onto the new coil. Been working great on mine for several years.

Lou

[sflier]

You didn't mention the year but if it's the Motorcraft years (and probably other ignition systems years also), there's a resistor wire built into the harness from a main splice near the bulkhead connector to just about the horseshoe connector. And yes, you'll need to leave that resistor wire in place for the MSD coil if you're keeping the stock ignition module.

And like others have said, just use the existing wires off the horseshoe connector and you'll be set.

[FSJ freak]

what would replace the stock module in this set up if you want to get rid of it??

[sflier]

what would replace the stock module in this set up if you want to get rid of it??

1. A one-wire HEI distributor (as the ignition module would be built into the distributor). Bulltear.com, MSD, BjsOffroad all offer examples.
2. Either a Ford TFI coil or external GM HEI coil using a 7/8 pin HEI ignition module. Those coils are both thin film designs and spec out relatively the same as long as you're comparing the external varieties and not the GM HEI coil built into the distributor cap. Those don't charge as quickly (3.5ms vs. 2.5 for the other two) and produce a spark just a bit stronger than the stock Motorcraft setup. Reference any of these threads (and many more I'm sure ;-).

http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=94911 (http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=94911)
http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=92356 (http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=92356)
http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=79422 (http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=79422)
http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=62446 (http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=62446)
http://www.megamanual.com/ms2/GM_7pinHEI.htm (http://www.megamanual.com/ms2/GM_7pinHEI.htm) (Megasquirt docs offer great insight)
If you use the stock Motorcraft ignition module, use either the stock resistor wire in the harness or use a ballast resistor. The MC module codes a dwell (coil charge time) that's too long for the GM HEI or Ford TFI coils (again 3.5ms and 3.5ms respectively … stock coil is something like 4.5ms or higher … I don't recall off-hand). Charging the coil too long will just heat the coil and ignition module and either or both will eventually fail. You can use full 12V if you use the 7/8 pin GM ingntion module along with either HEI or TFI coil.

3. Migrate to any number of TBI setups and replace the carb and ignition.