1983 turbo..points or not ??
Discussion
sidders said:
Can one of you bods tell me if the ignition system on the 1983 S3 turbo is electronic or does it have the points,condenser type..???? because i`m not gonna lose the skin on my forearm needlessly!!!!
Hi,
If in the USA, you have a Lucas 45DM4 Distributor with Lucas Constant Energy Ignition. This uses a Hall effect trigger and amplifier to discharge the coil (pointless). Static timing is 1°BTDC @950RPM +/- 50RPM. You have 18° of vacuum advance and up to 16° centrifugal advance -
1,000RPM - 0° advance
1,500RPM - 3° advance
2,100RPM - 12° advance
2,800RPM - 15° advance
5,000RPM - 16° advance
These engines love lots of advance, up to 32° total (Static + Centrifugal). Many US market cars had their distributors recurved by LCU as sort of a performance tweak for preferred dealer customers. These were recurved to bring in all 16° of centrifugal advance by 2,300RPM. LCU placed a small yellow paint mark on these recurverd distributors.
Up until a couple years ago, LCU was still doing this, but stopped and gave away their Sun Recurve machine. I didn't know this and had mine checked by a local wizard w/ dist. machine and found it needed no further advance. Later I learned about the yellow paint from Clyde @ LCU and did see it on mine, explaining why it didn't need recurving further.
If everything is set-up properly, proper plugs, plug gap, good HT leads, try setting the static timing to 14°BTDC@950RPM, +/-50RPM. This will give you 30° total advance. This is where mine is set, and the engine loves this setting.
Happy Motoring! ... Jim'85TE
>> Edited by lotusguy on Tuesday 8th February 03:57
Hi,
If you have a UK model, then you have a Lucas 43D distributor with either Lumenition (IR pulse) or Lucas Constant Energy (Hall Effect) ignition (the presence of an amplifier in the ignition box will indicate which), both are pointless.
Much of my earlier post remains the same, except that your model lacks any sort of vacuum advance.
Unlike the USA model, your static timing is nominally spec'd at 12°BTDC and an idle spec of 12°BTDC @950RPM +/- 50 RPM.
Your centrifugal advance curve is:
<1,000RPM - nil
2,000RPM - 8°
3,000RPM - 16°
Ignition timing should be set to 28° @3,500/4,000RPM.
The same about adding advance still applies. You will see a better performing engine if you set the timing at 30°-32° @3,500/4,000RPM. Hope this helps.
Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE
>> Edited by lotusguy on Friday 11th February 19:57
If you have a UK model, then you have a Lucas 43D distributor with either Lumenition (IR pulse) or Lucas Constant Energy (Hall Effect) ignition (the presence of an amplifier in the ignition box will indicate which), both are pointless.
Much of my earlier post remains the same, except that your model lacks any sort of vacuum advance.
Unlike the USA model, your static timing is nominally spec'd at 12°BTDC and an idle spec of 12°BTDC @950RPM +/- 50 RPM.
Your centrifugal advance curve is:
<1,000RPM - nil
2,000RPM - 8°
3,000RPM - 16°
Ignition timing should be set to 28° @3,500/4,000RPM.
The same about adding advance still applies. You will see a better performing engine if you set the timing at 30°-32° @3,500/4,000RPM. Hope this helps.
Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE
>> Edited by lotusguy on Friday 11th February 19:57
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