improving disco 3.9 petrol ignition system

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K

kobi

Guest
hi all out there!
i'm having problems wth the ignition system on my 3.9 petrol disco
engine,
i wonder if there a kit to replace the current system (distributor)
with electronic one.
i'll be very glad for any help or idea
regards
kobi
 

"kobi" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> hi all out there!
> i'm having problems wth the ignition system on my 3.9 petrol disco
> engine,
> i wonder if there a kit to replace the current system (distributor)
> with electronic one.
> i'll be very glad for any help or idea
> regards
> kobi

3.9 disco engine already has an electronic dizzy, or should have anyway!
What exactly is the problem?
Badger.


 

"Badger" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> "kobi" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> hi all out there!
>> i'm having problems wth the ignition system on my 3.9 petrol disco
>> engine,
>> i wonder if there a kit to replace the current system (distributor)
>> with electronic one.
>> i'll be very glad for any help or idea
>> regards
>> kobi
>
> 3.9 disco engine already has an electronic dizzy, or should have anyway!
> What exactly is the problem?
> Badger.
>
>
The early ones, like my '95 (US) are old style distributors. I think they
changed with the change to 4l.

kip


 
On or around Fri, 25 Jun 2004 02:16:23 GMT, "Kip Kniskern"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>
>"Badger" <[email protected]> wrote in
>message news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "kobi" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> hi all out there!
>>> i'm having problems wth the ignition system on my 3.9 petrol disco
>>> engine,
>>> i wonder if there a kit to replace the current system (distributor)
>>> with electronic one.
>>> i'll be very glad for any help or idea
>>> regards
>>> kobi
>>
>> 3.9 disco engine already has an electronic dizzy, or should have anyway!
>> What exactly is the problem?
>> Badger.
>>
>>
>The early ones, like my '95 (US) are old style distributors. I think they
>changed with the change to 4l.

if it's a points-and-condenser distributor, then the electronic one is a
straight swap. You'll also need the amp unit if it's the kind with a remote
amp. some electronic ones have the amp on the distributor itself.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
0123456789112345678921234567893123456789412345678951234567896123456789712345
1 weebl: What's this? | in recognition of the fun that is weebl and bob
2 bob: it a SigRuler! | check out the weebl and bob archive:
3 weebl: How Handy! | http://www.weebl.jolt.co.uk/archives.php
 
In <WVLCc.113092$0y.81955@attbi_s03> Kip Kniskern wrote:
>> 3.9 disco engine already has an electronic dizzy, or should have
>> anyway! What exactly is the problem? Badger.
>>
>>
> The early ones, like my '95 (US) are old style distributors. I think
> they changed with the change to 4l.

There's nothing "old style" about the distributor in a 3.9, it's an
electronic unit without contacts. The comparison you are making is to a
distributorless ignition as fitted to the 3.9 when they changed it's
marketing name to 4 litres (the engine capacity is the same).

It's probably possible to fit the later system to a 3.9 but I suspect
the cost would be prohibitive.

There are a number of replacement engine management systems out there
which will control both fuel and ignition available commercially or
"open source". Take a look at http://www.megasquirt.info/ for example.
The Megasquirt'n'EDIS project uses a sensor ring on the crankshaft to
drive both ignition and injection doing away with the distributor
altogether. There are versions of the project that are ignition only.

Of course you need to be ceratin that the distributor is the cause of
your problems before embarking on this kind of modification otherwise
you could end up spending a lot of money and still have the same problem !

cheers

Dave W.
http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net/
 

"Dave White" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In <WVLCc.113092$0y.81955@attbi_s03> Kip Kniskern wrote:
> >> 3.9 disco engine already has an electronic dizzy, or should have
> >> anyway! What exactly is the problem? Badger.
> >>
> >>
> > The early ones, like my '95 (US) are old style distributors. I think
> > they changed with the change to 4l.
>
> There's nothing "old style" about the distributor in a 3.9, it's an
> electronic unit without contacts. The comparison you are making is to a
> distributorless ignition as fitted to the 3.9 when they changed it's
> marketing name to 4 litres (the engine capacity is the same).
>

I was just about to say that! You beat me to it.

> It's probably possible to fit the later system to a 3.9 but I suspect
> the cost would be prohibitive.

Yep, you'd need all the electronics to provide advance / retard, knock
sensors, cam sensor, crank sensor etc. etc. More hassle than it'd be worth
IMO, better to fit an aftermarket system such as DTAor similar.

>
> There are a number of replacement engine management systems out there
> which will control both fuel and ignition available commercially or
> "open source". Take a look at http://www.megasquirt.info/ for example.
> The Megasquirt'n'EDIS project uses a sensor ring on the crankshaft to
> drive both ignition and injection doing away with the distributor
> altogether. There are versions of the project that are ignition only.
>
> Of course you need to be ceratin that the distributor is the cause of
> your problems before embarking on this kind of modification otherwise
> you could end up spending a lot of money and still have the same problem !

Wise words.

Badger
B.H.Engineering, rover V8 engine builders.



