Electronic Ignition - SEV

[simonandjuliet]

I have just invested in new EI for my SEV Marshal dizzies. Working with a UK supplier, the pickups have been fitted to a modified baseplate - as you can see in the photos.

The 2 wires attach to the coil (black to -ve side etc) and it is all very quick to fit.

The only thing that took any time was retiming the new distributor. I did this by checking the timing of the old one before removal (timing gun on flywheel), replacing with the new one in roughly the same position and then trying to start the engine.

After several "repositionings", it ran well enough to be able to check, then a little more backwards and forwards on the dizzy et voila !

Interestingly, the position of the new dizzy is slightly more anticlockwise than the original, but not enough to foul anything and I guess this is because the pickup on the baseplate is slightly different.

A question for you bright "sparks" out there (because I missed the advance curve lecture) is what difference does a 4 degree advance make compared to a 6 degree advance ? And if you change one for another how much difference does it make ?

An R284 dizzy, as fitted to 850 engines has a 6 deg initial advance and a steeper curve, whereas an R285 dizzy on 782 engines has a 4 deg initial advance and flatter curve (diags from RTA magazine)

Is it as simple as a steeper curve gives a slightly livelier response?

Any replies, please can you pitch them at the un-intelligent - no long words please !

 

[4Latas]

Nice work mate! Nice tip to convert the old "points". As for the answer to that, I dont have a clue! I also use the "eyemeter" and the " earmeter"
to set the distribuitor with the engine running...

 

[angel]

Nice to see there is a kit that fits the "small" distributor.

The rough theory about spark advance is, get the most that your engine needs. When the engine does not need any more spark advance it will lose power and detonate (here does the "earometer" apply).

There is little you can do with the dizzy's advance curve (you can in fact do many things but you need a rolling road and synchrograph), so your best would be to keep the correct advance curve for your engine and check to see what happens with two extra degrees of advance (initial advance has nothing to do with advance curve shape, it just places them higher or lower on the Y axis).
You won't have any pre-ignition problems if you set the static timing to 6 deg. instead of 4, and the engine will feel livelier especially at small throttle openings, but you have to be careful on this if you have to pass an emissions test, as HC value goes up when you increase idle advance.

 

[bison]

Gentlemen,
Does anyone know what the advance curve is for R254D60 Ducelier distributer?.
Thanks,
Alan.

 

[Eoynteenie]

what engine did you do it to?

And...what was the cost of this little mod?

 

[simonandjuliet]

SEV Marshal

Hi
I have been running it on my small van for a few weeks now (782cc) and all works well, difficult to see any differences, but since it has always started and run well I cannot tell !

I decided to fit because of the frequent adjustments

The kit will work equally well on the 850cc (different advance) engine.

Cost is difficult to be exact because the first one involved the development and fitting by the Co involved (£50) but future kits should cost less - around £35 I think. The company advertises on eBay and is called Ignition Car Parts

 

[ade]

elec ignition

had a word with Ignition Car Parts yesterday and the Deucellier kit is off the shelf at about 35 quid and the SEV or Paris-Rhone (?) about 45 , although they will need your distributor...he said he thought they were hall-effect and would suit 6 or 12 V cars.....ade

 

[simonandjuliet]

Distributor

I would have thought that all they need is the base plate because with mine they cut off the points post, ground it flat and the redrilled holes for the new pick-up, maybe a template is all we need - along with the pickup and sender.

I am going to buy another set this week for the F4 Sinpar so let us know if you have any further discussions ......

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

The Ducellier version can be fitted without major modification to most distributors, and is reversible so you can always carry spare points in case of emergency (the cheap electronic units can burn out without warning after several years' use, according to some reports I read).
I've just fitted one, and I keep meaning to uploads some photos to show what must be done.