New electronic ignition

[Huib Geurink]

I have tested for some time now a new electronic ignition for the Fulvia.

I will have production models in a few days available for sale. The unit is a direct replacement for the Marelli distributor. Take the original distributor off and put it in the boot as a spare (like I do as I do not trust electronics) and put the electronic distributor on your engine.

All electronics are built into the distributor. No contact points and no springs. The advance is all done by a microprocessor. With a switch you can select between the 3 advance curves of 1C, 1.6HF or all others.

The rotor and distributor cap are industry standard items. Replacements can be bought anywhere at a few euro's.

The units senses vibration of the camshaft and fine tunes the spark timing for each cilinder to optimize ignition for each individual cilinder.
It does not have knock sensing. Too much rattling and vibration in engines of the sixties / seventies.

The unit will drive coils of 1 ohm or higher. Standard coils for contact breakers are around 3,5 ohm They can be used without problems. The blue Bosch coil is around 3,5 ohm. Low resistance coils like the red Bosch are around 1,5 ohm. Some Fulvia's have a low resistance coil which can be recognized by the ballast resistor. The ballast resistor can be bypassed.

Main advantages are:
1. dynamic advance curve is correct and will always remain correct. On the original distributor the advance is regulated by centrifugal weights and tiny springs. These tiny springs are tired in most cases. Sometimes I even find completely wrong ones. The original distributor (if not new) advances too quickly which may result in ruining your engine. In particular if you are using 95 octane unleaded.
2. no moving mechanical parts that can wear other than the spindle which is running in high quality bushes of sintered material. Not the simple bronze bushes of the Marelli one.
3. easy to buy low cost cap and rotor

We have not yet finalized the cost calculations but price will be around 300 euro.

[neil cundy]

I would be very interested in this in about 6 months (when hopefully I will be into my engine). I have been considering the Crane system. Currently the car has a period Bosch system that uses the points to trigger, and I have been looking for something that takes the bob-weights out of the equation. I take it it still drives from the end of the inlet cam - I am not sure I understand the fine tuning part - is it some proxy for a knock sensor ?

Are the advance curves fixed or is it possible to alter them via a laptop depending on engine tune ??

And finally any pictures ?

[Huib Geurink]

The fine tuning makes sure the sparks are triggered at exactly 90 degrees. It corrects for any tolerances or errors such as on the gear wheels, positioning of the 4 magnets in the disc on top of the spindle etc.

Lap top programming will be available in about 6 months.

Below some pictures of the one on my engine. This one is clamped by an M6 bolt through the collar on the head. Production ones will have the flange like the Marelli one.

[Kim Roberts]

Keep us posted as to when they are available Hui,I'd be interested in a unit for my 1.6HF.

[Huib Geurink]

Certainly Kim. Without the gearwheel it will be available next week. You have to transfer the gearwheel from the original ignition.

I am not yet sure if I will also offer a version complete with gear wheel. These are very expensive to make in the relatively low quantities.

Swapping the gear wheel is easy in a workshop but impossible on the side of the road. If you want to keep the original one in the boot (trunk) as spare I assume you would want it there with the gear wheel so you can easily swap the complete ignition in a few minutes if the electronics of the new one fails. The electronics is reliable. The same electronics has been used on many French, British and German cars for years with zero failures. Nevertheless, personally I like to be prepared as I do many miles on very deserted roads far from any workshop.

Let's assume prices will be as follows:
310 euro without gearwheel
360 euro with gear wheel

What is everybody's opinion?
Should I offer the version with gear wheel or not?

Note that for the 1600 engines a bush will be included because of the difference in diameter of the housing. This will add a few euro's to the price.

[Neil Cundy]

I am happy without as I have several spare distributors so that i could take a gear wheel off - I assume the gearwheel is the same on 1300 & 1600 ??

[Huib Geurink]

The parts book shows three different distributors.
1. Marelli for all types except 1600
2. Ducellier for all types except 1600
3. Marelli for 1600

The gear wheels for 1 and 2 have the same Lancia part number.

The gear wheel for 3 has a different partnumber.

I have no 1600 around to check but I assume the difference is not in the teeth because the standard 1600 camshaft is the 818.342 camshaft from the 1.3HF.

If there is any problem with 1600's we have to solve it when we get to it.

I just realize I also have to test the clearence of the distributor housing with the banjo bolt for the vacuum for the brake servo. My cars on which I tested the distributor don't have a brake servo.

[AO]

Hey Huib

Sounds v good.

Is there anyway a bulk buy say 10, 20, 50 Fulvia owners ordering together would bring the price down from 300 ish Euros?

The Euro is getting much stronger against USD and GBP these days!

Best Regards,

[Huib Geurink]

Not really I am afraid. The unit includes a complete new housing, distributor cap, rotor, electronics plus a lot of expenses in getting the design all right. Unfortunately my fear of interference problems with the vacuum connection for the servo turned out to be true. A new housing and shaft have to be made. I hope this does not raise the price.

The price of about 300 euro includes 19% VAT. This will be taken off for shipments going outside the EU

[Michael Beattie]

Huib,

Any news on the, the mods to the casing to clear the servo hose?