Ignition Modules - less fire risk??
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Having fitted a Powerspark electronic ignition module to my distributor a few years back I have just had a thought of an added benefit aside from less maintenance. I assume that because the points are no longer present that there is less of a fire risk from fuel dripping from the overhead carbs. Having said that, I suppose there is the arcing from the rotor arm that could till ignite the fuel.
- William2
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William,
I am old enough to remember when our cars were new. My memory now is poor, but I think I remember them catching fire from fuel leaking onto the distributor. For this reason I am using an Electronic Distributorless Ignition System (EDIS for short) this enables me to remove the distributor and place the coil pack so it is not under the carburettors.
Hope I have not made a mistake,
Richard Hawkins
I am old enough to remember when our cars were new. My memory now is poor, but I think I remember them catching fire from fuel leaking onto the distributor. For this reason I am using an Electronic Distributorless Ignition System (EDIS for short) this enables me to remove the distributor and place the coil pack so it is not under the carburettors.
Hope I have not made a mistake,
Richard Hawkins
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The rotor arm to dizzy cap arc is a higher voltage spark, but either the points or the rotor arm would be capable of igniting an air / fuel mix.
I have not had direct experience of a distributor starting a fire (though it seems reasonable that it could) but I have blown the cap off a distributor that I had washed in petrol and hadn't dried off properly. It was on a Mini where the dizzy faces forward. I had the grill off to work on the ignition. First turn of the key, a loud bang and bits of dizzy cap were shot around the garage with the remainder of the cap attached to the plug leads looking like an ill octopus.
I have not had direct experience of a distributor starting a fire (though it seems reasonable that it could) but I have blown the cap off a distributor that I had washed in petrol and hadn't dried off properly. It was on a Mini where the dizzy faces forward. I had the grill off to work on the ignition. First turn of the key, a loud bang and bits of dizzy cap were shot around the garage with the remainder of the cap attached to the plug leads looking like an ill octopus.
68 Elan S3 HSCC Roadsports spec
71 Elan Sprint (being restored)
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71 Elan Sprint (being restored)
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Various modern stuff
- Andy8421
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cliveyboy wrote:I do not personally know anyone whose car caught fire. So it may be an urban myth.
Clive
currently for sale locally after a fire (no affiliation) - actual cause not detailed though...
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nmauduit - Coveted Fifth Gear
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Interesting, more timely
https://www.lotustalk.com/threads/somet ... ty.485398/
Does anyone use a deflector under their carbs, or is there anything else we can do outside of electronic distributor?
https://www.lotustalk.com/threads/somet ... ty.485398/
Does anyone use a deflector under their carbs, or is there anything else we can do outside of electronic distributor?
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h20hamelan - Coveted Fifth Gear
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Thanks everyone for the pictures keep them coming.
I had better re clarify my statement.
I do not personally know anyone whose Elan caught fire "because" of fuel specifically dripping onto the coil.
Although to be fair its probably quite difficult to prove unless you know you have a fuel leak and its dropping onto the coil.
Clive
I had better re clarify my statement.
I do not personally know anyone whose Elan caught fire "because" of fuel specifically dripping onto the coil.
Although to be fair its probably quite difficult to prove unless you know you have a fuel leak and its dropping onto the coil.
Clive
1972 Elan Sprint FHC
- cliveyboy
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cliveyboy wrote:Thanks everyone for the pictures keep them coming.
I had better re clarify my statement.
I do not personally know anyone whose Elan caught fire "because" of fuel specifically dripping onto the coil.
Although to be fair its probably quite difficult to prove unless you know you have a fuel leak and its dropping onto the coil.
Clive
As long as the cables are tight, there should be no spark at the coil, so it shouldn't be a source of ignition. The real problem is the distributor with two ignition sources, the points and the rotor arm to distributor cap gap.
The fire prevention benefit of fitting the EDIS system is it gets rid of the distributor, although mounting the EDIS coil pack somewhere other than under the carbs can't hurt either.
68 Elan S3 HSCC Roadsports spec
71 Elan Sprint (being restored)
32 Standard 12
Various modern stuff
71 Elan Sprint (being restored)
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Various modern stuff
- Andy8421
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You loose the points spark going electronic, which is probably the only one of concern. Though vapours could, from the rotor arm cap.
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Find out where the limits are, and start from there
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h20hamelan - Coveted Fifth Gear
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I have never set fire to a Lotus but I did to a Westfield. The banjo came loose between the Weber’s and sprayed fuel everywhere. It wasn’t the distributor that ignited the fuel but the spit back from the carbs as they ran dry of fuel. It went with quite a bang, but fortunately I carried a small fire extinguisher which successfully extinguished the fire. The car was a right off but it was not all bad news as I bought a Lotus with the proceeds. Moral of the story is always carry a fire extinguisher.
And for the pyrotechnic fetishists here’s some pics………
And for the pyrotechnic fetishists here’s some pics………
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- Donels
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But wait, there's more...
For those who don't do jigsaws, it started out looking like this.
Lotus cleverly designed the 907 engine so that fuel leak at the carbs would descend onto and into the casting 'webs' and other nooks and crannies where it would gather nicely until it met a source of ignition.
And the result...
Fortunately I had a fire extinguisher or it could have been a lot worse
For those who don't do jigsaws, it started out looking like this.
Lotus cleverly designed the 907 engine so that fuel leak at the carbs would descend onto and into the casting 'webs' and other nooks and crannies where it would gather nicely until it met a source of ignition.
And the result...
Fortunately I had a fire extinguisher or it could have been a lot worse
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I never set a car afire, but I'm told that my former Turbo Esprit would make nice little fiery pops from the tailpipe when I came off the throttle.
Last edited by The Veg on Thu Sep 30, 2021 4:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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The Veg - Coveted Fifth Gear
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Donels wrote:I have never set fire to a Lotus but I did to a Westfield. The banjo came loose between the Weber’s and sprayed fuel everywhere. It wasn’t the distributor that ignited the fuel but the spit back from the carbs as they ran dry of fuel. It went with quite a bang, but fortunately I carried a small fire extinguisher which successfully extinguished the fire. The car was a right off but it was not all bad news as I bought a Lotus with the proceeds. Moral of the story is always carry a fire extinguisher.
And for the pyrotechnic fetishists here’s some pics………
That's very interesting. I have also had a banjo bolt fall out of a Weber carb, luckily with no fire. I had to drive the car on two cylinders with a bit of twig stuffed down the fuel pipe to get me home.
I have seen owners safety wire the bolts which I thought was overkill, but perhaps it is a good idea after all.
68 Elan S3 HSCC Roadsports spec
71 Elan Sprint (being restored)
32 Standard 12
Various modern stuff
71 Elan Sprint (being restored)
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Various modern stuff
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