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Electronic Ignition Conversion

Here’s where to discuss anything specific about your standard(ish) car or something that applies to the model in general.
Hasbeen
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Postby Hasbeen » 09 Jul 2013 10:53

None! You'll probably burn more fuel, using all that lovely extra power, blowing off Aston Martins. [:D]

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kstrutt1
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Postby kstrutt1 » 09 Jul 2013 19:33

change in fuel economy will depend on how good the original set up was, over a perfect original set up you will only see a very small increase, over a poor one the improvement could be significant, given the quality of points and condensors now days it is probably the only way to make the ignition reliable and consistent.

g4zur
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Postby g4zur » 11 Jul 2013 19:56

Many thanks for those who gave me advice. I have ordered the Accuspark complete kit.
Regards Gareth.[:)]

g.p.albrighton

bmcecosse
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Postby bmcecosse » 13 Jul 2013 18:49

There will be NO improvement in fuel consumption - why would there be?? Only slight possibility is that you will make a better job of setting optimising the timing when you fit the kit - but then you could have done that with the points !

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Beans
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Postby Beans » 13 Jul 2013 21:29

Probably because most people forget to adjust the points on a regular basis :P

Thegreenman555
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Postby Thegreenman555 » 15 Jul 2013 05:53

hmm. Electronic ignition aint all its cracked up to be! My 8v DHC is fitted with a NewTronic EI system & had developed an intermittent fault, where after 15-30 mins driving, the revs would just drop & the car grind to a halt.

Paul Alwain of PA Motors (& his co-driver Andrew Poynter) was following me back from Bodium, after the start of the 2013 Mongol Rally. He noticed a tell tale wiff of unburned petrol just before it died..

Diagnosis - an overheated Ei Chip.

Solution - back to points!

higgie
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ACCUSPARK

Postby higgie » 16 Aug 2013 18:59

Hi All,

Back again.

2.0L Drophead 1982

I have just fitted the No 31 kit from Accuspark, Blue Coil and a new set of Accuspark Plugs.

I have sparks to all 4 plugs, but as yet no firing. I have checked the trouble shooter from the instructions, (using a light bulb on when ignition on lights on and when cranked flicks on and off).

I have moved the distributor incrementally thru full travel trying to start each time, nothing.

Plus I am struggling understanding the part when not connecting the red + wire from the elec ignition unit to the ignition and not the coil, so where does this go?

I have connected the - black to the exiting LT wire and then to the - side of the coil, the other two wires on the coil I have reconnected, as pervious coil.

Just as a note the car ran ok with points before fitted.

Any help will be greatly appreciated

Higgie

jclay (RIP 2018)
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Postby jclay (RIP 2018) » 16 Aug 2013 22:31

Yes, pull the cap and check to see if the rotor is set properly in the grove in the distributor shaft. Next, turn the engine so that the rotor is pointing to the rear bolt on the intake manifold. Make sure that the spark plug wire that aligns with that position is connected to the #1 spark plug.

[url="http://www.jclay.me/jclay/Post_photos.html#18"]LINK: Photo 18 at bottom of page.[/url]

Clay

[url="http://www.jclay.me/"]My Triumph Site[/url], [url="http://www.triumphtechnical.me"]Technical Stuff[/url], [url="https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B8MWEvqOpX3udEF4SmFQUW9RS09hbU5uNW5Wd0xrUQ/edit"]My Public Folder[/url],

paulheritage
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Postby paulheritage » 17 Aug 2013 08:01

I added the same kit (with coil + plugs) to my 1976 FHC and the spare/extra wire from the electronic ignition connects through the bulkhead into the existing wiring loom under the steering column to ignition circuit.

This is because the TR7 does not have a separate ballast resister and in the existing wiring.

Not sure if connecting this different would cause a non-start though.

Can get pics if would help?

