Which coilpack option?
Discussion
I don't have any serious issues with the standard ignition system but the occasional missfire does annoy and worry me. I use the car for touring these days so I'm not really bothered about increasing power, I just want better reliability. Is there a reasonably priced coilpack conversion that just gets rid of the coil, distributor & ignition amp? I'm also looking to convert idle control, the standard stepper motor unit is a pain too, is there an updated option for that
Most of us just throw the whole ECU away and convert to Megasquirt/Emerald/MBE/Canems etc., which controls fuelling and spark.
But you are looking at the thick end of £2000 installed and mapped.
I would try getting your 14CUX remapped first - Jools or Mark Adams are the go-to men for this. Far far cheaper.
Mine was certainly smooth after Jools did his magic on my 14 CUX, and even smoother after i went to Emerald with him.
But you are looking at the thick end of £2000 installed and mapped.
I would try getting your 14CUX remapped first - Jools or Mark Adams are the go-to men for this. Far far cheaper.
Mine was certainly smooth after Jools did his magic on my 14 CUX, and even smoother after i went to Emerald with him.
^^^^^^ this.
I know I sound like a stuck record but if you take into account the work and cost of doing a mod such as your suggesting then add in all the extras you get with new wiring etc on a new Ecu install it makes good sense to fork out the extra few quid for the later.
This includes rolling road etc so a comprehensive set up from day one.
I know I sound like a stuck record but if you take into account the work and cost of doing a mod such as your suggesting then add in all the extras you get with new wiring etc on a new Ecu install it makes good sense to fork out the extra few quid for the later.
This includes rolling road etc so a comprehensive set up from day one.
Interesting responses, I guess it comes down to the value I place in having a greater sense of the cars reliability. Like all things with these cars, the design was old to start with and now parts are becoming difficult to source. I carry a bag of bits when I travel and I'm always wondering what to add. Ignition amp is next on my list of spares and I'm desperate to acquire a broken TPS as I can usually get those working again and that would sit nicely in my spares selection. A complete ignition replacement just seems better than relying on hard to source spares
I carry no spares at all.
Decided carting tools about is also fairly pointless as I’ve never used them.
Forget performance or even the extra reliability, I honestly went for new Ecu because I can’t stand trying to find parts that are already well out of date kind of thing. After an expensive engine rebuild it just made sense as I was getting erratic idle and had forked out for stepper motors that didn’t work 2 temp sensors, dizzy caps and rotor arms galore.
I am not very patient or even competent enough with electrics to work it all out when one or the other plays up.
I find the new Ecu much easier to understand especially the wiring which seems simplified, it all seems quite logical now and no stepper motor ever getting in the way which is a god send in my book.
For trips like the one you’ve been undertaking around Scotland that extra reliability and solid running really adds to your sense of invincibility.
It removes that shadow of doubt that sometimes does come with driving a Tvr.
It’s really one hell of a feeling.
Decided carting tools about is also fairly pointless as I’ve never used them.
Forget performance or even the extra reliability, I honestly went for new Ecu because I can’t stand trying to find parts that are already well out of date kind of thing. After an expensive engine rebuild it just made sense as I was getting erratic idle and had forked out for stepper motors that didn’t work 2 temp sensors, dizzy caps and rotor arms galore.
I am not very patient or even competent enough with electrics to work it all out when one or the other plays up.
I find the new Ecu much easier to understand especially the wiring which seems simplified, it all seems quite logical now and no stepper motor ever getting in the way which is a god send in my book.
For trips like the one you’ve been undertaking around Scotland that extra reliability and solid running really adds to your sense of invincibility.
It removes that shadow of doubt that sometimes does come with driving a Tvr.
It’s really one hell of a feeling.
How handy with the spanners are you?
A full Megasquirt install can be done DIY for around £1000 plus the extra for mapping. Not as popular as some but still a very good system. Not that difficult to fit as wiring looms come pre made.
A lot of money but one of the best mods you can carry out in my eyes.
A full Megasquirt install can be done DIY for around £1000 plus the extra for mapping. Not as popular as some but still a very good system. Not that difficult to fit as wiring looms come pre made.
A lot of money but one of the best mods you can carry out in my eyes.
