Replaced the Pro-Tec system

I had exactly the same problem with my Pro Tech Ignition system. To compound the problem I couldn't get any reliable infomation about the system from any dealer or even on the internet.

The icing on the cake was when the local dealer wanted me to truck the whole boat to the next state and they MIGHT work on it. Like you I found the whole system to be a bad joke.

I installed nearly the same stuff as you. (MSD 6, not the marine one, MSD Billet Distributor, not the marine one and an Blaster SS coil. What a difference and anyone can install and maintain it.

When I used to drag race there were quite a few MSD products used. Quality stuff and good company to work with. By the way go on the internet and get a good used MSD 6 as a back up. That is probably the only thing that could go bad. You can send the one in for factory repair and still be in business

I've seen nearly new MSD 6's go for $75.00

What Spark?

All the distributor does is use an electronic signal from the distribtor to the MSD box. The box then sends a signal to the coil. From there the spark in the wires is nearly the same (except for the gasket on the distributor cap) The spark plug wires can leak in both marine and non marine applications.

I noticed that there was a marine pro billet distributor but can't imagine how it could be worth $100.00 more. That said, I'll bet it has a gasket for the distributor cap. If something goes wrong with the distributor cap, good luck waiting for a replacement.

The carburetor is another issue. There used to be differences, but today, besides price I think all it is is vent tube design.

If you smell fuel find out what is wrong before you start the motor.

eklock wrote: 79nautique- MSD does not make a marine approved distributor for the 351w, only for GM's BBF and Oldsmobile. Their technician explained that the only difference in the marine units was a breather hole on the bottom of the housing, and that they payed for the USCG approval on other models. All of their distributors are vented through the cap. All of the internal components are identical.

So just because it is vented in the cap doesn't mine sh*t it still as no flame arresting features to prevent the ignition of fuel vapors. Most likely is it also vented around the base of the cap where the fumes can enter. oh well if it blows up it blows up not my boat and not a boat I wil be riding in ever.

all you pulled out was an oil pump drive, nothing in it to produce a spark to ignite the gas fumes smarty.

Please don't try and discuss the finer points of a DIS system(pro-tech) vs a Mechnical Distributor with me, I'm very well versed on that subject if you want to verify it go look under the hood of any 90's era Quad-4, Northstar or Chevy INDY motors and if your fortunate enought to ever see the drawings you'll see my name listed in the tilte block after the Drawn By heading.

Do some research before flapping. Look up flame arrestor.
Talk about arrogance, Do you have kids in that boat? Somebody elses?

And no arcs in a distributer, what a hoot.

Good info backfoot.I'd love to use the MSD dist too but the Windsor fans are out, I'm not that <insert adjective here> to use the automotive.

Not quite the same, but if one were to pack the cap vent with brass wool it would limit the limit the risk of vapor ignition. The trick is keeping the wool in the vent and not falling down upon the rotor.

DNR? Not sure what that is. USCG, I've never been on a Federally patrolled body of water.

Sorry for causing all of the upheaval over this issue.

eklock wrote: DNR? Not sure what that is. USCG, I've never been on a Federally patrolled body of water. Sorry for causing all of the upheaval over this issue.

eklock, what we're trying to convey here is a few different things. The USCG sets regulations and standards on marine vehicles that require specially modified distibutors, alternators, starters, fuel pumps and carburators. The boat left the factory meeting those standards. You could be easily pulled over and stopped for a safety check at any time while operting your boat by the DNR on any body of water that the USCG doesn't patrol. I've personally been stopped numerous times. They normally check for adequate life preservers, fire extinguisher, driver drinking etc. They can also look at the engine and if there is a knowledgable ranger that knows what he's looking at, he can tell if your boat has been modified and that it still meets or doesn't meet USCG safety standards. If it doesn't, you can be required to make any appropriate changes to make it legal on top of a fine.

