Stock ignition systems are mediocre at best, and while the factory units are generally more than capable of igniting the fuel that's squirted into the combustion chambers of a "stock" motor, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's doing the job efficiently. Air/fuel mixtures vary greatly from cylinder to cylinder, and oftentimes the gases do not completely burn due to inconsistent firing or simply not enough spark. In the end, this leads to poorer gas mileage and less than optimal peak power production. To make matters worse, factor in the use of power adders or a brutal high-compression big-block and you may soon find out that what was once OK just doesn't have what it takes to light off the denser mixtures.
Fortunately for all of us, the aftermarket has created ignition boxes for every possible application. But as nice as that is, it can also generate confusion as to which is the best system for your application. If you need all the fancy programmable features for a race car such as multiple rpm limits, boosts retard, the ability to map timing curves, and even data logging, then it'll cost ya plenty of Benjamins. If you want something far superior to stock, but still want to be able to put food on the dinner table, then take a closer look at the five entry-level ignition systems that we put to the test here.
The criteria was short and simple--all retail for under $200 (from Summit Racing), which included units from ACCEL, MSD, Mallory, Holley, and Crane Cams. In all but one case, that money will get you at least a single-stage rev limiter. To ensure each ignition performed its best, we ran all five with the manufacturer's recommended coil, but did not include the price of the coil in the $200 limit. We took the five candidates over to Westech Performance Group's engine dyno and used a reliable GMPP big-block 454 H.O. test mule with a set of Moroso's new Ultra 40 wires to shake out the differences. We flogged each system three times and averaged the horsepower and torque between 3,000 and 5,300 rpm to see if one ignition system could offer more power than the others; however, since Westech generally uses an MSD Digital 7 on all of its dyno-testing, we went ahead and used that unit for our initial baseline pull.
We figured this would also give us the opportunity to see if these entry-level units could match the performance of a big-buck ignition box. If you were hoping for a clear-cut winner, you're in for a disappointment. All five performed to within a ½ percent variation between each other. This in itself is amazing considering how hard it is to consistently produce similar numbers at any dyno session. Our peak baseline numbers showed 494 hp and 529 lb-ft, and the test results yielded power levels between 491 and 497 hp and torque ranging from 529 and 534 lb-ft.
The testing proves that at this level of performance, all five of the boxes perform equally. The bottom line is basically this: Pick the box with the name you trust or the price you like.
Check 'em out in the sidebar links listed below.
