hall triggered ignition

[Andy]

Anyone know of an OE ignition module that is triggered by a hall sensor
in distributor?
I just want to run the signal wire to ignition module to the coil. I
just need it to give me
the correct dwell.

All the cars I've found have a spark control computer, which have
carb/sensor feedback,
and they adjust the timing, which I don't want.

[N. Nelson]

Largely, I think it would depend on *what* you intend on installing this on....
There are a few non-computer controled Hall Effect systems out there.
Off the top of my head, the early Ford Escort TFI systems and the early
Chrysler 4 cylinder (78-79 ish) electronic ignitions were Hall Effect
triggered.

--
Neil Nelson
***********************************
Send Lawyers Guns and Money,
The shit has hit the fan. WZ
***********************************

[Don Stauffer]

A hall effect sensor may not give you what you are looking
for. On many hall effect sensors there is pulse shaping,
and the duration of the pulse is determined by that, rather
than the period the magnetic field is changing.

Further, many modern ignition systems do not work the way
the old coil and breaker point systems did, and the concept
of dwell is inappropriate. While some electronic ignitions
did simply replace the breaker points with a transistor
switch driven by a magnetic sensor, many new systems work on
a much different priniciple.

Andy wrote:
>
> Anyone know of an OE ignition module that is triggered by a hall sensor
> in distributor?
> I just want to run the signal wire to ignition module to the coil. I
> just need it to give me
> the correct dwell.
>
> All the cars I've found have a spark control computer, which have
> carb/sensor feedback,
> and they adjust the timing, which I don't want.

--
Don Stauffer in Minneapolis
stau...@gte.net
http://home1.gte.net/stauffer/

[Steven D. Sharp]

"N. Nelson" wrote:

>
> Largely, I think it would depend on *what* you intend on installing this on....
> There are a few non-computer controled Hall Effect systems out there.
> Off the top of my head, the early Ford Escort TFI systems and the early
> Chrysler 4 cylinder (78-79 ish) electronic ignitions were Hall Effect
> triggered.

I have excellent success using the '81 Escort distributor housing &
reluctor, scrapping the rest and replacing the innards with a new base
plate and MSD billet distributor magnetic pickups routed through GM 4
pin control modules. I have a dual ignition system set up this way, runs
nice!! Spark to the distributor is routed through a MSD automatic coil
selector. The engine is a '95 Subaru Legacy EJ-22 SOHC. I tried using
the magnetic crank position sensor, too noisy, spark was very erratic. I
stuck with the MSD pickups, also wanted spark advance which is on the
distributor (DuraSpark II).

As an aside, if you use the "primary" side of the GM 7 pin control
modules there is some spark advance built in to the circuitry. I tried
using this with the crank position sensor also - idea didn't pan as
planned, back to square 1.

My engine will stay with the MSD pickups for the time being, I have
other projects that need more attention now.

--
Steve Sharp
coz...@earthlink.net
N35 59.72
W083 59 37

[Dave]

Not that this is the answer to your question, but can you retrofit a
pickup and reluctor onto your existing distributor? I've converted a
few GM V8 point type distributors to electronic using Chrysler pickup
coils and Chrysler 8 cyl reluctors. I feed this to an external GM 4
terminal ignition module, works great!

Just a generic question, the only hall sensor dist I know of are from
Chrysler's. Don't think I've seen one with centrifugal weights or
vacuum advance - computer does it all. Does your dist have these?

Dave

[Bob]

Dave wrote:

Dave,
I've been thinking of doing the same thing since an HEI won't fit under my
GS air cleaner. Do you have any details? I assume i could start with a
swap meet Mopar electronic unit for parts.
Thanks
--
Bob La Rocca
Lindenhurst, New York

[Dave]

This is why I didn't put an HEI in, no room.

I went to pep boys and bought a reluctor and magnetic pickup for an
1973 Chrysler V8 (My dad had a 1973 Plymouth Satellite Wagon, V8, 318
cu in with these same parts). Also bought an HEI 4 terminal ignition
module.

Got a GM small block V8 point type distributor, took it apart and put
the point lobes/centrifugal weight mount section on a lathe and cut
down the lobe section unit the outer diameter was a tight slip fit for
the Chrysler reluctor. I put on the reluctor but didn't yet "glue' it
into position since I needed to "time" it so the rotor pointed to the
cap terminal in the right location. I put the shaft back together on
the dist. body.

I took apart the chrysler coil pickup assembly down to the minimum
necessary for mounting and mounted it on the breaker plate, drilling
and tapping the two holes necessary for mounting. I set the spacing
between the reluctor and the coil pickup just enough that I could feel
the reluctor line up with the pickup (due to magnetic pull) as I
rotated the shaft. It was really obvious when the reluctor was
centered on the pickup, and in fact the shaft would rotate to line
itself up when close.

I took the cap that is used for the point style dist and ground an
opening into the side right where one of the terminals were. THis is
so I could see where the rotor was pointing.

Then, by actuating the vacuum advance, and the putting the centrifugal
advance at its two extremes (using the springs, and removing the
springs) I then could "time" the reluctor so that the rotor was
"centered" about the cap terminal even with full advance, no advance,
vacuum advance and no vacuum advance.

I then took the cap off, dribbled some Loktite permanent on the
reluctor and especially in the roll pin hole, drilled through the roll
pin hole into the dist shaft slightly, and lastly installed the roll
pin.

Lastly (for the distributor) you have to set the pickup coil to
reluctor gap correctly using brass feeler gauges (I think it is 0.008"
clearance). Route the wires out, leave slack so that when the vacuum
advance operates you don't kink the wires.

Bolt the 4 terminal HEI module to a hunk of aluminum with heat sink
compound underneath (preferably finned). This heatsink must be
grounded since it serves as the ground terminal for the module.
Ignition +12V goes to the B terminal. The terminal next to it (the C
terminal?) goes to the coil (-) terminal. The other end of the coil
goes straight to ignition +12V. The opposite end of the ignition
module goes to both pickup coil lines. No ballast resistor needed.

Note: There is a polarity for the pickup coil to the ignition module
but it is really easy to find out. The car will run crappy if at all
for the incorrect polarity, and run smooth and normal with the correct
polarity.

That's it! GM HEI 4 terminal modules are fantastic! I've used them
to replace bad ignition modules in a Mazda RX7, a Datsun 200SX (with
the twin plug setup) and have converted two GM point type dist to HEI
using them. Pretty much any car that has a magnetic pickup in the
dist can drive this module. (for the Datsun 200sx, the pickup coil
and ignition module are all in one. I cut into the case and tapped
off the pickup coil leads and routed them out to a GM 4 terminal
module)

Hope this helps.
Dave