Board logo

opus ignition
Martian - 4/10/08 at 03:49 PM

don't know if anyone can help? my brother has a mk2 escort rally car with 1700 BDA in it. we've just done a rally in it, but did half the stages on 3 cylinders. the reason turned out to be the trigger wheel in the dizzy. it runs an old lumenition opus ignition system which has a trigger wheel with 4 tiny magnets in it. one had come out, hence 3 pot BDA! does anyone know where we could get another wheel? could go to optronic, but that is too expensive! probably go back to points if can't find wheel. cheers


SeaBass - 4/10/08 at 04:30 PM

OPUS is a Lucas ignition system surely? It was fitted as standard on many vehicles including; some rover V8s, Jaguar XJ6 & XJ12. The parts should be available form a Lucas specialist... or you could attempt to cannibalise another OPUS dizzy.

You can't afford to change distributor but your running a BDA Mk2 Escort Rally Car? Are you sure you can't afford it?

[Edited on 4/10/08 by SeaBass]


Martian - 5/10/08 at 04:22 PM

thanks seabass, you are right, opus is lucas DOH! to cut a long story short, the escort was built using bits our dad had kicking about in his garage. he used to rally mk1's &2's in the 70's. bro's just got comp. license so not much money for entries this year!


MikeRJ - 5/10/08 at 08:09 PM

Could I point you in the direction of Megajolt Lite Jnr.

This can be built on a small budget, and dispenses with the distributor and the Lucas 'opless igntion system and gives you a fully 3D mapped ignition triggered from the crank, soft cut rev limiter and shift light built in. Hard cut rev limiter can be added.


Syd Bridge - 6/10/08 at 10:25 AM

You might be able to go the same route as the Locost racers go, and use the distributor out of an early Fiesta or Mk3 Escort with Kent engine.

This dizzy is a development of the item you are using. With a little thought, it can be hooked up to an external tranny/amplifier pack.

Cheers,
Syd.


MikeRJ - 6/10/08 at 11:18 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Syd Bridge
This dizzy is a development of the item you are using. With a little thought, it can be hooked up to an external tranny/amplifier pack.


The dizzy from a Valencia engined Fiesta/Escort comes with an integral amplifier and fits a Kent perfectly.


Syd Bridge - 6/10/08 at 03:31 PM

Mike, it may be that they want to use the external tranny pack that most BDA's came with, to comply with rules on originality.

I'd agree, that the integral amplifier will work well, and we've run them up past 8.5K rpm. A good BDA will run up well past 9K.

I'm not sure, but I think the internals from a later model dizzy will fit the early item, or can be made to fit without too much trouble. I've seen it done, but not by me.

Cheers,
Syd.

[Edited on 6/10/08 by Syd Bridge]


Dick Axtell - 7/10/08 at 01:27 PM

U2U sent.