Cheers Paul,

1976 TR7 FHC (ACG 3115) - Java Green
1977 TR7V8 3.9 FHC rally car (ACG 35005) - Tahiti Blue
1980 TR7V8 3.9 DHC - Orient Blue

www.TR7.co.uk

g4zur
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Postby g4zur » 17 Aug 2013 08:40

Hi All
Interesting as I have just purchased the accuspark trigger, coil and plugs. Awaiting arrival of dizzy cap rotor arm and plug leads, changing the lot.
Will await results with Interest.
1980 2.0 litre FHC.
Regards Gareth.

g.p.albrighton

higgie
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Postby higgie » 17 Aug 2013 16:29

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the reply and yes a picture would help no end.

Cheers

Higgie

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Postby Neil_W » 17 Aug 2013 23:36

I fitted a PerTronix Ignitor MR-LS2 unit when replacing the points with an electronic unit.It is much the same but you do not have to remove the distributor to fit - just take off the points & fit the sensor.Wiring is the same a Accuspark with Red & Black.

From the Ignition switch ( bit the key goes into ) inside the car, trace the thick white wire which is the 12 volts switchable supply & can be found easily without removing the Steering Column cover – place a scotch connector to this wire & a length of wire into the other side of the scotch connector to run the wire to the red wire of the Electronic Unit via any blanking grommet in the engine bay. I used spade connectors to allow easy connection of the wires & removal if required inside the engine bay.

So basically get a blue scotch connector - a piece of red wire the same or slightly bigger diameter than the red wire on the Ignition kit.
Poke the new length of red wire in the connector & snap the scotch connector over the White ignition wire.
Run the red wire connected to the scotch connector back into the engine compartment & join to ignition unit red wire.
Once the key is turned & the red ignition light on the dash is on - you have power to the ignition unit. Turn key off & power stops as per before from the coil.

Since you have played with the distributor setting by turning the unit you may have to re time it - you should probably see the original postion of the distributor securing marks / oil staining against the fresh metal underneath. JC Clay has detailed a basic set up

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higgie
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Postby higgie » 18 Aug 2013 14:54

Hi Neil,

Cheers thanks for the info, you have made it really understandable for me.

I have followed this and all is ok.

Once again thanks.

Higgie

Neil_W
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Postby Neil_W » 18 Aug 2013 22:45

If you are looking to fit electronic ignition - see below to an article I prepared for a TR Club.
If you buy an Accuspark type it is similar but you have to remove the distributor complete - knock out the gear drive to fit a small spacer ring & reassemble - then fit back in.


Fitting Electronic Ignition to a TR7 Delco Distributor.
There are now a couple of types of Electronic Ignition Units which fit under the distributor cap instead of units which are external & quite large.
Having decided to end the skinned knuckle job of adjusting the old points, I chose a PerTronix Ignitor MR-LS2 which is suitable for the TR7 D302 Delco Distributor.

It chose to buy the kit via the USA from Retro Rockets who supplied the unit from a warehouse in the UK & it was delivered within a week. This worked out 30% cheaper than if bought in the UK at £76.00p delivered -subject to currency fluctuations, which includes UK VAT.
http://www.vintageperformance.com/retro ... gnitor.htm

The Unit can be purchased easily from the UK supplier. http://www.aldonauto.co.uk

The kit consists of an Electronic Unit, base plate & various screws / bolts. I found it very straight forward to fit & my local Classic Car Specialist who specialise in old Jaguars told me they only fit this kit & has had 100 % reliability.


This type of unit has the advantage of being able to be fitted without removing the distributor from the engine, other types available, which are cheaper, require the distributor to be removed & partially stripped down.
Tools required are
1. 7/16â€￾AF ring spanner which has to be cut down in length to be able to fit in the restricted space
around the distributor bolts or preferably the correct service Tool to loosen the distributor
bolts. I was luckily to be able to borrow this Service Tool . My advise even before starting the
job is to check that the bolts will loosen off & the distributor will rotate.
2. ¼ “AF Spanner to fit the Electronic unit to the supplied base plate.
3. Set of feeler gauges & screw drivers.
4. Strobe Timing Light. Available cheaply in the Internet at £16.00p
5. Recommended new Distributor Cap & Rotor again a service item, you might as well fit.
6. Spade Connectors Male & Female (Red) plus Scotch Connector ( Blue) to fit the wiring.

