Air intake hose

[SteinOnkel]

Hey Steiny, what’s this GM “HEICU” and heat sink setup you speak of? Just curious...

High Energy Ignition Control Unit. It's this banana:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/153039645135?c ... OsQAvD_BwE

Same thing that Fiat used, just under a different name and therefore dirt cheap.

Wire it up according to this:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/25lGK ... 95-h696-no

The Ground point at the screw is critical!

And connect it to a heatsink. I used something out of an old PC Power Supply Unit I had flying around.

This +1979 Fiat distributor + generic $15 coil is the only ignition a Spider will ever need.

^the alternative is to dish out $280 for a coil and module with a Fiat sticker and a giant, aluminum heatsink. To each their own. https://autoricambi.us/coil-module-and- ... y-1979-85/

[maxm50]

Nice info! Thank you. Good to know in case mine ever goes out. I had no idea you could get a generic coil for $15.

[SteinOnkel]

I haven't put a "nice" coil on any of my vehicles in ten+ years. They are extremely simple devices and very easy to manufacture. I highly suspect that NGK, Bosch, etc blablabla are all made on the same line in mainland China and receive different canisters and stickers. Never have I found a difference between namebrand and noname. And I can't remember ever having a coil go out.

[MBEpse]

HELP!!
Ok so I installed a new distributor (with vacuum advance) from Vic’s, new ignition control module and new Bosch coil. Set the timing mark to 0 TDC and removed the distributor - (see photo of cap before removing),

blob:null/4cbc5fc7-7c7f-4313-b560-dcaca7e9acbf

installed new distributor in same position (sorry not sure if photo loaded - rotor pointing towards coil), refitted spark plugs, leads, coil etc - turned ignition and car would not start - checked all connections again, still wouldn’t start other than a slight firing, a bit of a splutter, still not starting.
Any clues as to what to try next - going to leave it a day and try again maybe disconnect everything and reconnect.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[SteinOnkel]

If it's already firing, that's a good sign. It means your wiring is good.

You are firing at the wrong time. Dial it in by eyeballing it and once it's running set it perfectly with a timing light. Lots of info about that on this forum (and lots of differences in marks depending on year).

[Nut124]

MBEpse, I hope that you were not expecting to do this by eye balling the rotor position, without a timing light.

You will need to verify timing with a light at idle and at high rpm. Incorrect timing can destroy an engine in a hurry.

Seems like I just posted instructions on this elsewhere at this forum.

[MBEpse]

Thanks for the info - my concern regarding the rotor position was that it pointing towards no 2 on the cap as opposed to no 4 (hence it’s direction towards to coil as opposed the engine) but maybe this is correct ?
The engine really isn’t firing/igniting it’s just the odd splutter(? best way to describe it) - just spinning with no pick-up.
I do have a timing light so once I get it running I will adjust to 10TDC (as manual) but need to get starting - I will check over all the connections again just to make sure all ok.

[tima01864]

This post is what Nut124 is referring you to.http://www.hwww.fiatspider.com/f15/view ... =5&t=39979

[MBEpse]

Thanks for sending that post from Nut124 - I will try that procedure later.

[SteinOnkel]

.

[Nut124]

My earlier post about ignition timing may not have included the high rpm total advance check. It should always be done though. This is very important.

The ignition timing spec at idle (10 BTDC) is based on an assumption that the dizzy produces a certain, specific max amount of centrifugal advance, in this case, typically 28 deg. So, the total max advance would be 38deg BTDC (10+28). Typically this max advance would be reached at around 3800-4000rpm and it would remain constant as rpm increases from there.

The problem is that the centrifugal advance spec varies from model to model and what is found in the field could vary even more. The springs used for this inside the dizzy seem not very precise.

So, This is what I would suggest:
Check timing in 500rpm increments with vac advance disabled from idle to 4500: Never exceed 40 deg BTDC total at any rpm. I would target 36-38 BTDC at top end and set idle timing accordingly. If this does not put idle timing near 10 then something is nor right about the dizzy.

Test timing at idle speed, 1000rpm or so. Should be around 10 BTDC, but can be set to more as long as max advance does not exceed 38.

Connect vac advance. Timing at idle should go from 10 or so to about 30 or so.

Correct advance makes power. Too much can knock and burn a piston. Too little makes for weak power and can burn or seize ex valves due to late combustion heat.

[MBEpse]

Great advice as usual!
Based upon your previous post, I am hoping to get the car started by getting the distributor/rotor arm in the correct position and then (fingers crossed) work through this last post to get to the optimum setting.
I will update on a couple of days to let you know how I get on.

[SteinOnkel]

Connect vac advance. Timing at idle should go from 10 or so to about 30 or so.

Huh? 30 degrees at idle? The poor thing would be spinning 2.5k rpm.

[MBEpse]

Thanks guys, all good stuff but I am just hoping to get the car firing/starting this weekend and take it from there. Thanks for the advice, much needed - there aren’t any forums (that I’m aware of) in the UK and no local mechanics that are interested (or have knowledge?) in working on the car so doing it myself and learning all the time!

[Nut124]

Connect vac advance. Timing at idle should go from 10 or so to about 30 or so.

Huh? 30 degrees at idle? The poor thing would be spinning 2.5k rpm.

Steiny, you are correct, it does look like typical max vacuum advance is around 10 degrees, so a total of 20 at idle would be more likely. My engine idles at just a bit above 20 total advance but my vac comes form a single runner and I thought a common manifold would result in more vac advance.