I swapped my old blown slant 6 for a 318 out of an 89 D100, the truck it went into is an 86 D100. I switched it to carbureted. My problem is, the 4 pin electronic ignition box I put in wont spark. The 5 pin for the slant 6 will fire, just not the right firing order. The ignition box is brand new.
We checked the wiring several times and everything is the way it should be. Is there a possibility that the new ignition box is a lemon? I don't want to fork over another $100 for another new one just to find out that isn't my problem. I haven't changed the double pick up resistor to a single yet. The distributor is also brand new. Would I be better off switching to an older style distributor with breaker points so I could eliminate that system all together? I am working with a mechanic out of his garage, and everything else is the way it should be. Any suggestions?

 

You must pick one system totally and not mix and match. A 5 pin is used with a dual resistor and a single pickup distributor. A 4 pin uses a single resistor with either a dual pickup distributor with a relay or single pickup distributor depending on how it is wired. Which distributor are you using? The single resistor is 1.2 ohms while the dual resistor is .5 and 5 ohms.

The firing order is not controlled by the electronic ignition box so I don't understand that part of your statement. Please clarify.

 

So I talked to a local mopar guy today and he said the 5 pin system should work fine. The guy I was working on the truck with thought that maybe because the electronic ignition box was off of a slant six, it wouldn't spark properly for the 318.
The guy I talked to today told me the same thing you said SEAL about the firing order. When we put the 4 pin in we would only get spark once when we turned it over, then nothing. We messed with the timing a bit when we had the 5 pin in and we couldnt get it to spark at the proper times. It was firing way too late.
I am not sure what distributor is in it, my father picked it up for me this winter while I was working out in camp.
All I know is that it is Accel brand. I think he just picked up a replacement unit for an 88 318. Could that be my problem?
Or could it be a timing issue? What kind of distributor would I need to pick up for this application if that is my problem?
Gotta love motor swaps

 

if you have a distributor that looks like this inside it should be fine

here is a couple of pictures that might help you out

 

The distributor that crazzywolfie has posted is a single pickup coil type and as he stated it is the correct one. Pickup coil distributors were used from 74-87. 88-91 used a Hall Effect Switch type distributor and will not work with your application.

 

i found that picture on rock auto under the 89d100 with 5.2. it is possible since it was the change over year there was a few with carbs

 

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the help. I am gonna pick one up tomorrow and try it out. I will let you know if it works.

 

I think you are wrong on 89 being a change over year. The change was from 87 to 88. 87 was the last of the carbs on any of our stock trucks. The in the fender computers were introduced in 88 with the Hall Effect distributor and TBI with high pressure in tank fuel pumps on all models.

 

your right SEAL. rock auto mixed me up but i did find that distributor under 89 d100 with 5.2

 

It wouldn't be the first time the parts store was wrong.