a) Disconnect the Battery & remove the heater air scoop above the Distributor.
b) Disconnect the rubber pipe from the inlet manifold which goes to the Brake Servo to allow more working space.
c) Remove the Vacuum pipe from the Distributor & the rubber breather pipe to the rear carb to allow more working space.
d) Remove the Distributor Cap from the Distributor but do not pull off the Spark Plug Leads although the centre coil lead can be removed to allow more working space.

e) Remove the Rotor screws 2 off – the rotor has a square & round pin on the underside so only goes on one way.
f) Remove the Condenser & points – keep them as a backup with all the screws. Have a few bits of blue tack ready to stick onto the screws in case they drop off the screwdriver, which will save you crawling under the car looking for them.

g) Ensure the earthing wire which is secured under the condenser bracket is reattached.
h) Clean the internals of the Distributor.
i) Follow the wire which comes out of the Distributor hole ( black / white colour ) which goes to the –ve side of the coil. It should go to a connector in the engine bay & then go to the tachometer then back to the coil. Disconnect this wire & remove the section of wire to the Distributor. I reused the grommet for the wire & used a drill to make the centre hole in the rubber to allow 2 wires to be pushed through. The new grommets supplied with the kit were a touch loose for my taste.
j) Attach the new base plate to the Distributor with the 2 new supplied screws.
k) Loosely place the Electronic unit on the 2 studs on the base plate & mark the centre position of it – then remove again this allows you to turn the crankshaft to have one of the distributor lobes to be opposite the Electronic unit. This was easier when using the feeler gauge to set up a 10 thou’ gap later on.
l) Fit & secure with the 2 supplied nuts & washers the Electronic Unit to the base plate. I have a small pen shaped magnetic pickup which was handy to place the small nuts onto the studs of the base plate as the nuts are really small.
m) Place the feeler gauge between the lobe & Electronic Unit & tighten the 2 nuts using the ¼ “ spanner producing the correct gap.
n) The Red & Black wires on the Electronic Unit are placed through the hole in the Distributor & grommet.

o) The Black wire – attached a male Spade connector to the wire once fed through the distributor grommet & connect to the female connector for the wire which goes to the –ve connection of the coil / tacho.
p) From the Ignition switch inside the car, trace the white wire which is the 12 volts switchable supply & can be found easily without removing the Steering Column cover – place the scotch connector to this wire & a length of wire into the other side of the scotch connector to run the wire to the red wire of the Electronic Unit via any blanking grommet in the engine bay. I used spade connectors to allow easy connection of the wires & removal if required.
q) Depending on how you want the wiring to look – I fitted cable protection sleeves to the 2 wires from the distributor so no coloured wires were visible giving an original look.
r) Fit the rotor to the Distributor & fit the Distributor cap plus attach the coil lead.
s) Attach all the rubber pipes & and vacuum pipe to Brake Servo.
t) Connect Battery & start the car.
u) You will find the timing is a bit out – you will have to rotate the distributor slightly
v) Recheck timing & adjust further to the correct 10 degs BTC at idle as per Manual.
w) When loosening the distributor bolts – I removed the distributor cap again & the Servo Hose to give better access.
x) Go back to the wiring, insulate tape the connections or use heat shrink tube, secure the wires in the footwell & inside the engine bay.
y) Refit the heater air scoop above the Distributor.
z) The kit comes with full fitting instructions.


Time Scope.
a) To remove old points & condenser – 30mins
b) To fit new Electronic Unit – 30 mins
c) Wiring up - 30 mins
d) Checking / adjusting timing – 30 mins
e) Tiding up wiring – 30 mins
f) Cup of tea – 30 mins


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higgie
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Postby higgie » 08 Sep 2013 14:16

Dear all

Just to say after all your help the accuspark is fully fitted and working great.

Could not have done this with out the guidance

Thanks

Higgie

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