Hello. I have a 1987 5.9 Liter 360 CID Dodge B350. It's not the lean burn engine as the distributor has a large vacuum advance attached. I've been cleaning up all electrical connections and when I looked at the Electronic Ignition Control Unit and the Voltage Regulator, both had rust between the epoxy filler and their casings in the back and looked like they had gotten very hot as the epoxy looked melted in spots. Water had gotten between the metal and the epoxy. I went to the auto parts store to replace them and the clerk advised I should also buy a Spark Control Computer so I did. It's a large black plastic box with an air duct fitting, a vacuum attachment tube and 2 connectors, one a 10 pin and the other a 14 pin. I must be getting old because for the life of me I can't find this computer on my van! Is it inside the AC/Heater/Blower box in the engine compartment. I took off all the screws (I could find) to it and could only lift the front of the cover about 3 inches before it hit the van body. I couldn't see all the way back or to the bottom of it. Or could I possibly get to it through the dash? Does this motor even have a Spark Control Computer? If it does, I want to find it if only to clean and waterproof the connectors. My cheap Haynes manual only shows one mounted on the air cleaner on a lean burn motor and doesn't mention one on another motor or location. I don't have the lean burn motor. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your answer. Bill
Dodgevanman
07-17-2005, 07:47 PM
Your van is NOT equipped with a SCC (aka Electronic Spark Advance). Since you don't have Lean Burn and your distributor has the vacuum advance. Take the computer back to the store and get your money back.
bmadmax
07-17-2005, 08:08 PM
Nate, you saved my behind again!! I now owe you double big time! I tore the upper dash, lower ductwork, and Heater/AC box in the engine compartment apart looking for that big black box because the clerk at the Parts America insisted that my van had the Computer. I did tell him that it was not a California or Lean Burn model and he said it didn't matter and my van had the Computer. I even crawled under the van. I was trying to figure out why I would need a Spark Control Computer when the van already had an Electronic Ignition Control Unit. I'll be spending at least 2 hours putting everything back together and then bringing the computer back for a store credit as I still need other tune up parts. At least I found more chipmunk nests and acorns and poop in the ductwork I have to clean out. So I gather that only the Lean Burn models had this Computer? Thanks again Nate, you're a lifesaver, and money saver too!. Bill
Dodgevanman
07-17-2005, 08:35 PM
Even if the van had the SCC it would still have an ignition module. The SCC controlled spark advance and monitored various inputs from engine sensors. The distributor used with the SCC is different as well....those distributors don't have a vacuum advance and have dual pickups inside. Be glad that you don't have the spark computer since they were a source of many headaches.
If your van did have the SCC it would be located under the hood on the bulkhead below the below the windshield.
My '69 Xplorer 21 had a 318, but I swapped in a 360 with original 340 cast iron intake and Edelbrock 600 carb. She runs really great.
bmadmax
07-17-2005, 08:58 PM
Now I understand. My van definetly does not have a Spark Control Computer then. There is no way I could have missed an 11"L x5"H x2" thick black plastic box on the firewall bulkhead, and, my distributor advance is positively vacuum controlled with a large vacuum device sticking out of the base of the distributor. I can't wait to see the look on the pimply faced clerk tomorrow when I bring it back! Hey, we all make mistakes, but this one cost me over 4 hours of searching for a non-existant part! I'm going to invest in a Dodge dealer shop manual so I can learn all these details. Thanks again Nate.
latter5
11-19-2005, 03:35 AM
I just acquired a 1978 class B Broughm It's sweet. I belonged to a friend for the last 7 years so I've known about it for years.
Here's the thing, It has a noise coming from the engine compartment(I haven't heard it yet) that may or may not be a spun alternator or something worse. The van is 60 miles south of here and since Seattle, Tacoma and the Narrows Bridge
are between me and it I haven't got a chance to get down there yet so I can fix it. But I will probably be here picken your brains as to whats wrong. I do so hope
its not the lower end as I can't afford to rebuild a 440 at this time.Also Does anyone know if Broughm has gone out of bussines as I have't found their contact info on the web yet.
Dodgevanman
11-21-2005, 07:00 AM
Welcome to the site! Yeah hopefully it's something simple.
