Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I am using a Ford coil pack and EDIS module with a Megajolt ECU to run wasted spark ignition.

On a +2 what is the consensus on mounting positions for the coil pack and EDIS module.

On their Zetec conversions Spyder seem to mount their coil pack on the front bulkhead just along from the soleniod.

It is a bit obtrusive there and I can't see any reason why both could not be mounted on the drivers side inner wing below the airbox where the coil would nromally sit.

An thoughts/experiences chaps?

Cheers

Jon

Jon

I am running ford coilpack but without edis and produced a mounting plate that sits over (and in ) the hole where the dizzy was...if you want any photos I'll dig some out for you.

John

Hi John,

I would very much appreciate a pic if that's possible, thanks.

Cheers

Jon

Hi Jon,
Spyder mount the coilpack there so that they can use stock silicone leads from a Mondeo or Scorpio. Looks quite neat in my opinion. The ECU is an Emerald 3d module and is mounted inside the cabin under the drivers side of the dashboard. Easy to plug in the laptop from there and keeps it all clean and dry with less chance of faults occurring.



Regards

I thought I'd sent you pictures of my set-up, Jon. Just in case I hadn't:

The coil sits approximately in the location of the original coil.


The ECU is mounted in the passenger footwell together with a box for the relays:

Hi Jon,

I appreciate that a Zetec in an S4 is a bit far fetched considering your question.
Nevertheless I positioned the Ford coil pack on the passenger footwell which may work for you as well?
You may just be able to pick it out on the attached photo, it's next to the remote reservoirs.
My reasoning for putting it there was to keep the high tension leads short & as much as possible out of sight; I don't like masses of wires in engine bays.
New leads had to be made to suit.

Cheers
John

Jon

Sorry but one of the piccies is blurred but should give you an idea....

John

Hi Jon

I an looking at fitting my Ford Coil on the plate shown in the picture attached. I will be using a Emerald ECU with Jenvey Throttle bodies. I think it is a good idea to fix the coil to the engine block as current associated with the spark circuit are less likely to flow through the wiring to get back to the engine block so I chose a position on the engine block. Plate was made out of 3mm (1/8") alluminium with a lip to give it a bit more rigidity.

hope this helps

cheers Bob

bob_rich wrote:Hi Jon

I an looking at fitting my Ford Coil on the plate shown in the picture attached.
I chose a position on the engine block. Plate was made out of 3mm (1/8") alluminium with a lip to give it a bit more rigidity.

Bob,

If you do use the plate, put rivuts on it to aid assembly.

However, I do think the coil will be very inconvenient down there.

Thanks for all the comments guys. Now I am confused (which is not too difficult)

A few questions have emerged from these responses which probably require a little more explanation from me as to what my aims are.

The car, currently the subject of a nut and bolt rebuild, will initially run on Dellorto's with a Megajolt ignition system - crank trigger, Ford coil pack, TPS, EDIS etc. I have already had the engine running in the chassis with this system jury rigged and it works very well indeed (even better once properly set up on a rolling road I hope).

Ultimately I would like to go the full FI route and so have fitted all the required infrascturcture to do this as a future project by changing to Jenvey's and an Emerald or similar ECU. I have already fitted an Andy Wiltshire tank with swirl pot, return boss etc. together with twin fuel pipes.

So, everything I do now in terms of siting the coil pack etc I want to get right first time in order to make the changeover to full FI as easy as possible when, and if, funds permit.

There appear to be a number of possible options for siting of the coil pack - I can either put it on the bulkhead, Spyder style, or else on the inner wing in the position of the std coil. The other options posted above of mounting to the engine are unexpected - what would be the advantage of this?

On balance I am persuaded to mount the coil pack on the inner wing below the carbs as it is less obtrusive down there. However I also need to decide where to position the Edis unit. Does anyone know if the Edis unit can go next to the coil pack (ie are they sensitive to interference). I don't know where they nornmally go on a std Ford car and must confess that I do not even know what the Edis does

I will probably mount the Megajolt unit in the passenger footweel area or perhaps even in the glovebox. Are there any things I need to be aware of regarding electrical interference? I have heavily screened the cable from the crank trigger but wonder if anyone can offer advice about where to run the various cables so that they do not interfere (signal wise) with one another. As you will see from the picture I have a blank canvass so can really run the wiring and site things pretty much where I want to.

Comments appreciated.

Jon

Jon,
I think that you are trying to achieve at least a nod towards originality, therefore hiding the coilpack away on the inner wing below the carburettors is a good way to achieve this. Might I suggest that you make the plug leads long enough so as to feed them through the gap at the back of the head casting leaving the cam cover uncluttered rather than the leads coming up through the gaps in the inlets ( I think is the original way of doing it?).

There are a few details on what makes an EDIS module tick here and has useful information using it with megasquirthttp://www.msextra.com/doc/ms3/edis.html and heres more technical blurb http://www.dainst.com/info/edis/edis.html

I don't know the answer regarding siting the module and whether it can go next to the coil pack, I suspect it's best to site it remotely looking at the standard Ford engine bays, but hopefully others have the definitive answer on this.

BTW: nice tidy engine bay and no spiders webs of wires where the relays would normally be, I assume that's fuses where the relays normally sit?

Regards

Spyder fan wrote: Might I suggest that you make the plug leads long enough so as to feed them through the gap at the back of the head casting leaving the cam cover uncluttered rather than the leads coming up through the gaps in the inlets ( I think is the original way of doing it?).

From mid to late 1971 the HT leads were lead up over the cam cover and through the centre of the inlet manifold to the distributor, having always previously been lead under the web cast at the rear of the cylinder head.

Tim

I'd mount it on the engine block as Ford did with the KA which used basically the same engine block, you can use the KA leads as well.

Kevin

i think if i was doing this, i would try to keep the electrics well away from any posssible fuel leak, just in case of a spark and i'd sooner not mount the electronics on the engine in case the vibrations were unkind to it.
Richard

Jon,

The electronics couldn't care less where it goes. Ford put them where it best suits the packaging and assembly efficiency - nothing else.
Personally, I would put the EDIS module in the passenger footwell with the ECU - nice and neat, and out of the way.