ELECTRONIC IGNITION ON MY 4.2

Guys I would like to see some one just pull an old used set up out of an old junk xj6 and tell us what they think just bolting that in the etype. The advance curve and fit in the block with the keyed shaft is sooo snug that there is no room for bouncing around or bad arching.
Good Luck.
GTJOEY1314

Sweet set up!

Kids home will post before I owe him something.........for this...

Edited on 2013-05-05 17:21:26

Hopefully this works college degree came home........ Now is that pretty.....tried to show the entire set up , the original series 2 coil bracket is under there....just put longer bolts through the holes the box,coil and bracket all line up like it was meant to be.....nice and cold over there too.......

Joseph, pictures have to be quite small to access the site, less than 200 pixels, try reducing them.

Cant post the pics somehow it doesnt down load....

Edited on 2013-05-05 16:57:52

Will do ......there is no retard the new distributor is ADVANCE.
Also when we get the pics there was 2 caps years ago one black with 2 clips, the other blue with 2 hold down screws ive got the newer one now.
They both work the same its prefference to stock look too.
You can find a black cap Im not picky that way.
Ran a north shore winery road today and temps were between M and A on the temp gageIt really is wonderful..

Guys help me out here I transfer the pictire to the browse but it doesnt load.....

Try the picture again joseph, what did you do about the distributor retard system?

picture of set up

Edited on 2013-05-05 16:39:56

picture of set up

Pictures

Lets see if the old guy can do this....

Ahhhh, Looks like we still have drivers in the group!
To make a LONG story very short.
The complete set up is as follows.....
SERIES 3 XJ6 DISTRIBUTOR/ SPARK BOX and or the stock coil , Or I preffer the lucas sport coil.
That is it
Years ago there were 2 version spark boxes, one early with lucas diodes then later with gm diodes.....
They all come gm now even in rebuild.
Set the record straight I have a 70 etype coupe 4.2 WITH TRIPLE SU'S.
Stock cams total rebuild 30,000 miles ago it just runs perfect.
Now for the set up.
2 wires from the distributor, they plug straight into the spark box you cant screw it up it plugs in one way.
2 wires OUT from the spark box.......white and white with black tracer........
White to positive...
White with black to negative
Lastly your white wire from fuse and tach go on the same positive side!
No ballast tear all the crap out will post a picture as the coil and box mount OVER each other in the factory series 2 hole brackets!
Guys a chimp like me did this 25 years ago went to petronix with a new distributor thinking its all new and never worry about diodes.....It didnt work right at all.......
P.S. the diodes have never burnt out in 25 years.....just dont bolt the box on the engine or extend the lines more than 18 inches................
GTJOEY Having fun.....drive them...drive them drive them......

When I went from a stock Series II (vacuum retarding) distributor to a new stock Series I (vacuum advancing) distributor, it made a whale of a difference in engine power and acceleration rate. When a Petronix electronic system was installed in place of the points and condenser about a year later, an even greater power improvement was realized.

The Petronix system is all under the cap, and it has been in mine for about 5 years now, with the only problem is that it will wear out a stock or Lucas Sport coil. Had one of each begin leaking dielectric fluid after some moderate length trips in the the summertime. Petronix sells a coil they recommend, and after buying and installing their coil, I have not had a repeat problem. I check the bottom of the coil for dampness now with my right index finger when I check the oil, after losing two of them.

So if you go Petronix, my experience would say to buy their recommended ignition coil at the same time and install both.

Regards,

I suspect he means the Lucas CEI Ignition from a Ser III XJ6.

It's plain vanilla as ignition systems go...but certainly reliable and functional.

Cheers
DD

Joseph, what do you mean the series 3 set up? I have fitted dozens of petronix kits on a vast variety of cars with no problems.

Point well taken. And perhaps that was the reason for the disappointment in my Lincoln's set up, as it was a conversion of the original Ford distributor. I attempted to diagnose the failure, and finally just decided it was less complicated to simply revert back to the original factory design.

GOOD MORNING FELLOW XKE ER'S.
I TOO HAVE A ORIGINAL 1964 S1 COUPE, AND DILBERATED FOR YEARS OF INSTALLING A PETRONIX WITHA POSITIVE GROUND AND A GENERATOR.
I BELIEVE THE DIFERENCE IS INSTALLING A COMPLETE DISTRIBUTOR.
THE PERFORMANCE IS OUTSTANDING, AND I RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY.

ED MESSIKIAN
JCSNE

I have several old cars of various makes and models, including a couple of Jaguars. A few of my old cars were converted by previous owners. Perhaps the conversions were flawed. But I was recently unhappy with a 1970 Lincoln's performance (i.e. detonation under load, hot start problems, etc.). I changed the distributor back to way it was originally designed, and the car has never run better. I would not recommend changing the car from its original design. All of my cars run great, when set up just as the factory engineer intended. But, in fairness, I am a purist and I would not change the car unless the originally designed parts were just not available.

I have Ray Livingston's EDIS conversion on my car and I would put that up against anything. I have been very impressed with his stock ignition curve, albeit with many more points than the standard one for a distributor. With the programmable MegaJolt you can also create a custom curve to suit your car setup and location (for those living at higher altitudes).

Joe,
I too have tried Pertronix on my 4.2 engine w/ 3 SU setup and not impressed with the results. I am now back to the stock points and condenser and thoroughly satisfied with performance. Starts with one tap on the starter button/gear drive starter and runs smooth as silk.

I'm living the E-Type dream at 75 and driving mine, that I've owned for 43 years every day it's not raining down here on the coast in NC.

I share your, "ETYPE FOREVER AND EVER"

joseph,
I just stripped down a couple of series 3 xj6 engines for parts. I saved the distriutors, caps, coils but not the weird black boxes mounted on the intake manifold. Please tell me that these are not parts needed for the conversion.
Bottom line, what parts are needed to make a "complete setup"?
Thank you for the tips.