Lots of ecu options these days so if youre going the aftermarket ignition route you may as well go full ecu change. The cost difference would be minimal. Ask around and see what people have to offer theres lots of options if you want them. General concensus is the same as my advice which is get it fitted and mapped in one place ... saves people blaming each other if something goes wrong. It also makes it easier to ask advice if you want to delve into tweaking anything in the future. You dont have to go as in depth as chimp on gas but you might want to change fan temps or rev limits or add an extra map at some point.
I started fitting ecus 20 years ago and every year just gets busier and busier.
I started fitting ecus 20 years ago and every year just gets busier and busier.
Lots of ecu options these days so if youre going the aftermarket ignition route you may as well go full ecu change. The cost difference would be minimal. Ask around and see what people have to offer theres lots of options if you want them. General concensus is the same as my advice which is get it fitted and mapped in one place ... saves people blaming each other if something goes wrong. It also makes it easier to ask advice if you want to delve into tweaking anything in the future. You dont have to go as in depth as chimp on gas but you might want to change fan temps or rev limits or add an extra map at some point.
I started fitting ecus 20 years ago and every year just gets busier and busier.
I started fitting ecus 20 years ago and every year just gets busier and busier.
Best advice i was given was two fold:
1. The best mapper is more important than the best system.
2. Living reasonably near your mapper is key.
I got lucky - the best mapper is less than 40 miles from where i live.
But you do hear of people being several hundred miles from their mapper - frustrating at the best of times, doubly so when the car isn't running properly or you want to make lots of changes
1. The best mapper is more important than the best system.
2. Living reasonably near your mapper is key.
I got lucky - the best mapper is less than 40 miles from where i live.
But you do hear of people being several hundred miles from their mapper - frustrating at the best of times, doubly so when the car isn't running properly or you want to make lots of changes
I suppose it also matters what level of tune you engine is or want etc.
I agree with the above, who is the best mapper is something I’d rather avoid, all I can say is mine works, has done since day one other than one occasion I took it back and was found to be the idle screw position had moved so nothing to do with the system or mapping.
It’s been A1 ever since which is really the point of it to me.
Anyone with modern engine management experience should understand a modern Ecu possibly better than they would know the Cux as they are all alike in software etc. Some very complicated managing complicated machinery but our old RV8 is hardly pushing Ecu boundaries.
It’s a no brainier for me that you have a full system installed as the benefits out way the financial cost of not doing so.
Not just more reliable but very few electrical parts to change at service time. If you like touring and putting the miles on this adds up.
I change oil/water/ plugs ( every 20,000 miles with Iridium tipped ) and maybe a coil pack one day. The plug leads I expect to last years.
Maybe a sensor someday but for now and I’m close to 20,000 miles on MBE without a slightest hesitation. It gets better if you ask me
But that’s easy and I understand people wanting do do something different if they are savvy enough
I agree with the above, who is the best mapper is something I’d rather avoid, all I can say is mine works, has done since day one other than one occasion I took it back and was found to be the idle screw position had moved so nothing to do with the system or mapping.
It’s been A1 ever since which is really the point of it to me.
Anyone with modern engine management experience should understand a modern Ecu possibly better than they would know the Cux as they are all alike in software etc. Some very complicated managing complicated machinery but our old RV8 is hardly pushing Ecu boundaries.
It’s a no brainier for me that you have a full system installed as the benefits out way the financial cost of not doing so.
Not just more reliable but very few electrical parts to change at service time. If you like touring and putting the miles on this adds up.
I change oil/water/ plugs ( every 20,000 miles with Iridium tipped ) and maybe a coil pack one day. The plug leads I expect to last years.
Maybe a sensor someday but for now and I’m close to 20,000 miles on MBE without a slightest hesitation. It gets better if you ask me
But that’s easy and I understand people wanting do do something different if they are savvy enough
QBee said:
Best advice i was given was two fold:
1. The best mapper is more important than the best system.
2. Living reasonably near your mapper is key.
I got lucky - the best mapper is less than 40 miles from where i live.
But you do hear of people being several hundred miles from their mapper - frustrating at the best of times, doubly so when the car isn't running properly or you want to make lots of changes
Can't really agree with this.1. The best mapper is more important than the best system.
2. Living reasonably near your mapper is key.
I got lucky - the best mapper is less than 40 miles from where i live.
But you do hear of people being several hundred miles from their mapper - frustrating at the best of times, doubly so when the car isn't running properly or you want to make lots of changes
Every reply has been saying the new (modern) ECU is the way to go, and I agree, but if it is mapped properly you should be done pretty much for the life of the car. Saying you need to be close to the mapper infers that the new setup is going to be no better than 14CUX or worse.
