Selecting a replacement electronic distributor

[jbee]

I am thinking of swapping the old Lucas 23d distributor which after 50 years must be getting a bit tired, for an electronic distributor. I have scoured the old threads but no one has posted on this topic now for a few years and technology will have moved on since then.

Has anyone had experience good or bad of those below, or does anyone recommend an alternative to these?

The main things I can think of to ensure work for me are below but there are sure to be more aspects to consider that I have not thought of, the Elan is not tracked and only used for pleasure driving at normal speeds.

1. Must fit under the carbies OK
2. Must be Positive Earth
3. Is its Advance curve OK for a C cam and Webbers
4. Will the Tacho still work with it.

Pertronix - Ruled out as I am told they don't come in + Earth
Powerspark - waiting to hear back from Simonbbc on eBay re + Earth
Accuspark - available to fit the Elan and in + Earth
123Ignition/123Tune - can't seem to find out if it will fit under the carbies but both seem to be OK with + Earth.

If I went for something programable like a 123, do I just hook it up to my laptop and and punch in one of the curves from Miles Wilkins book on the twin cam to set it up right. Is it that simple, and bear in mind I want a smooth running pleasant to drive car, I am not hunting for that last available horse power to extract.

Cheers John

[peterako]

Hi John,

I have Accuspark's Stealth Black Box with the electronic dizzy on my +2.
http://www.accuspark.co.uk/Blackbox.htm

Very Programmable using a USB and PC to the black box which I have mounted in my glovebox.
(I've put it at the standard curve for my engine)

Very happy with it!

I originally bought a very early unit when they first came out, which failed, but Accusparc replaced it quibble free with a newer version (visibly improved) which has worked trouble free ever since.

My car is a daily driver......

Best of luck,
Peter

[jbee]

Hi Peter
Thank you for that info, I will take a look at the Stealth box too then, it sounds like a very promising idea. Is it easy to lock out the mechanical advance on a 23D?

Cheers John

[bill308]

Another possibility you might want to consider is a crank fired ignition system. I selected an electromotive xdi-2, which is fully programmable. This waste spark system provides a high current, long duration spark and has no moving parts. The tach signal is a 12 VDC square wave that is separately programmable. It also accepts an optional MAP sensor input, so timing can be varied according to a load map.

Bill

[peterako]

Hi John,

I just bought a locked out 45D from Accuspark as part of the package.

Make sure you get a side entry top cap version.

I still have my original 23(25?)D in the garage and another not locked Accuspark 45d in the boot.....just in case

Accuspark also do a 25d dizzy so that could be an option for an off the shelf locked one.

As to how easy locking the weights is....It looks easy enough....

Did about 400 miles in the +2 over the past few days and was reminded of another nice feature of the system....

Rev limiter/cut out.

Take care,
Peter

[Hawksfield]

Peter
I like the Idea of this system and I have a spare dizzy (45D) and a accusparks kit in the garage
How does the black box get its trigger or know the crank angle to vary the spark.

[jbee]

Hi Bill
Thanks sounds like a nice system and thank you for the reply, but a bit more complex than I was after, I will stick to a more plug and pla option I think.

Hi Peter
Thanks for the additional info, I am sold on this solution now . I just need to find out if the black box will work on Positive Earth now. Will send them an Email.

Cheers John

[simonknee]

The Pertronix Ignitor does appear to come in +ve earth (I saw you ruled it out earlier). The website says:
* 12-V NEG Ground (some 6-V NEG, 6 & 12-V POS ground kits available)

http://www.pertronix.com/support/manuals/

I only have good things to say about this system - (especially the Ignitor II but this version is not +ve)

[jk952]

Jbee,
I can confirm Pertronix Ignitor make in positive ground as I have one, I am refering to the bits that go into the standard Lucas distributor to replace the points; it worked fine, however I converted my Elan to neg. ground so both cars are the same, so am no longer using it.
On box:
Ignitor Lucas 12V Positive Ground,
(Part Number) LU-148P12

Jack

[jbee]

Thanks Simon and Jack.

It seems the black box from Accuspark will not work with +earth either.

Converting to -earth seems to open up so many more options.
Is converting to -earth as simple as flashing the Dynamo, converting the Tachometer, then just swapping the leads to the battery?
Or is there a lot more to it than that?

If it's that easy I'll just bite the bullet and do it, life would be so much easier from many respects as -earth Including a radio and cigar lighter (or auxiliary power socket as we now have to call them in this PC world) for the GPS.

[jk952]

Jbee, yes it's that easy, noting the tach you change internally by swapping a couple of wires with your soldering iron. There is data on this somewhere here. Also you can install the Spyda tach. internals if you have tach problems later. Orig. type starter is ok either way, no change there. Not sure if the fuel gauge leads need to be swapped. Some elec. person may be able to answer that better.
Jack

[ericbushby]

Jbee
You should also turn the ignition coil round as it works better with the current going through it the correct way.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[jbee]

Thanks Jack and Eric since it is virtually a three step simple process then I think I will just do it. I was not sure if there would be heaps of wiring changes to make.

Cheers JB

[ericbushby]

Jbee,
Just thought of another one, :- the radio.
My Motorola has a Pos/Neg switch on the back.
Cheers
Eric

[jbee]

Thanks Eric, I recently went to the trouble of sourcing a +earth radio too .
Thankfully it also has the switch on the rear .
Cheers JB