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Electronic Ignition for TB42

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 10:15 pm
by Rainbow Warrior
I fitted a Crane Cams Fireball XR3000 kit and PS91 coil and 9mm plug leads last Thursday, because I was having probable water induced problems with the Pirana setup, I took it offroad to Cruiser Park and am happy to report that it now spins miss free at 6500rpm :-)

It cost about $550 all up including a $30 plastic box to keep it dry and I seem to be getting nearly 380km per tank now mixed usage. It took me a day including rebuilding the dizzy with a new bearing. I'll try and post some pic's later. Crane part #'s are 730-0091 and 3000-0231.

I will try the modified rotor trick this week too.

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 11:11 pm
by Big Red Toy
what's involved with this kit compared to just a replacement of points like mine??? as water still affect's mine do to the dizzy cap & rotor button still playing a roll

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:35 pm
by Rainbow Warrior
If you have good leads & cap, water doesn't worry the ignition with points, try hosing it while running to find the sensitive spot.

Anyway I am running a high energy coil which should be able to blast through moisture better, haven't hit it with the hose yet, but my Landrover became waterproof by fitting a Commodore Holden 6cyl HEI system to the 186.

Fitting involves removing the option for an easy change back to points, so fitting it to a spare dizzy is the safe way to go. You could easily install it without removing the dizzy from the engine which is the way the kit details it. I found an $8 bearing in the bottom that was stuffed and replaced it. The baseplate is easily removed and also actually a bearing with a bearing race around the bottom edge, but doesn't do much work, so I just cleaned it with petrol & regreased, I also blunted 2 drill bits trying to drill mounting holes in it, I ended up drilling out the points mounting plate rivets, removing that plate from the bearing and using one of those holes.

You then use the brackets supplied and a 1/8" bolt to fix the sensor to the plate so it lines up with a universal 6 slotted disc that mounts on the dizzy shaft lobes, I stuffed the clip inside mine pulling it off so ended up using silastic to keep it on the shaft, I would probably recommend locktite or plastibond just to be sure as it's not a great fit. You have to line up the sensor with the rotor and one of the dizzy leads on the cap, the kit says No1 but I used No6 because the vacumn advance rod was in the way.

The ignition unit is basically plug in to the dizzy, it only has 3 other wires, one to the 12v ignition supply & positve side of the coil, one to ground/chassis, and one to the - side of the coil and tacho.
The ballast resistor is removed. It has a diagnostic LED on the side of the ignition unit that you can see light up as you turn the dizzy around by hand.

I set the timing by the "drive down the road see if it pings and play with it" method, might get a timing light on it this weekend.

I installed the ignition unit and coil inside a plastic box screwed to the guard next to the coolant overflow bottle, pat pending Team Sh*tter Waterproof Ignition by Tupperware :D

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:48 pm
by Big Red Toy
doesn't really sound any different to mine, mine only cost $365 installed, then i added a high energy coil.
i've shown you mine now can you show me yours :D

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:00 pm
by bazzle
I ran a Piranha system on a 4.2 for 6 yeaqrs with no probs, ran under water too until HV broke down.

Bigredmav

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:37 pm
by Rainbow Warrior
That picture looks like the inside of my other dizzy :-)

I'm not knocking the Pihrana system, it was still working, and is still mounted with it's coil in the engine bay, dizzy is in the boot. It just had a funny miss every now and then. The miss started happening after the main unit suffered a lot of splashing muddy water in a gymkana with no tupperware box fitted. I was also not real happy with it over 5000rpm :cry:

Value for money Pihrana is great, I just wanted more :)

Re: Electronic Ignition for TB42

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 10:15 pm
by 5upaMav
Rainbow Warrior wrote:...it now spins miss free at 6500rpm :-)

Fark! I didn't know the TBs revved that high! I was amazed to see the pics on your web site . . . almost drowning your norkle-less petrol motor in the Pig Pen. Whoever said petrol motors didn't work under water obviously hasn't seen those pics!!! :shock:

Re: Electronic Ignition for TB42

Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 6:11 pm
by Rainbow Warrior
5upaMav wrote:
Rainbow Warrior wrote:...it now spins miss free at 6500rpm :-)

Fark! I didn't know the TBs revved that high! I was amazed to see the pics on your web site . . . almost drowning your norkle-less petrol motor in the Pig Pen. Whoever said petrol motors didn't work under water obviously hasn't seen those pics!!! :shock:


That was with points still.
Nah it wasn't that deep, I've also got a splash plate under the front of the motor to keep the muck out, probably stuffed if it stays under water but I can pressure clean the motor without missing a beat.