Ignition upgrade?
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- Posts: 672
- Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 1:13 am
- Your car is a: 1982 131 Superbrava warmed 2.0 litre.
- Location: Tasmania, Australia
Ignition upgrade?
Has anyone tried one of these units?
http://www.123ignition.nl/id/47.html
It seems like a good step up from a stock single ignition curve and a simpler solution than having to program something.
http://www.123ignition.nl/id/47.html
It seems like a good step up from a stock single ignition curve and a simpler solution than having to program something.
Mick.
'82 2litre 131, rally cams, IDFs & headers.
'82 2litre 131, rally cams, IDFs & headers.
Re: Ignition upgrade?
Mark sales a unit that i think is a better product you might want to check this one out first .
http://www.allisonsautomotive.com/image ... tronix.jpg
http://www.allisonsautomotive.com/image ... tronix.jpg
- kmac33
- Posts: 509
- Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 11:19 am
- Your car is a: 1974 Spider
- Location: Lilburn/Stone Mountain Georgia
Re: Ignition upgrade?
I give the Computronix unit Marc sells a big thumbs up.
Kevin McMullen
1974 Fiat Spider - Restoration Complete! But the mods/refinements continue
1980 Fiat Spider
2013 Subaru WRX
1974 Fiat Spider - Restoration Complete! But the mods/refinements continue
1980 Fiat Spider
2013 Subaru WRX
- tartan18
- Posts: 505
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:58 pm
- Your car is a: 1975 Fiat 124 Spider
- Location: Lebanon, Oregon
Re: Ignition upgrade?
The Computronix unit from Mark was super easy to install and it works beautifully. That was one of the best investments I've made thus far in my 1975's restoration/renewal.
Jim MacKenzie
1975 Fiat Spider
Finest Italian Automotive Technology
1975 Fiat Spider
Finest Italian Automotive Technology
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- Posts: 672
- Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 1:13 am
- Your car is a: 1982 131 Superbrava warmed 2.0 litre.
- Location: Tasmania, Australia
Re: Ignition upgrade?
How do you adjust the advance curve? It's also block mount, can it be mounted on the cam?tartan18 wrote:The Computronix unit from Mark was super easy to install and it works beautifully.
Mick.
'82 2litre 131, rally cams, IDFs & headers.
'82 2litre 131, rally cams, IDFs & headers.
Re: Ignition upgrade?
Block and cam box distributor holes have a different diameter.131 wrote:tartan18 wrote:It's also block mount, can it be mounted on the cam?
- tartan18
- Posts: 505
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:58 pm
- Your car is a: 1975 Fiat 124 Spider
- Location: Lebanon, Oregon
Re: Ignition upgrade?
Here is the write-up on the Computronix ignition system on Mark's website:
http://www.allisonsautomotive.com/produ ... electrical
The trigger unit replaces the stock distributor and fits into the block mount position. It is compact enough to fit under an FI intake or dual carburetor intake. The system includes a coil pack and mount, spark plug wires and trigger unit. It produces 60000 volts and will work up to 12000 rpm. The trigger unit is billet aluminum and contains all of the electronics within the unit. If features a fully sealed unit with ball bearings. Advance is adjustable and is set at 18 degrees at 3000rpm from the factory.
This system is the equal of a crank-fired setup without the difficulty and expense of fabricating trigger wheels and mounts.
The system is very simple to install and comes with complete instructions for installation, adjustment and troubleshooting. Anyone can easily install this system with a couple of basic tools.
http://www.allisonsautomotive.com/produ ... electrical
The trigger unit replaces the stock distributor and fits into the block mount position. It is compact enough to fit under an FI intake or dual carburetor intake. The system includes a coil pack and mount, spark plug wires and trigger unit. It produces 60000 volts and will work up to 12000 rpm. The trigger unit is billet aluminum and contains all of the electronics within the unit. If features a fully sealed unit with ball bearings. Advance is adjustable and is set at 18 degrees at 3000rpm from the factory.
This system is the equal of a crank-fired setup without the difficulty and expense of fabricating trigger wheels and mounts.
The system is very simple to install and comes with complete instructions for installation, adjustment and troubleshooting. Anyone can easily install this system with a couple of basic tools.
Jim MacKenzie
1975 Fiat Spider
Finest Italian Automotive Technology
1975 Fiat Spider
Finest Italian Automotive Technology
Re: Ignition upgrade?
the plug from the block will fit the cam box. It does require shortening the plug to clear the gear on the cam. We have billet plugs available if you don't want to modify the block plug to fit or if you want a bit more custom look
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- Posts: 640
- Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 3:02 pm
- Your car is a: SOLD
Re: Ignition upgrade?
