Dizzy Help (Pinto..)

[Gompo]

Now then..

I am currently putting some twin 40's on my 2.0 Pinto which is running points ignition. As far as i am aware I will need a non-vac dizzy with modified advance which can take approx 8 deg static and 36 deg max advance at approx 3.5k... Problem is it's a ball-ache finding a dizzy capable - I will probably need to get one modified to my spec which is a bit of messing around (will probably involve sending my standard dizzy to Aldon, having them modify and them send it back)

Do I have another route? I dont really know about vehicle electrics. I hear about distributor-less systems and the like but dont know if they could/would work with my set up?

My Pinto is only mildly tuned, and I am looking for the cheap and relatively reliable/easy option. Help please!

Cheers, Greg.

[nel]

You're not the first person to stick twin 40s on a pinto and I'm sure that there are tuners out there who could sell you a suitably set-up dizzy off the shelf. I used to set up mechanical advance retard dizzies at a racing engine builder using the appropriate machine and a selection of springs. There were standard formulas for different set-ups and they flogged prepared dizzies off the shelf.

Have you already changed the cam? If not then a change to a fast road cam might give you a way of approaching it as a kit - cam and matched dizzy in one hit? Just a thought.

[steve_D]

If you have changed nothing bar the carbs what makes you think you need to change the dizzy?
If the cam has changed then I agree you will need a different advance curve but even then there is no good reason to bin the vacuum. Flat out race cars can go without vac but road cars can still use it to good advantage.

Steve

[sharky55]

You could try using a vacume delay valve with the standard dizzy, but its trial'n error deppending on the valve

[DeltaFox]

steve_D said:

If you have changed nothing bar the carbs what makes you think you need to change the dizzy? If the cam has changed then I agree you will need a different advance curve but even then there is no good reason to bin the vacuum. Flat out race cars can go without vac but road cars can still use it to good advantage. Steve

Id agree that itd be a good idea to keep the vac advance if nothing else has changed, but the reason he cant use it on 40's is that theres no plenum to act as a damper.
The results will be a vac thatll pulse in time to the intake valve on the port runner hes got it tapped into.

[eliot]

I know that people who use megasquirt that requires a vacuum signal, tee all four runners together into a small chamber - a plastic fuel filter does the job, with a small orice (actually the tip from a mig welder - .6mm id) leading to the ECU - presumably you could do the same to your vac can.

[grahambell]

Don't know if they still do, but Piper the cam people used to do modified non-vac dizzys for the Pinto, so if you haven't changed the cam yet you might be able to get a 'matched set' as mentioned earlier.

[justin s]

theres a guy on E-bay selling new modded distributors.The last one went for £85.He should be back on there every week.Have a work colleague eying one up for his Vulcan pinto

[Gompo]

Alright lads. Sorry for the slow reply.

I am currenty running a Kent FR22 cam with a stage 2 unleaded head. I already have the 40's (not fitted), and although my lack of mechanical knowledge is obvious, I was hoping to get the whole set up running at home and then drive it to an RR to get set up properly. I have been reliably informed that I DO need a Non-Vac dizzy to get my set-up to work right, and that I need the 8 deg to 36 deg range of advance. As far as I am aware, you cannot buy new dizzy's off the shelf anymore, other than this place on e-bay...

I have e-mailed the guy on E-bay who does occassionally sell these and he seemed to give very vague answers to my questions. Also he is selling Electronic dizzy's as opposed to Points..
Now, I dont have a problem changing to electronic ignition, but I dont know what else I would need to change and if i could still get it set up, to some extent, at home. I havent really grasped all this timing stuff yet.
Can somebody give me a few 'pointers' (sorry!) please?

Cheers, Greg.

PS. I will be purchasing a vernier pulley and rev-limiter to help with setting up.. and a link to the E-bay dizzy is here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=27377&item=4540360361&rd=1

[nel]

Whether the ebay seller is good and genuine I can't judge, but going from points to electronic ignition is highly recommended for spark reliability and reduced hassle. Seems like he's selling a whole kit, so shouldn't be hard to fit.

Your vernier sprocket is for use by an expert/confident ameteur to precisely set the cam timing - requires using a dial gauge to measure the valve timing precisely.

As for setting up a dizzy with electronic ignition, it should not really be any more complicated than with a points set-up. Having meshed the dizzy drive with the dizzy body in about the right orientation, you turn the dizzy body to do the static timing of the spark on number 1 cylinder (don't know the pinto offhand - it's either 1 or 4) at TDC (top dead centre on the crank - marked on the pulley, with the valves on cylinder 1 closed). Thereafter, the engine should run allowing the ignition to be set up more precisely when running using a strobe timing light.

All very condensed - hope that it is of some help...

[Gompo]

Thanks very much for that nel!

That was the kind of thing I was looking for, I didnt know if an electronic dizzy would be set up differently (possibly need a brain/ecu etc) so knowing that it's basically the same as points just more reliable is what I wanted to hear.

Thanks to all those responded.. hopefully i can get this sorted for the summer..

Cheers, Greg.