Putting in my electromotive FINALLY!

Thanks Birdman I knew you would have the answer

I guessed it would as they should come apart pretty easily.

I've never heard of grease being used before.

 

Pete,

The 2 part plug seperates - do not take it completely apart. You can then insert the wires. Also, for the second DFU connection, you may find small black plastic plugs in the holes where the wires go - use a paper clip to push the plugs out so you can install the wires. Grease not necessary if you are putting the unit inside the passenger compartment. The grease is for weather protection.

 

Thanks Paul for the info.

I don't know whether to start an 'Electromotive Help Thread', purely for troubleshooting etc..., what do you other xdi owners think??

 

Are there any issues in mounting the Xdi and tach box side by side. I couldn't find any orblem with it in the instructions. For neatness I would like to mount them both on a carbon plate where I removed the back seats and I wasn't sure about any signal interference between the two?.

 

I found this really tight when I just tried to push it on, did you have this problem?. I didn't want to force it, I was wondering whether to rub a bit of oil round the inside of the trigger wheel before trying again.

 

When Paul and I mounted the XDi and tach box, we put the right next to each other in the trunk. The XDi is pretty heavily shielded, so it should not be an issue.

Had trouble with the timing wheel also. Called Nick and he suggested sanding the damper if it would not slip on. I first tried some silicone spray, but that didn't quite do it, so I used some 400 grit emery cloth and sanded the damper to remove some of the paint. I had to get down to bare metal. If you do that, I'd suggest, once the ring is mounted in the right spot, use some Rustoleum paint and coat the damper to prevent rust. Just don't paint the teeth on the timing ring.

 

Mine went on easily. I know this is a stupid question, but do you have all the set screws backed off enough? (Hey, I know it's an obvious question, but never hurts to ask!)

Birdman

 

No I checked that first, but it is the side without the grub screws that pushes on first, so the grub screws would be the last part on.

I would guess that I can get it on about 1mm then its tight.

 

Has anyone come up with the optimum timing for the 78-79 USA 308? Also an elementary question, what Ohm reading should be expected on Taylor ignition wires?

 

I am considering changing to an electromotive ignition on my 1977 308 GTB, California car.
I always have a hard time getting the stock set up to pass smog.
Does any one out there using an electromotive system get through SMOG with little or no problem???
I would like to hear any ideas!
Roger 4RE4FUN

 

My xDI controller is mounted in the trunk area on the left hand side. Plenty of room and a short distance to the DFUs.

 

Rodger last I checked the electromotive wasn't a CA legal mod... That being said it would depend on the tech doing the inspection and whether he has any idea what he is looking at. I have one of Nick's kits that I have yet to install...I was thinking I would put it on after my next inspection (Oct this year) and then see what they say in 2014 when I go back... I had thought of trying to disguise it's use by leaving the distributors installed (Rotors pulled) and running the wires to a dummy block below the coil packs so it looks less modified (than pulling and blocking off the distributors).

 

Before "throwing in the towel" you might tell us what else you've done in attempt to pass. Lots of savvy 308 owners here in CA.

 

Being an East Coaster, this just sounds really odd. All you are doing in replacing the distributor driven spark timing with an electronic pickup on the crank damper, effectively. Assuming that you set up the Electromotive for essentially the 'stock' timing curve, the fact that is is an electronic rather than mechanical spark system with direct coils shouldn't change the smog emissions on the car. If you have your CATS in place, air pump, and all the other polution equipment, why would going from a mechanical to an electronic ignition system be illegal????

Just curious, and thankful I don't have to deal with all that CA stuff.

 

Your lucky...here in the Republic of California if it doesn't have a California Air Resources Board "CARB" executive order number it is illegal... A smog guy once told me that they don't want it too easy to change the distributor timing.....

From the TEC3 installation manual
Legal Disclaimer
Electromotive Products are designed to be used on off-road vehicles that may
never be used on a highway. These products are not emissions exempt, and do
not carry a CARB E.O. number.

 

It's not the ignition timing that's the problem, it's the fuel injection that is the issue. changing the fuel delivery is where CARB gets involved. the other idiotic thing in this state is that the CARB# is required for parts if you want them to meet the on highway use, but it's not strictly restricted to 'smog eq.'

