Ok, so I've got two engines...

Engine 1:
Ford Pinto 2.1
Twin 40's
All the normal 'hot' Pinto mods
Ignition = Distributor + Bosch ignition module

Engine 2:
Vauxhall 20XE
Twin 45's
Stronger bottom end and increased rev limit
4 branch manifold
Will be putting some hairier cams and probably replacement lifters in
Ignition = aftermarket elecontric distributor, single coilpack + hall effect sensor.

At the moment I'm happy running big 'ol thirsty carbs, but have toyed with the idea of tb's for the XE in the future. I'd really like to get rid of the distributors on both engines and go with a more modern dizzy-less and multiple coil-pack setup and also get the best out of what I've got with a mappable ignition system (apart from a Manta distributor, the XE ignition setup is about the simplest we could have fitted)

Megasquirt & Spark seems to fit the bill as the info indicates that it can run multiple coil packs without a distributor, if you have a ford 36 tooth trigger - I guess the Pinto already will, as it's an ex Sierra injection unit, stripped of the injection system... the Vauxhall has the crank trigger in the side of the block (which we managed to keep from damaging!)... but I'm not sure whether that would work for the MS&S system - could a Ford trigger wheel be fitted to the bottom pulley?

Basically thinking that moving to the MS&S setup for ignition only at the moment will let us get the last few % we can from the engines with the carbs - but give us the scope for fitting injection/tb's at a later date.... plus get rid of those nasty distributors (I'm already on the second on on the Vauxhall engine - the supplier I got the system from isn't around any more either!)

Anyone else gone this way?

im going exactly the same route as mark on my XE.

however if you already have the carbs and want to keep them for the moment - You have two options buy a megajolt, cheaper and easier and purely ignition or go for an MSnSE and only use the spark bit for now.

Now apologies for the thread hijack - mark with the 60-2 tooth wheel what are you using as signal BTDC? I know that it is theoretically 120BTDC but as there are two teeth missing it could be slightly different to this? i.e. is the first missing tooth 120BTDC or the second? or somewhere in the middle?

cheers

OiOi

Already got the carbs...



... it actually runs really well. It's very quick. I reckon MSnS will just let us get that bit more out of it, and also be able to upgrade to TB's in the future without having to go to a completely new setup again.

Been looking at the MegaSquirt EFI forum for MSnS and it looks like it should be do-able. I agree, throttle bodies are the way to go - I'll probably do that eventually for the Vauxhall engine to get more power, but will stay with 40's on the Pinto for a while.

Mmmm... coil per plug.... that's a pretty neat

hi calvinx

just curious did you get your car up and running with the above settings?

cheers

OiOi