Ignition system for vx HPC (HELP!)

[AndyLake]

Can anyone out there help with my questions about the ignition system on my 2L vx HPC, I'm no expert so please don't shoot me down if I use the incorrect wording / or have made the wrong assumptions

 

I have recently found out that the ignition system on my car consisted of a distributor from a 1984 1.4 vauxhall (Bosch No 0231186039) !!this had a disconnected vacuum advance on its side and what appears to be an optical trigger inside. Three wires go to a seperate amplifier (inside an ali heat-sink block) which then feeds the coil. This distribritor had a collar at the mounting point to the engine which allowed for timing adjustment. The distributor shaft which normally enters the end of the cam shaft had been cut off and the hole in the cam shaft blocked with a screw & resin. As for how the car was running - it suffered from miss fire at higher revs, which may have been a result of the distributor.

 

So I'am trying to fit the correct part :

 

A standard distributor for the C20 XE (post 91) was purchased (Vauxhall No 90350593, Bosch No 0237521026), this distributor has a 3 pin socket on the side (marked + 0 - ), a suitable plug has been obtained but I don't know the connection method from here to the amplifier , or is an amplifier actually required ? and if not; how would the distributor connect direct to the coil?

 

I have also asked Caterham Tech the same question, they stated that there is no seperate amplifier but have not (so far) been able to advise how to connect the distributor with the coil.

 

Andy (new to the great form of transport since Jan this year)

 

ideas ?

 

 

[Roger King]

The distributor on a Vx 16v XE engine (I assume this is what you have) does not have a triggering mechanism in it at all for the ignition. The ignition triggering is done with a sensor in the exhaust side of the cylinder block that picks up a signal from an internal toothed wheel. The sole function of the distributor is to send the spark to the correct plug

 

The wires that connect to the distributor are for sensing the position of the camshaft and cannot be used for ignition.

 

To go with your distributor, you will need an aftermarket ignition kit. It would make sense to fit a 3D mapped system such as the Weber Alpha for it's superior performance. You will probably need a coil and the crank sensor too, from the sound of it.

 

I am quite prepared for someone to pop up here and tell me of a version of the XE engine that did use a conventional distributor, but I am not aware of it.

[AndyLake]

Roger, thanks for the info; I will take a look at the car tonight to check for the sensor you speak of. I'am now even more baffled as to why anyone would have changed the standard system to that of an older distributor and amplifier.

As for the after market ignition kit, does this device do the job of the weights in other distributors, ie alter the advance for revs?

If so presumably the mapped Webber Alpha kit can vary this over the accelaration curve, programmable on a PC?

Any idea on where to get the kit from & costs. I've seen adverts for the kit which includes new 'hybrid' carb/injection inlets - a bit expensive for me at the moment, is there a standard box which goes between sensor & coil for this car ?

 

Andy

[Roger King]

Yes, the ECU does the job of the weights and springs, but in a more sophisticated way.

 

The reason for the distributor that you had is almost certainly that someone fitted it to get the car running without having to remove all the loom and other bits from a Vauxhall production car, or pay for a management system.

 

If you can e-mail me, I can put you in touch with a customer of mine who has just contacted me to say he is selling his complete 3D igntion kit for a Vx as a used item. This might be just what you need.