I just had a 123ignition installed in my '82 Spider with a 5-speed. Now that it's done, I'd say it is pretty straight forward. Definitely a learning processes for me and my mechanic. The biggest mechanical challenge is getting the gear off your old distributor shaft and putting it on the new one. Let's just say it's not an easy task. I highly recommend taking it to a machine shop and have them press out or drill out the pin. Keep in mind the pin in an original distributor is tapered. The biggest electrical challenge was definitely a learning curve. I read up on web sites and read and re-read the instructions. It was highly recommended that a new coil be used. The previous owner of my car had installed a dry coil but I had no idea how old it was and there was no brand marking on it anywhere. Rather to be safe than sorry, or so I thought, I sprung for a high performance dry coil. Once the gear was on the 123ignition distributor and the new coil was installed we installed the distributor. Started right up! Ran a few minutes, then died. It would start right back up, then die a few moments later. If you feathered the throttle you could drive it -- kind of. It was more of a bucking bronco. I thought I wasted a bunch of money. I searched the forums, called the source I bought it from (Paradise Parts -- awesome to work with!!!), and worked with my mechanic to try and resolve the problem. Pretty much every module, connection, and wire was checked. The TPS was checked, coolant sensors, battery, even checked the new 95 amp alternator and the new gear reduction starter. We had already replaced all the fluid and air/vacuum hoses in the engine compartment with fresh ones along with new spark plugs and plug wires. We found that the cold start valve wasn't working properly but everything pointed back to the 123ignition system. All the grounds wires were checked and re-checked. Ed from Paradise Parts contacted the manufacturer and told them of my set up with the dry coil. The manufacturer said it was probably the coil and recommended going back to stock. This didn't make sense to me but I'm not an electrical engineer. Input from members on the 123ignition forum also said that it may be the coil or even voltage regulator. We ruled out the voltage regulator because it's built into the new 95 amp alternator which is working perfectly. We decided to go with the recommendation from 123ignition and go back to stock. What's a few more $$$, eh? Since my car came from the previous owner with a no-name dry coil we had to put together the original set up from scratch. Thankfully the guys at Auto Ricambi were able to pull together the parts to give us a stock "wet" coil set up. Once it was installed badda-boom badda-bing!!! Car starts right up! No stalling. No bucking. Runs perfect!!! Nice and smooth. Peppy, too! BIG sigh of relief. (Que up Willie Nelson's On the Road Again!) Still hard to believe that a coil could (especially a new "dry" style one) could cause such grief.Has anyone tried one of these units?
http://www.123ignition.nl/id/47.html
So, how come I didn't go with Mark Allison's set up? I wanted to keep the original look. (It's now more original looking than planned!) Just for fun - some day - I would like to get another Spider and install Mark's system. Would I install a 123ignition again on a Spider? Knowing what I know now - as painful and expensive as it was - you bet!
Lesson learned here -- if you install a 123ignition, keep the stock coil set-up. You may want to get a fresh coil, but make sure it's a 1:1 replacement for the stock one.
I've got a couple of dry coils available if anyone is interested. They work well - just don't use them on a 123ignition system.
SunnySideUp
Re: Ignition upgrade?
what is the benefit of the system if you use a stock coil? Even the electronic coils only put out about 23K volts.
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- Posts: 640
- Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 3:02 pm
- Your car is a: SOLD
Re: Ignition upgrade?
Well, that some day has come. However, its with the same Spider. Let me tell you this -- looks aren't everything. I wanted to keep things appearing stock. Taking some great advice from one of my favorite vendors -- "Get it right and just DRIVE IT!" Today my mechanic installed Mark's Computronix ignition system. This replaced the 123ignition I had installed a few months ago. Mark says that it cleans up the engine bay. It certainly does! Mark also says that the car will run smoother. It certainly does!! What a difference!!! Now that I have had both systems in my car I will honestly state that I really like the 123ignition system, but Mark's is so much better. It runs so much smoother and the acceleration seems to be crisper to me. I don't think this car ever ran this well even when it was new. I'm really glad I switched. Don't get me wrong, the 123ignition system is really good - a nice improvement over stock. But when you can do a drive-by-drive comparison with the same engine and the same car you WILL notice the difference. Best of all, no funky workarounds (see my previous post above).Just for fun - some day - I would like to get another Spider and install Mark's system.
My advice to you if you're on the fence between the 123ignition and Mark's Computronix ignition systems, go for the Computronix.
SunnySideUp
- manoa matt
- Posts: 3442
- Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:28 pm
- Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider 1800
- Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Re: Ignition upgrade?
Sunny side, Just curious, did you play around with the advance curves with the 123 unit to see if there was one that was better/well suited to your particular engine combination? It has something like 16 different curves.
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- Posts: 640
- Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 3:02 pm
- Your car is a: SOLD
Re: Ignition upgrade?
Manoa Matt -- yes, we played with the different curves over the period of a few months. With my particular set up (performance cams, HC pistons, larger valves) there were only few that would allow the car to run at all at lower RPM ranges AND behave well in traffic. We found that tweaking the AFM settings in conjunction with the curve settings seemed to make some difference in the way the car ran on a few of the curves but put it out of range with regards to the emissions requirements in my area. If I didn't have to comply with emissions requirements I probably could have stayed with the 123ignition system. I'm still happy I switched as it works really well for my situation and how I drive the car....did you play around with the advance curves...?
SunnySideUp
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- Posts: 5745
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
- Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider
Re: Ignition upgrade?
I agreekmac33 wrote:I give the Computronix unit Marc sells a big thumbs up.
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
Re: Ignition upgrade?
Has most everyone who has installed the Computronix gone with the Block mount rather than the Cam Exhaust mount?
Any Pro's/Con's which position is better or is it just personal taste?
Planning on keeping the stock air cleaner as I personally feel it's better than one of the open air cleaners ie; K&N Retangular, Oval, Edlebrock Triangular. Even though it's more air and makes more noise, I think that's all it is... noise and the extra volumn of air will lean out the carbs mixture. That's my opinion since I haven't really read anything to suggest otherwise.
Anyways, cast your Vote which on way you think is best and why - Thanks in Advance!
Passenger Side Motor
Driver's Side Motor
Any Pro's/Con's which position is better or is it just personal taste?
Planning on keeping the stock air cleaner as I personally feel it's better than one of the open air cleaners ie; K&N Retangular, Oval, Edlebrock Triangular. Even though it's more air and makes more noise, I think that's all it is... noise and the extra volumn of air will lean out the carbs mixture. That's my opinion since I haven't really read anything to suggest otherwise.
Anyways, cast your Vote which on way you think is best and why - Thanks in Advance!
Passenger Side Motor
Driver's Side Motor