Distributorless ignition

[toolmaker]

Has any one have any experience with distributorless ignition from electromotive or any one else. Looking for top end fuel injection for a supercharged application with 495 Ci and the distributor has to go.the car will be street driven 99% of the time.

[427stang]

Talk to Rich at http://www.fastmanefi.com/. He is one of the co-founders of Mopar Engines West and has done some incredible EFI systems including forced induction. He will answer your questions even if you have not purchased anything from him. Great to deal with.

[jayb]

I have gone distributorless using the ems-pro EFI system and the 36-1 Ford crank trigger wheel. It gave me a pretty big power boost on my 585" SOHC; the dyno results are shown elsewhere on my web site, at this link:

http://www.fepower.net/dyno_results.html

On my new projects I think I will move up to the new Megasquirt EFI system and use an aftermarket 60-2 wheel. 

The problems I have had with the distributorless setup have been primarily with the magnetic sensor that looks at the wheel.  I have tried several different sensors, and for now have settled on a Ford VR sensor like what is used in 2000 or later Mustangs, but I am still learning on this and may switch to a different sensor in the end. 

Hope that helps.  If you have more specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them to the best of my knowledge.

[philminotti]

Jay-

I don't recall what you did for your oil pump drive on your distributorless system.  Could you refresh my memory?

Thanks

phil

[jayb]

Phil, I basically hacked up an MSD distributor to run the oil pump.  I cut the body off so that it would be about flush with the top of the intake manifold surface, and then cut the shaft off about 3/8" longer.  I found a bearing to fit on the shaft, and then machined an aluminum cap that held the bearing and bolted to the top of the distributor body.  Then I just used the normal distributor clamp to hold it in place.  It sticks up about 1/2" over the intake manifold surface.  It has logged quite a few miles on Drag Week and around the Minneapolis area without problems.

On my new high riser engine, I'm going to go with an external oil pump from Peterson, so I won't have to worry about running the stock pump.

[philminotti]

I see.  So without a cam signal, it's batch fire.  I know you've written about batch vs sequential in the past...I wish it was a little easier to run sequential on the FE though.   I've gotten my FAST sequential system to run pretty well, but with the rpm contraints of a hydro roller, I'm not really seeing the high rpm instability that you were running into.  I remember some years ago, Gessford fabricated an oil pump drive with a Hall effect sensor that produced a cam sync.  I think it was a one-off type part, but they did advertise it on their website for $800

phil

[jayb]

Actually my EFI system is set up as bank fire, not batch fire, but since there is no cam signal it can't be sequential.  The ems-pro is not able to run as a sequential system.  I'm going to put a cam sensor on both my High Riser engine and my big SOHC, though, when I make the switch to the new Megasquirt setup.  On the high riser I have the Danny Bee belt drive, and should be able to easily mount a magnet somewhere on the big pulley and use a magnetic sensor of some sort as a pickup.  On the SOHC it is also pretty straight forward, by putting a magnet on the gear of one of the cams.  This will enable me to do individual cylinder tuning, for timing and injectors, using the Megasquirt.  Should be a fun tuning exercise...

[philminotti]

I look forward to seeing your results.  There is no reason why an FE can't start in 0 degree temps, idle like an Accord and still make 800 hp.  In my opinion, sequential operation, while not necessary, can realize tangible benefits in a street driven car.  When it comes down to it, OEM manufacturers spend hundreds of hours of dyno tuning in every possible condition to populate their VE and spark tables.  Ultimately, fully sequential operation WILL be superior to bank fire if adequate tuning time can be devoted to it.  Hopefully in the next 18 months, I'll be able to publish my results of a well tuned 482. 

phil