| Author | Message | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Advanced Member Username: Peter Post Number: 2861 Registered: 12-2000 |
I don't see any point in them either. You can hook the Allisons(Cranes) directly to the coils... | ||
| Richard Ham (Hampappy)
New member Username: Hampappy Post Number: 19 Registered: 2-2003 |
Sorry to harp on about this, but is there any point in having this double set-up? The wiring goes from the triggers in the distributors, to the XR700's and then to the Speedatrons and then to the coils. | ||
| Tom Jones (Ferrarioldman)
Junior Member Username: Ferrarioldman Post Number: 128 Registered: 6-2002 |
This was a classic retrofit to replace bad digiplexes in old 12 cylinder Ferrari's. I have an article somewhere about this that was written 20+ years ago and I did put a set on a 365GT 2+2 a long time ago. One of the main reasons for using 2 units was that if one of the speedotrons went bad you could still run off of the XR700 unit. I used the Speedotrons to replace many bad digiplexes and was even able to put the Speedotron guts in some of the larger digiplex boxes to retain that original look. They were really nice little units. Seem like Speedotron was bought out by Crane later on. Not sure. | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 5271 Registered: 8-2002 |
Paul, I had dropping cylinders, over heated coils (crane ps60, MM), boxes going bad, Car shutting off. Car running hot. Drop in preformance when the car got up to temp. I could go on and on M | ||
| Paul (Pcelenta)
Member Username: Pcelenta Post Number: 350 Registered: 7-2002 |
I have had the XR700's on my car for over 10 years with stock coils and it has performed phenomenally...4 sets of points is ridiculous... Matt what kind of problems did you have? | ||
| Richard Ham (Hampappy)
New member Username: Hampappy Post Number: 18 Registered: 2-2003 |
Philip, you are right, the car came from the US. The air pumps have been removed. I now see the european manual only talks of one set of points, and shows a timing curve exactly the same as the US advanced R1 curve. So that's ok. Not sure I see the point of the XR700's followed by Speedatrons though. thanks RH | ||
| Philip Airey (Pma1010)
Member Username: Pma1010 Post Number: 284 Registered: 7-2002 |
Matt Giovanni at Autosprint in Chicago offers an optical upgrade to replace the points that even the factory authorized dealer's master tech thought was good. One more perspective. | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 5262 Registered: 8-2002 |
I just did the upgrade and had horrible results. I am going back to the factory spec's but with a slight upgrade by make the points a ground rather then a spark. | ||
| Philip Airey (Pma1010)
Member Username: Pma1010 Post Number: 282 Registered: 7-2002 |
Richard Sounds like the distributors were "upgraded" to optical or similar and the XR700s have been added for a stronger spark. On the question of "should you" upgrade -- this one is a bit like religion. Staunch supporters and detractors both ways. I upgraded my 77 gtb to electronic ignition. I wouldn't go back. Mine (an Electromotive unit) works flawlessly. It has some scope for tunability and I've added a MAP sensor for more advance at partial throttle settings. Is it cost effective? Hmm, maybe, maybe not. Count out the cost of replacement of 26 year old wires, rotors, caps etc. A distributor check and rebuild can be had for a couple of hundred dollars for anyone with the appropriate test gear (like Continental in Hinsdale). I run 3 degrees of static advance and 12 degrees vacuum so about 15 degrees of advance at idle. It idles evenly and produces crisp throttle response. Having said that I don't have to worry about emissions testing here in Illinois. The R1/R2 points set up was introduced for US emissions so that the cars stock ran 3 degrees of retard at idle (versus the euro cars 6 degrees or so of advance). After that, the distributor curves are comparable as far as I know [34 degrees at 5K]. HTH | ||
| Richard Ham (Hampappy)
New member Username: Hampappy Post Number: 17 Registered: 2-2003 |
I'm getting to know my 77 308, bought a few months back, but the electronic ignition has me stumped. The 2 distributors have infra-red? triggers in them going off to Allison (Crane?) XR700 units under the coils. Before going to the coils, the wires zip off into the boot to 2 Speedatron units (photo) and then back to the coils. My questions are - Is it normal to have two systems one after the other? The second 'retarded' set of points have obviously also been removed. Don't I need these to give reasonable tickover? Especially as it must pass a tickover emissions test in this country. And finally, what was wrong with the points in the first place? The car (like many ferrari's?) has only done a couple of thousand miles a year. If the only advantage was not having to adjust the points every 5 years, why bother? Or am i missing something?  Thanks for any comments..... Richard |