 
On or around Fri, 25 Jun 2004 11:21:37 +0000 (UTC), Dave White
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>In <WVLCc.113092$0y.81955@attbi_s03> Kip Kniskern wrote:
>>> 3.9 disco engine already has an electronic dizzy, or should have
>>> anyway! What exactly is the problem? Badger.
>>>
>>>
>> The early ones, like my '95 (US) are old style distributors. I think
>> they changed with the change to 4l.
>
>There's nothing "old style" about the distributor in a 3.9, it's an
>electronic unit without contacts. The comparison you are making is to a
>distributorless ignition as fitted to the 3.9 when they changed it's
>marketing name to 4 litres (the engine capacity is the same).
>
>It's probably possible to fit the later system to a 3.9 but I suspect
>the cost would be prohibitive.

IME, the electronic distributor is a reliable bit of kit. The only one I
had die was due to a rotor arm going short-circuit between the top and the
post.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
Soon shall thy arm, unconquered steam! afar Drag the slow barge, or
drive the rapid car; Or on wide-waving wings expanded bear the
flying chariot through the field of air.- Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802)
 

"Badger" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> "Dave White" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In <WVLCc.113092$0y.81955@attbi_s03> Kip Kniskern wrote:
> > >> 3.9 disco engine already has an electronic dizzy, or should have
> > >> anyway! What exactly is the problem? Badger.
> > >>
> > >>
> > > The early ones, like my '95 (US) are old style distributors. I think
> > > they changed with the change to 4l.
> >
> > There's nothing "old style" about the distributor in a 3.9, it's an
> > electronic unit without contacts. The comparison you are making is to a
> > distributorless ignition as fitted to the 3.9 when they changed it's
> > marketing name to 4 litres (the engine capacity is the same).
> >
>
> I was just about to say that! You beat me to it.
>
> > It's probably possible to fit the later system to a 3.9 but I suspect
> > the cost would be prohibitive.
>
> Yep, you'd need all the electronics to provide advance / retard, knock
> sensors, cam sensor, crank sensor etc. etc. More hassle than it'd be worth
> IMO, better to fit an aftermarket system such as DTAor similar.
>
> >
> > There are a number of replacement engine management systems out there
> > which will control both fuel and ignition available commercially or
> > "open source". Take a look at http://www.megasquirt.info/ for example.
> > The Megasquirt'n'EDIS project uses a sensor ring on the crankshaft to
> > drive both ignition and injection doing away with the distributor
> > altogether. There are versions of the project that are ignition only.
> >
> > Of course you need to be ceratin that the distributor is the cause of
> > your problems before embarking on this kind of modification otherwise
> > you could end up spending a lot of money and still have the same problem
!
>
> Wise words.
>
> Badger
> B.H.Engineering, rover V8 engine builders.
>
Whats wrong with the standard 3.9 ignition apart from crap leads? Mine has
done sterling service since fitting magnecors.


 
In <[email protected]> Exit wrote:
> Whats wrong with the standard 3.9 ignition apart from crap leads? Mine
> has done sterling service since fitting magnecors.

Nothing, unless you want to do silly wading... far be it from me to put
someone off doing it though :)

I have to confess, I have a MegaSquirt'n'EDIS sat on the dining room
table and have just finished attaching a sender ring to the crank pulley.
Sometime in late July I'll be "binning" the standard fuel injection and
distributor.

Whilst I've been running a custom set of Magnecore leads for the last
few years they have done me proud but as soon as the water gets above
distributor level I start getting problems, usually with water vapour
getting inside the cap despite positive pressure, silicone etc...

Disposing of the distributor and air flow meter seems like the way
forward now... I've never been 100 percent confident that the air flow
meter is water proof and getting rid of it altogether makes the snorkel
pipework a bit simpler.

Why you would go to these measures in a vehicle that isn't expected to
have to cope with water levels higher than the bonnet is beyond me
though ! As you say, there's nothing wrong with the standard distributor
if it's got some decent HT leads on it.

cheers

Dave W.
http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net/
 
Dave White wrote:

> I have to confess, I have a MegaSquirt'n'EDIS sat on the dining room
> table and have just finished attaching a sender ring to the crank pulley.
> Sometime in late July I'll be "binning" the standard fuel injection and
> distributor.

You were asking for flow rates for 3.9 injectors a few day ago, did you get
an answer yet?

If not, a mate of mine came up with the figure 108cc/[email protected] bar - take that
as it comes, I'm not sure whether that's right or not.

I'd be interested in hearing how your MegaSquirt installation goes, can we
have pictures when it makes it into the vehicle?

Regards

William MacLeod
 
In <YR_Cc.34$T_1.30@newsfe4-gui> William MacLeod wrote:
> Dave White wrote:
>
>> I have to confess, I have a MegaSquirt'n'EDIS sat on the dining room
>> table and have just finished attaching a sender ring to the crank
>> pulley. Sometime in late July I'll be "binning" the standard fuel
>> injection and distributor.
>
> You were asking for flow rates for 3.9 injectors a few day ago, did
> you get an answer yet?

No, I didn't....

> If not, a mate of mine came up with the figure 108cc/[email protected] bar -
> take that as it comes, I'm not sure whether that's right or not.

Thanks, I'll tap those figures in and see what happens :)

> I'd be interested in hearing how your MegaSquirt installation goes,
> can we have pictures when it makes it into the vehicle?

At some point in the (not too distant) future I'll be putting a few
pages up about the vehicle and it's various mods. I've taken a series of
pics as I've gone along. I'll post a URL once something meaningful
appears.

cheers

Dave W.
http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net/
 
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