Points to electronic ignition

[Philthy]

What's involved in converting from points style to electronic ignition?
I don't know a lot (or anything) about these old carby engines, but since I own one now I've been trying to catch up.
Is it really as simple as getting a new dizzy with built-in coil and hooking up a couple wires?

And the advantages? I hear better reliability and more power (but doesn't everything these days give "more power")
Any disadvantages?

I need a new dizzy and might as well give it something a bit better if its so straightforward.
Oh, and don't tell anyone but its for a ford cleveland motor

 

[soop]

It's pretty straight forward.
I've done it on a 202 and it just needed a control moduel which is as easy as wiring in a head unit really (Even easier). Factory VL **** works as good as anything.

 

[Philthy]

It's pretty straight forward.
I've done it on a 202 and it just needed a control moduel which is as easy as wiring in a head unit really (Even easier). Factory VL **** works as good as anything.

Ah yeah, I think I've seen a few for sale that included a control thingo...

 

[383 hatch]

There is no dis-advantages to going to electronic ignition, it's set and forget unlike points where they're good for about 20 seconds and they're on a down hill spiral from then on...Just buy an electronic dizzy with seperate coil, all you have to do then is wire the coil to the dizzy (positive to positive, negative to negative) and run 12 volts ignition power straight to the positive on the coil (has to have 12 volts all the time, ignition on and cranking).

Some of the cheap chinese stuff is pretty good nowadays, for a cheap electronic conversion, we use them at work no problems yet. Need to be careful with Clevos though, they have 2 different size distributors shafts, best thing to do is pull the existing distributor out and measure the shaft of the distributor (the part where it goes in the engine block) to make sure you get the right one.

 

[Philthy]

There is no dis-advantages to going to electronic ignition, it's set and forget unlike points where they're good for about 20 seconds and they're on a down hill spiral from then on...Just buy an electronic dizzy with seperate coil, all you have to do then is wire the coil to the dizzy (positive to positive, negative to negative) and run 12 volts ignition power straight to the positive on the coil (has to have 12 volts all the time, ignition on and cranking).

Some of the cheap chinese stuff is pretty good nowadays, for a cheap electronic conversion, we use them at work no problems yet. Need to be careful with Clevos though, they have 2 different size distributors shafts, best thing to do is pull the existing distributor out and measure the shaft of the distributor (the part where it goes in the engine block) to make sure you get the right one. One is the same as Windsor, one is Clevo only.

Seperate coil is the way to go? How are they better than the ones with the coil built into the cap? Just trying to get a bit of a better idea how it all works
And I assume the tacho wires up just the same as the standard one if I go messing about with distributors and coils.
I know about the different distributor shafts, there is a 12mm (or 12.5 some say) and a 13mm. I'm pretty sure I have the 13mm but I'll make sure before making any purchases.

And power to it all will have to be fused yes?

 

[383 hatch]

Seperate coil is the way to go? How are they better than the ones with the coil built into the cap? Just trying to get a bit of a better idea how it all works
And I assume the tacho wires up just the same as the standard one if I go messing about with distributors and coils.
I know about the different distributor shafts, there is a 12mm (or 12.5 some say) and a 13mm. I'm pretty sure I have the 13mm but I'll make sure before making any purchases.

And power to it all will have to be fused yes?

Seperate coil is definately the way to go IMO (unless it was a Chev with the factory HEI dizzy). That way if a coil dies, you can just replace it with a normal electronic ignition coil which are cheap and readily available, if an in cap coil dies, you need to replace the whole dizzy cap and coil which can be quiet an expensive operation and you can't just pick them up at any parts outlet....

You can run a wire straight from the ignition switch, then it won't need to be fused. Or, alternatively you can just pick up 12 volt power straight from the fuse box, then it's already fused.

 

[Philthy]

Seperate coil is definately the way to go IMO (unless it was a Chev with the factory HEI dizzy). That way if a coil dies, you can just replace it with a normal electronic ignition coil which are cheap and readily available, if an in cap coil dies, you need to replace the whole dizzy cap and coil which can be quiet an expensive operation and you can't just pick them up at any parts outlet....

You can run a wire straight from the ignition switch, then it won't need to be fused. Or, alternatively you can just pick up 12 volt power straight from the fuse box, then it's already fused.

Makes sense to me.
Is a fancy looking kit like these ~ NEW FORD 351C DISSY / CSI / COIL KIT ( 6AL ) ~ (eBay item 120637599762 end time 22-Nov-10 19:12:04 AEDST) : Cars, Bikes, Boats ~ NEW FORD 351C DISSY / 6AL / COIL KIT ( 6AL) ~ (eBay item 120637599701 end time 22-Nov-10 19:11:47 AEDST) : Cars, Bikes, Boats what I'm meant to be looking for?

 

[383 hatch]

Don't need a CDI box for what you're after, all you need is a complete Dizzy & coil. Stay away from Procomp, there is much better Chinese stuff around than procomp. Give Eagle Auto Spares a call on (03) 8710 3000, that's who we get all our stuff through. I would suggest to buy a good quality Bosch coil though.

 

[Philthy]

So....something like 302 351 CLEVELAND BOSCH ELECTRONIC RARE DISTRIBUTOR. (eBay item 140470568501 end time 05-Nov-10 19:01:26 AEDST) : Cars, Bikes, Boats (only a new one)
I'm just using the ebay links as examples, but advice about what brands to steer clear of helps too

 

[383 hatch]

Yep, that's exactly what you need. Wire it in, set the timing and forget about it.