Distributorless ignition

[spandit]

When we had the snow in the UK this winter, I had awful problems with condensation in the distributor causing rough running. I've also had problems in the past and frankly, I was sick to death of it. In a fit of pique, I ordered a MegaJolt ignition system but have only just started installing it. It's also an engineering challenge.

For those of you that don't know, MegaJolt interfaces with a device called an EDIS module, which gets pulled out of scrap Fords. If the MegaJolt computer fails for any reason, the car can run on the EDIS alone, albeit with fixed ignition timing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAkeqBt62fk

I thought I'd be troubleshooting this all morning but it fired first time. It does sound rough but then I've been cranking the engine without any ignition to check various things so there was a lot of unburnt fuel about. It was also running without any choke from cold which for my engine is quite impressive.

Since the Pinzgauer is 24V, I was running this off a 12V leisure battery - will try it off the voltage dropper in due course but at the moment completely elated that it runs at all!

Since the distributor is still in place, to get the original ignition system going again I'd need to replace the HT (ignition) leads and reconnect the coil - an easy job in the field.

[spandit]

Just got it running off the voltage dropper - main problem is that the dropper is not switched with ignition so the engine doesn't stop when you take the key out! It's an easy fix when I can be bothered to get round to it - I've currently got a switch wired in that will cut it off manually anyway

[Paul Gudmundson]

never heard of it before but would like to know how it turns out.

[spandit]

Have a look at www.autosportlabs.net for details. I'm having trouble getting my laptop to talk to the device at the moment but once installed it should give me better running throughout the rev range

[Jim LaGuardia]

Use the original coil power wire to trip a relay for the power supply.
When you turn on the key or crank, the relay will control the power supply and any items hooked to it.

[spandit]

Thanks, Jim. I'll be running it off my 12V dropper which has an ignition live trigger which I'll hook up to the coil as you suggest. Any thoughts on what map to load as haven't got that far yet!

I used your photos as a reference for making the crank sensor bracket