Now the bigger concern is the safety for you, your passengers and family. These standards aren't put out there so the USCG can be a**holes. They have a purpose. The biggest one of which is fire prevention in a marine vessel. I've said before that a fuel leak from a fuel pump or carb in a car just runs onto the road and evaporates away. A fuel leak in a boat dumps into the bildge and just sits there waiting for a spark from a dist. alternator or starter. If that happens, let me tell you that a 19' SN can go up in flames in seconds. Not a pretty sight. There are numerous guys that have put regular auto parts on boats and haven't had issues and maybe never will. How important is that $100 extra that you saved by not buying a marine dist. when your boat is engulfed in flames? Or worse yet, if somebody gets hurt or dies? Here's another thing. If you have a really good insurance agent who knows his stuff, and upon inspection of a boat disaster notices that aftermarket non-conforming parts were put in the boat, they could easily deny your claim.

Granted, these are worse case scenarios, but entirely possible. Using USCG certified carbs and fuel pumps help prevent the fuel from getting in the bilge first. If it still does happen, USCG approved distributors, alternators and starters prevent the spark to ignite that fuel. Nothing is foolproof, but why add to your chances to save a few hundred bucks?

geez

eklock wrote: They assured me that the only difference between the 460 and 351w distributors was the drive gears. I have yet to verify this but they seem to be confident in their statement.

I got confirmation of this from a guru on a pantera forum, they know cleveland/windsor swaps as well as anyone.

GottaSki wrote: eklock wrote: They assured me that the only difference between the 460 and 351w distributors was the drive gears. I have yet to verify this but they seem to be confident in their statement. I got confirmation of this from a guru on a pantera forum, they know cleveland/windsor swaps as well as anyone.

Is the 351W drive gear you're refering to for a reverse rotating engine? If not you maight be back to square one.

Hey eklock, can you post the parts list you used to replace the protech?
I'm looking at replacing the protech as well. It's $400 from skidim (with that nice 10 percent discount from here!) but I wanted to see if it was cheaper to build it myself from the local performance shop that specializes in marine apps, etc.    Wait for it.. wait for it... I hear 79nautique ready to chime in right? (only jokes, you have great input always!)

79nautique wrote: my question would be how you are planning on addressing the wiring hraness changes? the dist is a no brainer, but needs to be compatable with the ECU's logic.

I'm not quite understanding you. With the ProTec system there is a knock sensor and a rev limiter. I talked to SkiDim about the wiring harness used with the Mallory dist. and it was explained to me that the knock sensor is left in place as a dummy with no wire going to it. I don't have a knock sensor nor a rev limiter, but I plan to add an MSD ignition module that has one in the near future. All other gauges and audible alarms function as normal.

I used the factory wire harness with only a few easy modifications.

I unwrapped the factory harness and removed the wire for the knock sensor. I did this because I wanted a "clean" installation without any unconnected terminals. I removed the knock sensor replacing it with a brass plug.

I took the loom of wires that leads to the ECU and removed them from the harness. The only wire I cut was that for the tach lead. The factory tach lead is molded into the ECU.

Following the wiring diagram for the ProTech system I located the tach lead which is a gray wire if I remember correctly. I cut that wire at the ECU module leaving enough length on the engine side to solder a terminal that would attach to the coil. I installed a keyed-hot lead from the 50A breaker terminal to the coil. I used the same keyed-hot terminal that the ECU/coil pack was powered by; again using the ProTec wiring diagram. The MSD coil is now wired to the same power souce as the ProTec coils.

Once the ProTech system is removed the harness looks very similar to that of earlier CC's. At least by looking at the diagrams available for download.

I mounted the coil on the bracket originally used for the ECU/coil pack with a billet mount from Rex Marine. Mine is polished, if I had it to do over again I'd opt for red anodized.

The whole installation took about two hours one evening after work. I spent more time re-wrapping the harness and tucking it away neatly inside corrugated loom. My soldered terminals are sealed with shrink tubing.

Actually I spent more time diagnosing the ProTec system than I did replacing it.

horkn wrote: For the carburetor, the marine version is really only differentiated by the tubes, which can be bought at DIM for 8 bucks. Why Holley charges over a hundred dollars more for a marinized carb compared to the same street carb, I don't know. Price gouging I guess is the only answer.

WRONG!!!!! The throttle plate shafts are splined and sealed to prevent fuel leakage through them and out of the body of the carb. Auto versions don't have this feature. You really think that changing a vent tube automatically makes a carb a marine version?