Electronic Ignition Recommendations?

[ATE399J]

All,

I must be one of the last still running points, condenser, etc. and a FoMoCo distributor. What is the general consensus for electronic up-grades? Preferably without spending a fortune!!

The motor is an early Essex (i.e. Zodiac rather than Capri) and is completely standard (as far as I am aware).

P.

[heightswitch]

for cheappy.
Lumention is as good as any.

N.

[whitewolf]

ATE399J said:

All,

I must be one of the last still running points, condenser, etc. and a FoMoCo distributor. What is the general consensus for electronic up-grades? Preferably without spending a fortune!!

The motor is an early Essex (i.e. Zodiac rather than Capri) and is completely standard (as far as I am aware).

P.

Im still running standard parts. strangely enough last night I fitted new condenser and points.

Today order a dwell angle meter and past few days received a colortune 500 :-)

Maybe in the future I may turn to electronic ignition and electronic fuel pump.

[thegamekeeper]

I suppose you have to ask yourself why you still have points etc..? Is it because you want to retain originality, cant be bothered to change or prefer unreliability? The major problem with points is that from the minute you fit them and run the engine the heel onto the rotor shaft is wearing out and the engine is going out of tune, add to that the potential problems with damp, worn dizzy etc and they are probably a bad idea.
I am a sad person as far as old cars looking original is concerned but not good looking original if its broken down somewhere. On my Granny I fitted an Aldon Ignitor with looking original, ease of fitment and simplicity in mind. Only 2 wires to connect and if you are as sad as me you shrink wrap them to look like 1, no electronic boxes etc. Just to show how sad I really am I have a modern electric high capacity fuel pump hidden away (old SU pump wont keep up with demand from twin 45,s) but I retain the old pump and use it as a feed for the new pump. I converted to alternator but retained the old voltage regulator as a junction box for the conversion. If it would still fit I would revert back to "modern" dynamo but with alternator internals but my doctor said no!

On my 3000S I have a Lumenition because I dont think the electronic module looks too out of place on a late 70,s car.

Although it has apparently lasted 40+ the Fomoco dizzy is poor, might be woth considering a change to a new Bosch and you can now buy them with electronic ignition built in.

[whitewolf]

I see what your sayin and inevitably I'll end up changing to more reliable modern parts.

ok it won't be original (and my affect resell price but 1 I don't think I'll ever let her go, 2 tbh a change to modern parts wouldn't change my opinion to buying the car if anything its improved it).

I guess things putting me off is you expect these things to not be as easy as they say they will be...

are the electronic ignition that easy to fit and work? And the fuel pump prob will be next. my current pump is new and so it dizzy cap so for now touch wood im happy and should be fine.

[thegamekeeper]

If you can see the dizzy ( I cant its burried) Ignitor can be fitted in 10 mins.

[ATE399J]

Steve, you ask a very valid question. I guess the answer is that the car is garaged and only does about 1500 - 2000 miles a year so it takes a long time (in years) for the ignition system elements to wear out and also (sadly) the car comes a long way down in the demands for money league (wife, 2 daughters, house....) so I've never got around to doing it before.

The car looks standard from the outside and pretty close in the cabin. I do run an alternator, have deleted the PDWA, re-sited the heater fan and fitted an electronic fuel pump (hidden in the tank bay).

Having brought it into work today and although it started fine it was running a bit rough, I suddenly thought "why am I using 40+ year old technology when I could have 'fit and forget' ignition that would be reliable"? I'll investigate the electronic Bosch route.

[thegamekeeper]

The dizzy is 40+ years old, the technology is probably 100+. If you want to keep your handbrake happy, buy an "Ultraspark" kit for your dizzy, £35 and it will pay for itself in improved fuel economy in a couple of years, less if Syria has its way.

[whitewolf]

Is it really simple as two wires?

[Adrian@]

I could never get the Ignitor version for the V6 Ford distributor to work correctly so stopped supplying it (it limits the advance, by clashing with the cap, and I was bdizing the lower plate and grinding in the inside of caps), I supplied distributors and caps to their supplier for them to look at with no feedback or even want to give feed back.
Adrian@

[Adrian@]

whitewolf said:

Is it really simple as two wires?

