Electronic Ignition conversion on 281, 282 and 283 engines

[acjacf1]

Has anyone installed an electronic ignition module (for example Pertronix style)  to replace the conventional points and condenser in the Bosch distributor on the above engines?
So far I have had difficulty in finding a suitable module for this distributor.

If you have, can you provide details such as brand, model number, cost, etc.
I would also be interested in any comments on what you have found in the way of any improvement in performance, difficulty of installation, etc of that particular module.

[zulu delta 534]

I have replaced a few of my vehicles (landies) contact breakers with a Crane product which I have found so far, simple to fit and works well.
The system replaces the points contact breaker and the condenser and consists of a simple LED sensor and receptor and a disc that fits over the distributor shaft. This disc has a number of slots cut into it that coincide with the number of cylinders and Bob's your uncle.
Simple to fit and even simpler to time. No moving parts and nothing to wear.
Check out your local performance store and quote the type of dizzy, number of cylinders and battery polarity and off you go.
Regards
Glen

[Chazza]

I have used a Crane conversion on a Rover V8 engine as well and it performed very well.

Lately; however; I have installed a Megajolt ignition system on a 4 cylinder engine and it is seriously good! http://www.autosportlabs.net/Megajolt_Lite_Jr.

It has some huge advantages over a distributor system, including:
* No mechanical loss of the correct ignition timing, through worn timing gears; worn distributor; incorrect timing marks, etc. Spot-on-spark all the time
* A fully programmable ignition map, with advance figures where a distributor can't go.
* Two ignition maps can be programmed into the Megajolt, which could be ideal for you truckies - one for LPG, one for petrol.
*The ability to look at your engine's performance data, and tune, on a laptop screen, whilst someone else drives.
* Easily installed, with free help online.
* The Megajolt ECU can be quickly and easily removed and installed on a second vehicle.
* The original distributor can be left in place as a backup ignition system.

I recently took my car for a 200km run; in 5th gear I easily passed a slower vehicle just by putting the slipper down. On the same road before the conversion, I was using 3rd and 4th, to achieve the same thing.

The only disadvantage that I can think of, is that it costs about double what the Crane conversion did and it looks non-original. Depending upon the vehicle it is fitted to, most of the components can be concealed, the exception being the coil/s.

Improved performance? Too right! 

Cheers Charlie

[Phoenix]

I have used a pertronics kit in my old series 3 and it was a fantastic investment, a similar thing will happen with my ambulance!

[Bluebell One-eight]

This is a project I've worked on for a while. The distributor used by IH ( Bosch) on the army engines presents some problems. It is unique to OZ and so finding a module for it is hard. It may be possible to convert something, BUT the small diameter of the body and cap mean that the increased voltage generated could create tracking and crossfire problems. Ford and Holden both used Bosch on their 6 cyl engines and the body and cap and diameters were increased to address these problems. They ended up close to double that of the IH unit. It would seem tempting to try a Ford or Holden unit, but they rotate clockwise, the inter A/C. The advance /retard mechanism works the opposite way, and the oil exclusion groove will pump oil into the body. After some research I found that the Bosch unit used on the Australian Ford Cleveland engine had the same diameter as the electronic 6 cyl and it rotated anticlockwise. The 6 cyl electronic cap fitted perfectly. By using the Cleveland body and shaft and the 6 cyl trigger wheel set there was some hope. There is quite a bit of fiddly machining involved so it's not for the faint hearted .  If there is any interest I'll take some photos for anyone who wants to try that method. The project is not finished, so it's untested. The advance curve will have to be fiddled into shape before victory could be claimed.
    Chazza, I would assume that the Megajolt is a coil on plug system?? Hope this has helped. John.

[Chazza]

    Chazza, I would assume that the Megajolt is a coil on plug system??  John.

Not sure what you mean John. The link I posted to Autosports labs explains it fairly well. I should add that the first time I read about Megajolt and Megasquirt it nearly put me off forever, but I persevered with it and gradually it all made sense.

In the most basic of terms there is: a trigger-wheel on the crankshaft pulley; a variable-reluctance sensor taking a signal from the trigger-wheel; a Ford Electronic Distributor-less Ignition System (EDIS) which can be bought for 4, 6 & 8 cylinder engines; the Megajolt ECU; a manifold-air-pressure (MAP) sensor, or a throttle-position-sensor; a bit of wiring; a coil-pack, or two, depending on the number of cylinders; and a set of new custom made HT leads. All of the above components are reasonably priced (cheap) with the exception of the Megajolt, which is the relatively expensive bit. I think my whole set-up cost about $600 with the Megajolt costing about $450 of that. People who are into electronics can make their own Megajolt. The Scorcher distributor I bought for my Disco cost $600, and a quote from the UK to refurbish my S1 distributor, was 550 pounds! I have read two articles by Series owners who sourced all of the components off old cars, with the exception of the Megajolt ECU.

The Megajolt works with a Windows XP up to Windows 7 operating system; Mac users can use it through Boot Camp. Megajolt can be programmed on a PC if you don't have a laptop; in my case I borrowed a laptop and used a PC as well. Ignition advance is set out on a 10 x 10 table, with MAP on the vertical axis and RPM on the horizontal axis - I used ignition advance data from the workshop manual to write my first table. If you are lucky someone will already have a working table, which they can email to you - I got a really good table this way from someone in the USA.

I can say quite definitely, that it was absurdly easy compared to the challenge you have set yourself with modifying the distributor.

From what I remember of the Crane ignition system I fitted, I don't think the rotation of the distributor would affect it. The module is remote and all that was done was to remove the points and base-plate; fit the plastic shield thingy and optic sensor and reinstall the rotor arm and cap.

Anyway, I am so impressed with Megajolt, I will always consider it first, before rebuilding or using a distributor,

Cheers Charlie

[acjacf1]

Thank you for all your input to date.
 However as Bluebell One-eight has already pointed out the Bosch Distributor fitted the IHC 281-3 engines is relatively uncommon and appears little used elsewhere in other engines.

Because of this the apparent ease of getting an off the shelf ignition module for these engines is not as easy or as simple as ordering one for say a Landrover or other mass production vehicle.
 Looking up ignition module manufacturer’s application charts will usually list international Scouts with V8 motors and the Australian series motors are nowhere to be seen.   Enquiries from local automotive parts retailers generally have little knowledge of a suitable product.

The  Bosch Distributor fitted to the IHC 281-3 engines rotates counter-clockwise and has two piece points. This seems to put it into the minority bracket of aftermarket offerings.

Hopefully there is an ignition module manufacturer who will provide a simple, inexpensive and easy to fit module which will perform satisfactorily without having to carry out the extensive modifications to the distributor which Bluebell One-eight has outlined.
It would seem from the responses from Forum members so far that there is at this moment  no known suitable product  on the market which I was hoping we could all benefit from.

 I am sure there are suitable modules available for the IHC 281-3 engines  but are not listed, and that further investigation is desirable.

 There is some uncertainty whether the  Crane IR-1 module will work in an anticlockwise  distributor as this requirement is not addressed in their specifications. This needs  to be clarified, and also whether a suitable baseplate adaptor is produced for this distributor. If these two issues have favourable responses then this unit may be suitable.

[THE BOOGER]

Jolley kits distributed by Classic  Heads

http://www.classicheads.com/Electronic_Ignition.html

they make a kit for the RR B60 which has 2 sets of points they say can cover all engines