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twin plug ignition

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 12:00 am
by greg
Hi Jake, I was reading a few of your posts on the heads you run with twin plugs. You said that you have no problem lighting them because you use a DIS or direct fire system or something. Do both plugs in the same cylinder fire at the same time or is there a primary and secondary spark?Well I want to run a twin plug system on a 2332T type 1 I am building but cannot afford anything moe than $600. What could I do to still light 8 plugs? I have access to a Nissan Z22 dizzy you spoke of, and was thinking of either wiring 2 comp u fire DIS boxes together, and if all else fails go with the unit greatplains offers running of the oil pump. I just want something as simple as possible, at a resonable price. Thanks

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 7:14 am
by MASSIVE TYPE IV
My engines that run twin plugs also run EFI that incorporates direct ignition.

I have done it with carbs before by using the electromotive HPV-3 modified for twin plugs, but now the cost of that unit is almost 900 bucks.

The other way i havedone it was with a modified dizzy from a Datsun Z22 engine. The Z22 was a twin plug 4 cylinder with a funky cap and odd dizzy. Its not really difficult to modify to work well in a VW engine.

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 10:11 am
by volkaholic1
I ran a dual distributor for quite a few years on my turbo ghia. Check out the pics on my web site, bottom of the page:

http://www.awesomepowdercoat.com/miscprojects.html

I finally gave up on it because I could not control the advance curve. too much variability due to the toothed belt drive.

Also, doesn't Compufire make a "distributor-less" ignition that uses the stock dis with a special cap, then 4 coils? Could you buy 2 of these, then use 1 cap to drive all 8 coils?

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 10:37 am
by MASSIVE TYPE IV
Also, doesn't Compufire make a "distributor-less" ignition that uses the stock dis with a special cap, then 4 coils? Could you buy 2 of these, then use 1 cap to drive all 8 coils?
I tried this in 2001 the result was fried components. I called compfire and they said the circuitry would not support the added load. i didn't believe them till I baked the unit.

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 10:38 am
by greg
Jake, I have one of those Z22 distributors and wouldn't mind going that route. If you could please tell me all that I have to do modify the thing. I could send you all the pics you need if you could just walk me through the thing or even better I am willing to send you one and pay for the modification.

Volkaholic, I wouldn't mind gonig that route either, but realistically what are my chances of finding one of those dual dizyy set ups. Any more info would be great. Could you install 2 Pertronix/Comp u fire units into those 009? I was wondering same thing about the dual Comp U Fire DIS systems, because then I also have my performance ignition all wraped up.

Thanks guys... -Greg

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 11:11 am
by volkaholic1
You are right, the odds are low that you would find a dis exactly like this one, they stopped making it for the reasons I wrote about, I just was giving you ideas. So, I would not recommend using what I tired.

I could fit 1 Pertronix unit in the main dis, but the secondary only had room for points, it was real tight.

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 1:32 pm
by Can Drive Soon
http://www.precisionmatters.biz/product ... index.html

Looks like a neat kit, sorta like the one posted but runs off of a gear drive, not a belt.

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 1:51 pm
by R2.0
I think there are some folks over on the Megasquirt forums running dual plug MS&EDIS.

R2.0

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:35 pm
by greg
Bump for a reply on the Z22 distributor question/request Jake. Thanks -Greg

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:46 pm
by MASSIVE TYPE IV
Which Z 22 dizzy is it? There were 3... what year was the truck?

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 3:15 pm
by greg
It acctually came off of a 1986 Z24 truck. I didn't think there were 3 types. If the one I have cannot work I know the junk yard I go to has a couple of Z22 distributors in 200SXs. Here are two pics of the one I have, I can take more if you need. I really want to do this mod Jake so thanks for help. Please let me know if you need more pics or what ever. I just need you to walk me through this. Thanks a million.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gcmesa/al ... /my_photos
[/img]

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 6:34 pm
by Piledriver
Dstar reports Bosch sells a Mercedes cap/rotor for dual plugs/coils that IIRC fits stock ACVW distributors... Dual coil 8 cyl cap.
Haven't seen it/tried it.

I also have floating around somewhere an old Goldwing breaker plate, If I can find it again, I was planning on adapting it to an old stock VW dist for a DIS waste spark setup....

Sadly DYNA doesn't make the DYNA3 anymore, it could probably drive 4 DIS modules directly to 15K if needed...

It could easily trigger a pair of Vanagon modules driving pairs of DIS coils, or easily drive a set of modern COP modules, as the signal would truly be a trigger.

Should be no smoke involved, DIS coils work well @3.5A, just use `em in pairs with a ballast.

If one can score HD or Mitsu COP modules, thet have integrated ion-sense knock detect logic outputs that are directy usable, assuming ones ECU has a knock detect input(s)

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 7:45 pm
by greg
Sorry dude, you completely lost me after the Mercedes cap/rotor...
I'll try and PM Dstar for the info or maybe he can drop in. Thanks

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 11:30 pm
by Piledriver
greg wrote:Sorry dude, you completely lost me after the Mercedes cap/rotor...
I'll try and PM Dstar for the info or maybe he can drop in. Thanks
Sorry :oops:

Ignition stuff is just trivial electronics.
There are many ways to light things up.

Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 6:17 am
by dstar5000
Yes, I found a Mercedes cap that fits the Bosch and was an 8/dual
plugger. Since I'm not into EFI yet, I've pretty much forgotten what
and where it was. I just remmeber that it *lives* and is obtainable.
:D

Porsche also ran a twin plugger in 54-55, but I don't know how they
fired it. IF it was from a standard type dizzy, then all you have to do
is find a 54-55 Porsche 1500RS dizzy and cap! :lol:

Let me get a cup of coffee or two and I'll get back to ya!
:lol:

Don