Distributor-HOLY SH!T!!!!!(THANKS CAL + DAN!!)

[Jeff Strube]

Could this Be done with a Stock Computer Car this up Grade?

Or is this only for stand Alone Systems

 

[norbs]

Mike Licht is working on something for stock ecu cars and a distributor.

 

[Jeff Rand]

Having problems with the distributor setup. It seems that the fuel delivery and timing are not in sync. I am using an XFI, MSD distributor, MSD 7al2 (that was converted by MSD to a V-6), Msd Coil and Cal's connectors. I can't seem to find the correct number tab remaining on the distributor to load in the XFI. Could someone tell me if you were looking at the rotor, what is the number tab on either side of the rotor's metal strip. From this information that I should be able to get the correct number of the tab remaining.
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Dusty Bradford]

Having problems with the distributor setup. It seems that the fuel delivery and timing are not in sync. I am using an XFI, MSD distributor, MSD 7al2 (that was converted by MSD to a V-6), Msd Coil and Cal's connectors. I can't seem to find the correct number tab remaining on the distributor to load in the XFI. Could someone tell me if you were looking at the rotor, what is the number tab on either side of the rotor's metal strip. From this information that I should be able to get the correct number of the tab remaining.
Thanks,
Jeff

Are you using the stock crank sensor for a trigger?

Crank offset should be 6 degrees for startup with this set-up.

What exactly are you calling the number tab that needs to be loaded into the xfi. Are you refering to the tabs on the shaft under the rotor? I'm not following what tab needs to be loaded in the xfi. If your sequential all tabs should be broke off except 1 but you need to go through a sequence to figure out which tab to keep.

 

[Jeff Rand]

Are you using the stock crank sensor for a trigger?

Crank offset should be 6 degrees for startup with this set-up.

What exactly are you calling the number tab that needs to be loaded into the xfi. Are you refering to the tabs on the shaft under the rotor? I'm not following what tab needs to be loaded in the xfi. If your sequential all tabs should be broke off except 1 but you need to go through a sequence to figure out which tab to keep.

Dusty, I am using the stock crank trigger. The tabs I am referring to are located under the rotor. I went through a procedure with Cal he had me add numbers to the individual cylinder correction on the XFI and view the rotor with a timing light. The cylinder that responded the the change in timing would be the number tab I was trying to locate. Well after taking the TPS to 10% (as Cal suggested) and going through this process, I could not see any change. I spoke to John at Caspers and he said that the signal from the dist. might have some interference so I wired the dist. directly to the XFI. I have not gone back through the procedure that Cal suggested because I want to check that I am doing it correctly.
My reference angle turned out to be 12 degrees. I am using a BHJ balancer with the interrupter ring.
Jeff

 

[Dusty Bradford]

Dusty, I am using the stock crank trigger. The tabs I am referring to are located under the rotor. I went through a procedure with Cal he had me add numbers to the individual cylinder correction on the XFI and view the rotor with a timing light. The cylinder that responded the the change in timing would be the number tab I was trying to locate. Well after taking the TPS to 10% (as Cal suggested) and going through this process, I could not see any change. I spoke to John at Caspers and he said that the signal from the dist. might have some interference so I wired the dist. directly to the XFI. I have not gone back through the procedure that Cal suggested because I want to check that I am doing it correctly.
My reference angle turned out to be 12 degrees. I am using a BHJ balancer with the interrupter ring.
Jeff

I did the same but instead I watched the balancer when I made the changes to the individual cylinder timing. I think you'll see a timing change on the balancer much easier than you will the rotor. So you still have all the tabs on the shaft. I'm not sure you can run sequential with all the tabs on the shaft. Is it possible your running in batch and that's why your not seeing a change in timing on the individual cylinders.

I put my distributor in at 50 degrees before top dead center on #1. I make sure that I have the rotor facing in a direction where I can easily phase it to the cap plug that I want to be #1. The rotor metal strip is usually facing towards the radiator on the Buicks. I then lock the distributor down and roll the motor over until the next tab passes by the pickup in the distributor. This is the tab I keep.

 

[Jeff Rand]

I did the same but instead I watched the balancer when I made the changes to the individual cylinder timing. I think you'll see a timing change on the balancer much easier than you will the rotor. So you still have all the tabs on the shaft. I'm not sure you can run sequential with all the tabs on the shaft. Is it possible your running in batch and that's why your not seeing a change in timing on the individual cylinders.

I put my distributor in at 50 degrees before top dead center on #1. I make sure that I have the rotor facing in a direction where I can easily phase it to the cap plug that I want to be #1. The rotor metal strip is usually facing towards the radiator on the Buicks. I then lock the distributor down and roll the motor over until the next tab passes by the pickup in the distributor. This is the tab I keep.

I basically did the same with installing the distributor except that Cal had me install it at 25 BTDC. I did grind off all the metal strips on the rotor except for one. I did not realize that there was a procedure for which one I should keep. In any event Cal said with the XFI it did not matter since you can plug in a number in the Firing Order Sync. that would compensate. I will try to shoot the balancer to get a better read. I have the XFI configured in sequential.

