Distributor machines
 

Re: Distributor machines
 

Ron,

Give me a week or two and i will put you something together.
What you need is a old Ford dura spark control module and wire it up. I got some in a box around here somewhere.
Then the magnetic pulse distributor triggers the module and the module then triggers the machine strobe. Glad to help.........

Re: Distributor machines
 

I have several dura spark units in my junk box. Had a fella that could wire them up to fire on a points type distributor. Never figgered that out either.
Thanks.

Re: Distributor machines
 

Ron, looks like Bubba's on it. Originally Sun had a "Pulse Amplifier" that boosted the electronic distributors rather small signal ... in the car that signal was boosted by a module. No need to look for an original unit; go with Bubba.

(What make/model do you have?)

http://paramountd.com/Images/Parts3/...mplifier_M.jpg

Re: Distributor machines
 

It;s an Allen and everything works on it. The strobe isn't very bright tho. But it's probably my eyesight.

Re: Distributor machines
 

Ron i use a pulse amp also works good. You can find them on e bay or some old high school shops.

Ronnie

Re: Distributor machines
 

The January 2011 issue of Hot Rod Deluxe has a big article on restoring Sun distributor machines.

Re: Distributor machines
 

Ron here is everything you want to know. I hope it works for you.He has the amplifiers.

http://paramountd.com/parts.html

Ronnie

Re: Distributor machines
 

Thanks Ronnie, that's quite abit of information. I'm working on a project with my grand son. He's back in collage now. I told him I'd get the dist mach working for him A friend sent me a MODUAL several years ago, but i can't make it work. I'll try and find it and maybe sone of youse guys will know. I have a bunch of Dura spark units, so I'll wait for Jim's wireing diag. I'm sure My grand son can figger it out. Me too. I'll also save that link just in case.
Thanks again.

Re: Distributor machines
 

ron, the allen is quite a bit differant than the sun.mark from paramount does sun only.i think the pulse amp that he sells will work on both.the allen uses 2 flash tubes,they kind of look like a bullit style dome lite bulb.if its not very bright one may be bad or the end of bulb may have worn off its conductive coating.

Re: Distributor machines
 

I have not taken this unit apart, learned my lesson a long time ago. If it ain't broke , don't fix it. I did however see that the Allen uses a stock style ignition coil.. Would be nice to see a schematic on the unit?

Re: Distributor machines
 

Ron,

Had a chance to hook up a dura spark 2 control module this morning. I used it on my Sun Distributor machine as my Allen is a late model unit that dont need the pulse tool.

I used a Chrysler electronic ignition ( in a buick distributor) and it worked fine on my machine....
The module was a 6 wire Ford with blue color code or a Dura Spark II unit.
Tie the red and white module wires together ( start and run on module) and hook distributor test lead on machine to these.
Ground the black module wire to machine ( Sun uses a seperate ground wire).
Then hook up the two pickup leads to the green and orange module leads.
You may need to switch the pickup leads but they work either way on my machine , the strobe should flash etc.....

The distributor triggers the module and the module triggers the strobe. As time permits i will try a GM HEI module but didnt have one handy this morning and you said you had a Ford one.....
Hope this helps.......

Re: Distributor machines
 

"The January 2011 issue of Hot Rod Deluxe has a big article on restoring Sun distributor machines."

Really excellent article. (Getting an old Sun machine flashing is impressive ... however, knowing it's calibrated accurately is tough. They do not mention that.)

ALSO, can't speak for the Allen Synchrographs but the Sun Testers have some rather high voltages running through them. Be careful poking around inside.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t.../Hoopknife.jpg

Re: Distributor machines
 

Hoop,

Hell of a Sun machine story. Years ago when i taught ignition for Lincoln Tech we had a room full of distributor machines both Sun and Allen. I stayed late one evening to help a friend fix a Sun distributor machine. As he was reaching in the back his watch ( everyone had a twist-o-flex band back then) band shorted across a large capicator and turned red almost instantly, you can imagine what this did to his wrist and skin under it. I had to cut the band off with pliers and take him to the emergency room down the street. Havent put my arm in one of those since.....:eek::eek:

Re: Distributor machines
 

Thanks Jim, I will try this as soon as it warms up a bit. I have heat in the garage, gut when it's near zero outside I burn allot og gas. You mentioned a BLUE unit. Not sure what colors I have. What do the colors mean? This looks like a pretty simple fix for the problem.
I'll get back to you. Tka again OL' Ron

Re: Distributor machines
 

My SDT SUN Distributor Tester work with the newer Ford Distributors without any pulse amp just the module for Distributor.
I Tested it with both the Duraspark 2 and the EEC-IV CCD Ignition systems.\


Here is how I wired it:
https://i.imgur.com/mPIN5p9.png
/

Re: Distributor machines
 

Holy cow! gota say the Baen always comes to the rescue. Yes I finally got it working, then one night it caught fire. however, the fire was contained in the box. the motor and vac pump still work. I run the distributor just like it is in the car, and the strobe works as well requires a 12v battery. Haven't used it in years

Re: Distributor machines
 

Welcome to the Barn subford.