IF the 2 wires are the correct length and your supplier can tell you where to connect the two wires to, having asked you where you coil is and if you have a ballasted or non ballasted system.
Adrian@

[thegamekeeper]

Adrian@ said:

I could never get the Ignitor version for the V6 Ford distributor to work correctly so stopped supplying it (it limits the advance, by clashing with the cap, and I was bdizing the lower plate and grinding in the inside of caps), I supplied distributors and caps to their supplier for them to look at with no feedback or even want to give feed back.
Adrian@

So you sent Aldon Automotive Distributors, global experts on competition distributors since as long as I can remember (and thats a long time) one of YOUR distributors for them to look at and they never replied. I,m utterly shocked!

[thegamekeeper]

Adrian@ said:

whitewolf said:

Is it really simple as two wires?

IF the 2 wires are the correct length and your supplier can tell you where to connect the two wires to, having asked you where you coil is and if you have a ballasted or non ballasted system.
Adrian@

You,ve lost me again Adrian. The suppliers can only realistcally be expected to supply with wires which will suffice in most common applications, for everything else there are wire cutters. Every electronic ignition I have ever bought from Aldon, Lumenition or whoever else has come with fitting instructions and in the case of the ignitor there are 2 wires, 1 red which goes to the +ve low tension side of the coil, other is black which goes to the -ve low tension side of the coil. Not sure where ballast rsistors enter into this. The Ignitor is merely a magnetic trigger which acts in EXCACTLY the same way as the points opening and closing and causes the high tension side of the coil to discharge at the appropriate moment to cause the spark plug to spark. Are you saying that there are ballast resisted and non ballast resisted points, I never knew that

[Adrian@]

Then, Steve, Lost you may be, I supply with the help of the customer as simply telling me where things are (asking the correct questions and perhaps pictures of engine bays) EXACTLY the right ignition with the correct length wires AND correct connections ALL soldered WITH instructions to suit individual version of ANY TVR.
What is there to be lost about...
Adrian@

Ballasted systems entry into this is by picking the 12v supply (not 9v supply which is what is supplied to the coil via a ballast) to run a 12v ignition system.

Edited by Adrian@ on Thursday 23 February 19:50

[Adrian@]

thegamekeeper said:

So you sent Aldon Automotive Distributors, global experts on competition distributors since as long as I can remember (and thats a long time) one of YOUR distributors for them to look at and they never replied. I,m utterly shocked!

No Steve, I sent distributors and caps (plural) to their UK supplier, who supposedly sent my items to the American manufacturer...I no longer supply the Ignitor.
Adrian@

I hasten to add they did everything that they could to a deal with my issues, and passed me onto the UK supplier...

Edited by Adrian@ on Thursday 23 February 20:49

[Steffan]

Electronic ignition has undoubtedly been the most effective mechanical improvement ion the last thirty years on cars. Every car I own has it including the four classics.

Even the 105E engine which was a nightmare on damp mornings bursts into life with electronic ignition.

The reliability and easy starting of modern small engines in brick cutters and chain saws says it all.

I remember the Villiers 250, 200, 175, 150 and 98cc two strokes which I had on my bikes in the 1960's with magneto ignition.

Never again: my right leg still aches. Electronic ignition every time.

[whitewolf]

Ah lads, I have a taimar with Essex and have a ballast next to my coil.

Any chance of pointing me into the right direction??

Cheers

[Seabass]

In my experience; a car I had with Luminition failed. A friends Aldon showed few issues but timing wandered inexplicably at high RPMs with a tight dizzy. Pertronix is almost identical to the Aldon but they do still seem to develop their products.

The best simple solution is to find a later electronic distributor that will fit the engine. For the xflow for example a Bosch electronic distributor from a Valencia engined fiesta will fit but will need the advance curve adjusting. I ran one of these in a 1600 xflow seven and it improved running no end.

If you want perfect timing and power then a mapped solution like MegaJolt is the way and can be installed so that it would be very difficult to notice from stock besides a crank trigger on the front pulley.

JC

Edited by Seabass on Friday 24th February 08:04

[Adrian@]

...timing wandered inexplicably at high RPMs...
Been there done that...tried to stick with the product, and now when cars come in with one on strip it out, modify to allow the correct advance.
Adrian@
Customers are shocked by how different the car is, YES, there was an improvement on points when the ignition system was swapped in, BUT, then when it was working correctly a completely different car again.

Edited by Adrian@ on Friday 24th February 08:33

[Hullygully]

Gosh.......a bit confused by all of this variation in opinion.... the question I have is simple: does the Aldon Ignitor work reliably on the xflow 1600 reliably or not? And if not, which system is best to fit?
Adrian: did you have to modify the set-up on 4 cylinder or V6 engines?

Thanks
Mark