Electronic Ignition?

[DCAlbarran]

Just put 123 ignition and a new coil in over the last couple days. Butt dyno tells me I am seeing more power. Anyone have experience with replacing their points with something else? I am actually going to a real dyno this weekend. I’ll share the results.

[bernt]

JAnyone have experience with replacing their points with something else?

I switched to the 123 ignition three years ago. Never regretted it - mostly because it is "fit and forget". The engine starts easily every time, my butt dyno says the same as yours. But I guess it's difficult to do a fair comparison - I doubt anyone will swap a perfectly tuned standard ignition for the 123, but there will have been some issues to begin with

Bernt

[1,6 HF]

I swapped a well-calibrated standard distributor with a Pertronix sensor for a 123; the improvement was noticeable but not dramatic.

[Racer]

Butt dynos are not that accountable or consistent (Depends on the butt?)

If accurate comparisments between original setup and 123 Ignition (ore another modern setup), I think it is wice to first dyno run original setup, and quickly dyno run the modern setup Without air temp, humidity, barometric pressure and engine temp changing.can play With the ignition curves

Best comparable restultat same time same day. Also you can play With the ignition timing on many of the modern ignitions.

Waiting to see Your result.

Cheers

Racer

[Marnix]

OK, to make things clear: I know the guy who programmed the 123. His aim was NOT to get any performance improvement, the advance curves are programmed to be exactly as specified for the standard ignition systems. The aim was rather to improve on reliability and stability, not to get a more aggressive ignition advance. Any performance improvement is most likely due to better conforming to the standard advance curves, probably better sparks and more stable operation.

No significant engine performance improvement should be expected.

[alfavirusnz]

Interesting you say that mannix as our ignition was perfectly set up before the swap and our "butt analysis" did not indicate any performance enhancement other than a greater willingness to rev harder so when driving hard now in lower gears one really has to watch the rev counter so I guess more power at extreme top end than before. If anything maybe marginally less power at bottom end..... Our unit is a 123 programmable unit but we kept it as set by 123 which is the std 1.3S setting. Set and forget was the reason why we installed it. Our Flavia also has a 123.

[1,6 HF]

Yes -- the 123 was developed for consistency, not extra power. I had my original distributor calibrated against the factory curve, and I ran a Pertronix sensor, so I didn't change to the 123 for any reason other never having to think abut the advance weights and springs ever again. So the 123 seemed only slightly better because of the perfect consistency of the electronic curve. It's all I was expecting.

[Fulvia-hf]

When I developed the engine of my 1200Hf I found out that the stock ignition, having worked perfectly well on the stock engine, proved to be the Achilles heel on the new engine.
The new engine with hairy cams, 42 Solexes and over 11:1 CR needed a substantially different advance curve. The 123 Tune provided all that and even if I do not like the look of this thing it proved to be one of the best modifications of all. It removed a stubborn flat spot and raised low down torque, lessened pinking and works as a rev limiter (cut out a 8000rpm). I believe max power on the dyno was the same as the stock ignition (point replaced with Pertronics) but the car became much more rideable. Oh, I have fitted the 123tune with programmable vacuum advance. Fulvia's never had this but carefully programmed this vacuum advance improves mileage somewhat.
Cheers,

William

[Marnix]

Interesting you say that mannix as our ignition was perfectly set up before the swap and our "butt analysis" did not indicate any performance enhancement other than a greater willingness to rev harder so when driving hard now in lower gears one really has to watch the rev counter so I guess more power at extreme top end than before. If anything maybe marginally less power at bottom end..... Our unit is a 123 programmable unit but we kept it as set by 123 which is the std 1.3S setting. Set and forget was the reason why we installed it. Our Flavia also has a 123.

Only a guess of mine, but the improved higher rev operation is likely due to better sparks at high revs: I think the original distributor is "running a bit out of steam" at high revs and getting weaker sparks...

[Geoff]

One reason to go to elec ignition is that the quality of points available to date- the springs are not quite as good as original. Also elec ignition helps with cold starts and high end.