 

Wiring in my tach adaptor tonight - it runs off switched 12v (running off the same line used for the brain and relays that powered the old coils).

Did anyone place in inline fuse to the tach adaptor? If so, how man amps. I will have a 2amp inline fuse before the brain.

I have searched around the web and cant see any reference to fusing it the tach adaptor, but wondering if its good practice. Thanks.

 

i just finished making and installing an aluminum shield for the grill on the engine cover to cover the coil pack (the ecu is in the trunk). basically all i needed was a sheet to cover the front left portion of the grill since the coils are mounted in the same space as the originals (81 gtsi) i had an electromotive spark/fuel injection unit in my 635 bmw and the coil pack looks identical. beware, it was very sensitive to getting wet (as in sparks and death). like birdman i avoid driving in the rain but i feel a lot better if i get caught in a summer shower knowing the coils won't get wet. if i wash the engine i cover the coils with a plastic bag. afterwards i blow dry the coils just in case. jon s

 

Hello,

I am finally installing my Electromotive after 8 months sitting on dust. Question, the engine is in PM and I aligned the 11th tooth of the trigger wheel with the sensor. I also moved the trigger wheel more to the middle of the sensor. Something else that I need do here?

Thanks for the help..
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Several comments: The sensor should be aligned with the Trailing edge of the 11th tooth. keep in mind each timing wheel tooth represents 6 degrees of timing.
Once you VERIFY the setting with a timing light, set each set screw around the timing wheel with Loctite. BYW, if you find the timing off, you can correct that in the software.
Also, make sure the engine ground strap is properly installed. If questionable, add another one on the other side of the engine.

Any issues, post them. There are several Fchat members with extensive Electromotive installation experience.

 

Pad: thanks for your reply. Will continue with this project next weekend and post results.

 

So I would like to give an update on living with my Electromotive for the last 14 years. Yes this thread is from 2006! It has mostly been flawless. The extremely strong spark it puts out has eaten through three sets of wires and two sets of plug extenders. On this last set of wires, I gave up on the plug extenders as a weak point in the ignition and put the wires straight to the plugs. I have switched to Iridium plugs. They are way better than standard plugs. Every time I start getting that funny sound/vibration that the car is not running on all 8, I know there is something amiss with the ignition. It usually is a wire has gone bad, or a plug extender is arcing. Last week it happened again, I replaced all the wires, got rid of the plug extenders for good and the issue was still there. Did a little testing and discovered that it appears one of the coils of my XDI is bad. (It's putting out spark but the sparks appear "random" rather than regular like the sparks from the other coils--meaning, it's missing some sparks here and there). I'm hoping it is as simple as a bad coil, because if not, it's the brain. So I have ordered a replacement coil ($69) and will report back. Even if it has a flaky coil...it has been installed for 14 years.

Honestly I expected when I installed the system that the trigger wheel would not want to stay. But it has not moved.

My biggest takeaway from this system is that between the strong spark and the waste spark which sparks the thing twice as often, you go through wires. Use quality THICK wires (I'm using 10.5 mm now) and expect to replace them every 3-5 years when the car starts acting up. And lose the plug extenders. They were just not designed for the voltages that this thing generates.

Birdman

 

So, during the 14 years you drove the car with the XDI, what are your thoughts? Other than going through wires and extenders, any other positive or negative items to note?

 

Thanks for the update! What is your source for the wires, and how are you attaching them to the plugs without extenders?

Thanks,
Gordon

 

The system has been rock solid honestly. Starts right up, runs great. Every couple years I get a misfire and now I have learned it's because the damn thing is just so powerful that it kills wires and extenders. Took me a while to learn that. I spent one summer chasing a misfire for a month until I realized I had a plug extender that was arcing. Lose the plug extenders. They just were not designed to cope with this much juice.

I just bought some thick silicone wires with pretty long boots on them to reach down into the spark plug wells.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L2LW126/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They are a tad longer than necessary but work fine. Since the extenders connect to the plugs with the threaded terminals removed and the new wires require the terminals, you will either need a new set of plugs or to rustle up a set of those little terminals for the top of the plugs.

Birdman