Ignition coil questions...

[content22207]

Are you calling the Society of Automotive Engineers, and nearly every car manufacturer of the past quarter century, liars? I recommend pages 53-55 (6th through 8th pages of the scans): http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?65...ull=1#post7222

We can't really do anything about spark duration, given the small diameter of our distributor caps, but there is plenty a DeLorean owner can do to increase secondary voltage and open up his or her plug gaps.

You are wrong -- I humbly suggest that you learn to live with that reality.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Kenny_Z]

Hey guys, I know I'm new around here and all but I've run a forum for the better part of 12 years so I think I'm qualified to speak on this.

You've got someone here that's posted a thread looking for some troubleshooting ideas and it has since devolved into a "my way is better" free for all. If I didn't understand the ways of the internet I'd think my thread was just hijacked for some egos to throw their weight around and I'd leave the forum with an unfixed problem and a sour taste for the Delorean community in general.

Up until my last post the conversation and the people involved were really helping me and I did improve my car. This little argument didn't help in the least. I understand the two sides, and honestly, I don't care either way nor do I care who started it. It is your car, do what you want.

All I'm trying to say is, please try to be a little respectful of what type of thread you're in before arguing. I've noticed so many troubleshooting threads never get resolved because of distractions and it is a great loss to the community. Imagine if someone had actually said "Eureka, this is what I did to fix my problem!" and the next guy searches, finds that info, fixes his issue, and doesn't have to ask the community?

[ramblinmike]

Hey guys, I know I'm new around here and all but I've run a forum for the better part of 12 years so I think I'm qualified to speak on this.

You've got someone here that's posted a thread looking for some troubleshooting ideas and it has since devolved into a "my way is better" free for all. If I didn't understand the ways of the internet I'd think my thread was just hijacked for some egos to throw their weight around and I'd leave the forum with an unfixed problem and a sour taste for the Delorean community in general.

Up until my last post the conversation and the people involved were really helping me and I did improve my car. This little argument didn't help in the least. I understand the two sides, and honestly, I don't care either way nor do I care who started it. It is your car, do what you want.

All I'm trying to say is, please try to be a little respectful of what type of thread you're in before arguing. I've noticed so many troubleshooting threads never get resolved because of distractions and it is a great loss to the community. Imagine if someone had actually said "Eureka, this is what I did to fix my problem!" and the next guy searches, finds that info, fixes his issue, and doesn't have to ask the community?

You are right. Sorry, man.

[content22207]

The problem is: some people buy a performance coil, like your Accel coil, and assume that alone gives them HEI. Doing such *HAS* led to problems in the past, like owners opening up the plug gap and creating engine misfires. Your Accel coil is probably fine, despite anything that fellow in the Mustang told you, but you do need to be aware of what it is, and what it isn't.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Kenny_Z]

Yeah, I don't think it is the coil now. The new ground to the engine improved my spark which the Mustang guy may have interpreted as a bad coil. I didn't think the coil was going to give me a better spark, it really was just the closest thing I could locally get to a stock D coil once I found the cracks in my old one.

I didn't get much accomplished today because I spent most of the day working on my mom's van. She was having brake problems and mom's safety comes before the D any day of the week. I did have enough time to rig up a test ground cable before the rain started. I stuck some alligator clips on the end of a 20 foot 10 AWG cable. I stuck one end to the ground point for my headlights/cooling fans and the other end to the battery. This greatly improved my voltage drop when clicking on the headlights and AC so I know I need to continue with my plan to get a stronger ground on the front. My vent fans are still causing a massive voltage drop so I think I need to find their ground under the dash and use my test on them.

So now I have 3 questions:
Where can I find the ground connection for the vent fans?
Where the heck is the inertia switch hiding?
And what are these two disconnected wires I found?

[content22207]

On an automatic those go to the bulb that illuminates the shifter.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[stevedmc]

I have never "predicted the failure of your ignition system" I've simply recommended other people not copy you because your reasoning for changing the stock system is rooted in your own ignorance.

For what its worth I have copied Bill's ignition mod, and a few others, and I do take bathes in noodles.

[David T]

All too often someone gets the idea that bolting in a new, different part will give them better performance, gas mileage, reliability, <blank> etc. You can fill in the blanks. If it was that easy the original manufacturer would have done it. In some cases they actually do see some improvement only because the part they replaced was old, worn, the wrong one, or defective. There is little if anything to be gained by putting "performance" parts into the ignition system. If every part you could bolt on to the car added the performance each claimed you could theoretically double the HP of the car. Who is going to believe THAT! A BIG problem with deviating from stock is that it becomes near impossible for anyone to help when the car has a problem. Too many variables and no good place to start troubleshooting. For a street driven car reliability is very important. To a big extant more important than a small, temporary increase in performance. Another thing to remember is most systems are like chains. Only as strong as the weakest link meaning if you don't improve the WHOLE system, improving one part of it does not improve what the whole system can do. As Martin said, "Show Me!" Put it on a dyno and show the numbers. Till then it is just a pretty and expensive part. I swear that my car always runs better after I clean it or change the oil. A very subjective effect. After spending money on a performance part you expect the car to run better, faster, etc!
David Teitelbaum

[content22207]

... Till then it is just a pretty and expensive part.

Pertronix coils cost about half as much as a Bosch coil -- they are a pretty and INexpensive part.

HEI discsussions probably should be continued here: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?13...tion-%28HEI%29.

[stevedmc]

Pertronix coils cost about half as much as a Bosch coil -- they are a pretty and INexpensive part.

Lets suppose a person wants to keep their ignition somewhat stock and wants to save money at the same time. Couldn't a persion replace a bad bosch coil with a Pertronix coil (they cost about $40) and leave everything else alone such as plug gap and resistor wiring?

I kept my plug gap stock until I rewired my ignition resistor and everything seemed to be fine. Obviously you wouldn't get a performance boost but it should work just fine.