Electrical SN95 351W 3 plug distributor to a 95 wiring harness stock distributor plug

kevinw40

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Oct 16, 2018
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Can anyone tell me where to hook the 3 wires that I have coming from my older style distributor to my stock 95 wiring harness. I went from a stock 302 fuel injected motor to an older carburated 351W motor with the 3 prong distributor but I still want to keep the original wiring harness so that down the road I can change the distributor to a 94 Lightning distributor that has the same plug as the original 95 stang harness. I just want to get it running now with the old distributor.
 
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You'll have to describe the older-style distributor a little better. If it's an old points-distributor, you'd go straight to the coil negative lead with an ignition wire (+) going to the coil positive. If it's a 3-prong Duraspark distributor (I'm guessing it is as that's about the only one with 3 wires) you'd need the Duraspark ignition module and wiring harness to it. Either way there's nothing of value in the original 95 harness that an older-style distributor can use, and trying to hook it up will just melt your TFI module.

I'd suggest swapping in a 1-wire distributor as the simplest solution to get you running. As to your future plans, you can't really use the stock computer, ignition module, and a Lightning distributor without bringing over the fuel injection and everything associated with it too. If you're planning to stay carbed, you're going to need to do something different. Can't have the stock computer-controlled ignition that factors in RPM, load, fuel, etc. into setting your timing when you've yanked all the rest of the system out.

Something like this: https://www.cjponyparts.com/proform...u705PUQKmEY0uSraHAgGMe441pk8DEKhoCVKAQAvD_BwE
 
Totally makes sense now. Thanks for the explanation. I do have the Duraspark distributor, so I did see a wiring diagram online that shows how to wire the Duraspark distributor directly to the coil. Couldn't I just do it that way and use the 95 harness coil wires so that the ignition switch would control the power to the coil?
 
You can wire an older distributor directly to the coil, but only if it's a points-type distributor. If it's a Duraspark distributor it has a pickup inside and a reluctor wheel which sends a signal to the ignition module, which then drives the coil. It won't be able to drive the coil by itself.
 
so how do you turn the engine on and off using the keyed ignition? I really want the engine to start and shut off using the keyed ignition switch. I have an old harness that the previous owner made up and he was using the large red wire on the engine harness and had it labeled as "Distributor" but when I got the car the engine was already gone and I am not sure what he was doing but it is only 1 wire. So would that go to the 1 wire distributor?
 
This paragraph is for using a stock (points) distributor. The coil + should be hooked up to a keyed voltage source, that'll shut things off when you turn off the key. The distributor controls the ground signal to the negative side of the coil via the points. Not sure with all the other stuff removed if the + wire to the coil + side will continue to function in the stock harness, but I don't know why it wouldn't.

Not knowing anything else about the engine harness the previous owner created, check to see if when-connected it's a + voltage source which turns on & off with the key. If so, you can use that on your coil + side if you're using a points distributor.

If you go with a 1-wire distributor, typically it just requires a + voltage source, keyed, to the distributor input. For that, the same wire would work. But again verify you've got a 12v+ keyed signal on that wire. A test-light or volt-meter will do the trick.
 
Yes that makes sense. I am going to get the "ready to run" electronic distributor and then make sure I have the keyed power source and I should be good to go. Thanks again, hope to have it running soon. I just got the hooker super comp headers with the BBK off road pipe and a Pypes pipe bomb exhaust so it should be a real treat when I do get it running! I am sure the neighbors will love it!