Duraspark Ignition "Fun".

My Eagle had all it's original Duraspark ignition parts, all marked Ford. Distributor pickup, module, and coil. About a year ago I thought, "These parts are 35 years old. They're probably looking for a place and time to fail. I'll replace them all now with all-new components to give myself a totally new ignition system that is entirely under warranty."

Bad idea.

The engine would not start after I installed all the new parts. The new pickup was bad out of the box. I warranty swapped it for another one and it started. 

Six months later, the engine begins to sputter badly and gets worse over the next fifteen seconds or so until is totally stalls and coasts to the side of the road. Bad module. I swapped the original (spare) back in to get myself home. The engine had more power on the original module. Huh, the new one must have become weak before it died. I warranty swapped the bad new module for another new one. That one does the exact same thing about six months later: slowly loses power in a way that I don't notice until one day it just dies. Two defective modules in a row. After that, I left the original module in place. 

Recently it began to fight the starter on cold startup (weird) and developed a nasty missfire and terrible power loss above 2800 RPM. Swapped modules, no difference. Swapped out the new coil for the original coil and saw some improvement, but not completely. Swapped out the distributor pickup for the original one and like magic: totally fixed. Doesn't fight the starter, runs smoother, has lots more power, and no missfire. Two defective new pickups in a row and a new coil that doesn't function as well as the original. 

Lesson learned: no more aftermarket ignition parts for me. I'm sticking to OEM. I have all the original Ford parts back on it now and it's running great. I have more good used or NOS Ford ignition parts in the trunk as spares. 

So if your Duraspark ignition engine is doing weird things, maybe look at those new parts that you put on it. There is something to be said for 35 year old parts. If they've lasted this long, they will probably continue lasting for a long time. 

SMP also makes Napa's value "Proformer" line of Duraspark ignition parts. It's SMP's "T-series" lower product line. I don't think it would do any better. I tried the Proformer ignition coil and it too misfired at higher RPM just like the Echlin coil when the old 1980's SMP coil did not. 

SMP seems to more or less a monopoly on Duraspark parts. No matter where you buy it or what name is on the box, it's either a regular SMP or a SMP T-series. I don't even think you can get the OEM parts from Ford any more. I bet they are sourcing theirs from SMP now too.

This vehicle has gone through two SMP distributor pickups and two SMP control modules in 18 months and less than 3,000 miles when the previous ones lasted 30+ years. My COncord has all it's original ignition parts at 38 years old and 160,000 miles. I'm through with the new junk failing out of the box or shortly after or running like crap. I'm hoarding the old parts now, both OEM Ford and old SMP. 

So just....you know...beware.