Steve
bobfather said:
I don't have any serious issues with the standard ignition system but the occasional missfire does annoy and worry me. I use the car for touring these days so I'm not really bothered about increasing power, I just want better reliability. Is there a reasonably priced coilpack conversion that just gets rid of the coil, distributor & ignition amp? I'm also looking to convert idle control, the standard stepper motor unit is a pain too, is there an updated option for that
recently i had some trouble with my chim....see here:https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
once i had the timing-cover off for reparing the original fault (worn drive gear of dizzy), i regonized lots of slack in my timing chain...so i replaced also that.
and here we go...the car is transformed....all former repairs/upgrades like different plugs, new cap, new water-temperatur sensor for ECU, cleaning stepper etc was all a waste of time & money.
with the new chain and the new drive gear all idle problems, shunting, misfires, poor running, lack of power etc are gone.....
Steve_D said:
QBee said:
Best advice i was given was two fold:
1. The best mapper is more important than the best system.
2. Living reasonably near your mapper is key.
I got lucky - the best mapper is less than 40 miles from where i live.
But you do hear of people being several hundred miles from their mapper - frustrating at the best of times, doubly so when the car isn't running properly or you want to make lots of changes
Can't really agree with this.1. The best mapper is more important than the best system.
2. Living reasonably near your mapper is key.
I got lucky - the best mapper is less than 40 miles from where i live.
But you do hear of people being several hundred miles from their mapper - frustrating at the best of times, doubly so when the car isn't running properly or you want to make lots of changes
Every reply has been saying the new (modern) ECU is the way to go, and I agree, but if it is mapped properly you should be done pretty much for the life of the car. Saying you need to be close to the mapper infers that the new setup is going to be no better than 14CUX or worse.
Steve
I can thoroughly recommend ExtraEFI and Shaun at MS2 tuning if you want to go Megasquirt.
ExtraEFI supplied a professionally built ECU with all the parts needed for installation, and Shaun built the wiring loom and mapped the car for a VERY reasonable price and it drives great and makes good power.
I never had any trouble with the Lucas system but it is definitely nice knowing that all of that outdated equipment is off the car.
ExtraEFI supplied a professionally built ECU with all the parts needed for installation, and Shaun built the wiring loom and mapped the car for a VERY reasonable price and it drives great and makes good power.
I never had any trouble with the Lucas system but it is definitely nice knowing that all of that outdated equipment is off the car.
TV8 said:
Steve_D said:
QBee said:
Best advice i was given was two fold:
1. The best mapper is more important than the best system.
2. Living reasonably near your mapper is key.
I got lucky - the best mapper is less than 40 miles from where i live.
But you do hear of people being several hundred miles from their mapper - frustrating at the best of times, doubly so when the car isn't running properly or you want to make lots of changes
Can't really agree with this.1. The best mapper is more important than the best system.
2. Living reasonably near your mapper is key.
I got lucky - the best mapper is less than 40 miles from where i live.
But you do hear of people being several hundred miles from their mapper - frustrating at the best of times, doubly so when the car isn't running properly or you want to make lots of changes
Every reply has been saying the new (modern) ECU is the way to go, and I agree, but if it is mapped properly you should be done pretty much for the life of the car. Saying you need to be close to the mapper infers that the new setup is going to be no better than 14CUX or worse.
Steve
QBee said:
TV8 said:
Steve_D said:
QBee said:
Best advice i was given was two fold:
1. The best mapper is more important than the best system.
2. Living reasonably near your mapper is key.
I got lucky - the best mapper is less than 40 miles from where i live.
But you do hear of people being several hundred miles from their mapper - frustrating at the best of times, doubly so when the car isn't running properly or you want to make lots of changes
Can't really agree with this.1. The best mapper is more important than the best system.
2. Living reasonably near your mapper is key.
I got lucky - the best mapper is less than 40 miles from where i live.
But you do hear of people being several hundred miles from their mapper - frustrating at the best of times, doubly so when the car isn't running properly or you want to make lots of changes
Every reply has been saying the new (modern) ECU is the way to go, and I agree, but if it is mapped properly you should be done pretty much for the life of the car. Saying you need to be close to the mapper infers that the new setup is going to be no better than 14CUX or worse.
Steve
I didn't want anyone (without an in depth knowledge of the subject) to think that going the new ECU route would be giving them even more issues.
Steve
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