Converted my V8 to DIS (Megajolt)

[Dodgey]

A fun project inspired by the fact my dizzy is a bit knackered and I fancied a bigger spark and a programmable ignition map.

 

 

I really enjoyed the process (so far - don't know if I'm going to need an RR session yet...). Bought a complete kit from Triggerwheels for £400.

 

1st problem was sorting out my pulleys and fitting the trigger wheel. One of my pulleys needed changing anhow (undersized) so I took the opportunity to have a new one made (crank pulley). Installing the trigger wheel and VR sensor was easy enough (I now know how to find TDC! - my factory markings are 4 degrees out).

 

 

I fitted the Megajolt under the passenger dash area against the firewall. I put the coil packs and the EDIS-8 on the scuttle(?). Everyone puts their coil packs either where the dizzy was, or on the other side of the carb. Neither I fancy. Don't want my coil packs getting that hot and I'm not keen on the look.

 

 

 

 

Having the packs there has meant I've had to make my own HT leads. The kit came with two sets of 4 Ford leads with the special coil pack connectors on one end. 4 of the leads reach one side of the engine but the others don't.

 

I took the 4 spares, and carefully dissasebled them, uncrimping the end coil connectors. I bought a 4 metre length of 8mm HT cable, plus 4 plug ends, and then made the new leads to measure - They work a charm (and meter as they should do). I knackered one connector so I'm waiting on another set of £10 leads to rob the last coil connector off. (cheaper than buying the coil connector ends from triggerwheels...).  I've bodged an old lead into the coil pack for now to get it running.

 

Then I pugged vac hose into the straight through vac port on my carb.

 

 

 

Plugged in my laptopm (I bought a PC express serial card for my lappy - had enough of crap USB converters), turned on the ignition, and fired her up. Started 1st time!  :-)

 

Revs cleanly and I've tweaked the initial map to respond to my carb vac pressure properly. All seems dandy so far.

 

Will test drive when the last HT lead is properly made.

 

 

Overall it was a fun job and I'm glad to be rid of the clockwork. I'm going to chop my dizzy to a stump (to run the oil pump) and cap it off. The wiring loom is actually very straight forward - Ign live, earth, Saw and Pip (advance timing data), one data wire to each coil pack (4), tacho wire (which works!). That;s about it.

 

Below - obviously not finished, has a bodged HT lead, but a lot less mess already!

 

 

Oh - and as I'm an infant, and you can hot switch between two ignition maps, I put a missile style switch on the dash so I can test different maps on the fly without having my laptop in the car :-)