 

[Dusty Bradford]

I basically did the same with installing the distributor except that Cal had me install it at 25 BTDC. I did grind off all the metal strips on the rotor except for one. I did not realize that there was a procedure for which one I should keep. In any event Cal said with the XFI it did not matter since you can plug in a number in the Firing Order Sync. that would compensate. I will try to shoot the balancer to get a better read. I have the XFI configured in sequential.

OK, I'm with you now. That's right (like Cal would be wrong:biggrin: ) XFI doesn't care which cylinder the signal comes in on. He's having you change the timing to try and determine which cylinder XFI thinks is #1. If I'm thinking of this right, you should see a change in one of the cylinders and you should set XFI so that the cylinder preceding that one in the firing order as your signal cylinder.

Seems like I also have to set the timing in as 10.0 rather than 10

I had a problem with XFI saving my value I entered. I entered it and then saved it. I then exited the window but I could open it back up and all values were back at 0 degrees. Seems like once I entered the value with a decimal it started saving them.

 

[S2V6RACER]

You need to determine which cylinder the cam sync precedes. This is simple, just watch when the tab is center of the pickup in the distributor and continue to roll it past that and the next tower that fires is your cylinder cam sync precedes.




Hope this helps.

 

[Jeff Rand]

You need to determine which cylinder the cam sync precedes. This is simple, just watch when the tab is center of the pickup in the distributor and continue to roll it past that and the next tower that fires is your cylinder cam sync precedes.




Hope this helps.

Ted it looks like the metal tab that remains is number 1. So what number would I put into the into the firing order sync. box in the XFI?
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Dusty Bradford]

double post

 

[Dusty Bradford]

Ted it looks like the metal tab that remains is number 1. So what number would I put into the into the firing order sync. box in the XFI?
Thanks,
Jeff

You rolled the motor over and watched as the tab passed the pickup. Then the next tower that lined up with the metal on the rotor is your #1...correct?? If so your camsync precede should be 1

Can you tell roughly how far apart these are by looking at the degrees on the balancer?

You can also see this by looking at your dashboard on the XFI when the engine is running an finding the cam sync. Do you have any error codes on the dashboard?

How much timing are you trying to run at idle?

At what balancer position did you phase the rotor? I phase my rotor at 26 BTDC.

 

[S2V6RACER]

With 26 degrees BTDC rotor phase he should see cam sync about 94 degrees BTDC of #1 unless the reluctor has been re-clocked.

 

[Jeff Rand]

You rolled the motor over and watched as the tab passed the pickup. Then the next tower that lined up with the metal on the rotor is your #1...correct?? If so your camsync precede should be 1

Can you tell roughly how far apart these are by looking at the degrees on the balancer?

You can also see this by looking at your dashboard on the XFI when the engine is running an finding the cam sync. Do you have any error codes on the dashboard?

How much timing are you trying to run at idle?

At what balancer position did you phase the rotor? I phase my rotor at 26 BTDC.

The rotor was phased at 25 BTDC. It is very difficult to tell how far apart the metal tabs are. I lined up the metal tab remaining with the tower (the rotor at this point is not quite at the number one position) and the position the rotor sees when the next metal tab lines up with the tower is #6.
Running 30 degrees of timing at idle.

 

[S2V6RACER]

The tabs are 120 degrees apart on V6. Sounds like you need to try cam sync precedes #6. You can try and check individual timing control like Cal said and you should see your timing values change on the cylinders you pick if this is right.


Hope this helps.

 

[Otto J]

Thats all i did,II put the timing light on number 1,pulled 10* out of #1,Set the TPS to read 22%(to be safe)
Then i just kept changing the cam precedes # until the timing on the balancer changed the 10* i pulled.
YOU MUST once you set it power down the ecu to save it to memory also

 

[Dusty Bradford]

The rotor was phased at 25 BTDC. It is very difficult to tell how far apart the metal tabs are. I lined up the metal tab remaining with the tower (the rotor at this point is not quite at the number one position) and the position the rotor sees when the next metal tab lines up with the tower is #6.
Running 30 degrees of timing at idle.

Too bad those BHJ's don't have the timing marks for the whole 360 degrees like my ATI.

Ted's suggestion may work.

 

[Jeff Rand]

Thats all i did,II put the timing light on number 1,pulled 10* out of #1,Set the TPS to read 22%(to be safe)
Then i just kept changing the cam precedes # until the timing on the balancer changed the 10* i pulled.
YOU MUST once you set it power down the ecu to save it to memory also

Otto,
So I found that number 1 shows a change in timing with the procedure you described. Now what number would I put in the firing order sync. box?

 

[Otto J]

Otto,
So I found that number 1 shows a change in timing with the procedure you described. Now what number would I put in the firing order sync. box?

Whatever number that is in the box when you see the change,If you put 2 in hte box and it changes,Then it precedes #2
Mine ended up being number 5 the way i did it.

 

[HighPSI]

Jeff,
Give me a call this afternoon, if you are still having problems. I thought you were fixed and up and running. Also, re-verify your crank referance angle. 12 degrees with a BHJ is possible but unusual.