HPX direct ignition system on 308

good god, DO A SEARCH! Search this and the old archives.

 

Probably easier and less frustrating to remove it and install an MSD or Crane Cams ignition. Then you can go to an optical pickup and forget about points and condensers forever. For about 350 bucks you can't go wrong.

 

I did the Crane Cams with optical trigger on a '74 Dino and it runs like a good swiss watch. Totally eliminated the popping and backfiring.

 

Solly,
The HPX does away with the distributors completely! No caps, or rotors either. His may just need a simple adjustment, I have never heard of complaints with the system.

 

Solly, Dave has an excellent point with the cap and rotor issue. I have only seen one HPX develope problems, and that was on a 308 as well, but was a '79 carb model. I would suggest testing it by placeing an inductive timing light on EACH plug wire, blip the throttle, and note any abnormalities. After tearing out my hair for some time, I found that on #6 and #7, the spark quit upon decelerating after blipping it. The light simply went out. This was the only thing that gave me a positive indication that there was something amiss. After the usual plug wire check, I loosened the coils from the base, and found there to be corrosion between them and the base unit itself, which houses the "brain" portion of the unit As it was the original purchaser's 308, it was quickly replaced @ no charge. I sure know the frustration that you can go thru with it!, as I spent hours trying to sort it out. In dialing it in to your particular 308, i would suggest an hours Dyno time, as they can check fuel mixtires at the same time, which could also have a similar or compounding effect. With Modified motors, such as this one with hi comp pistons, porting, I have ended up moveing the trigger wheel to the trailing edge of the 12th tooth, then dropping the dials down, and working back up, until detonation occcurs. This fools the unit into thinking that the crank is still @ the 11th, but really makes a differance. 2 valve motors, if not too lean seem to like more advance than 4 valves do.
HTH
Kermit

 

Sorry, did not know this system exists. Does it have one coil per spark plug controlled by an ECU like the 360, or some other arrangement that eliminates the distributor?

 

Mine runs like a champ. It's been on the car for 2 1/2 years. Never an issue.

I don't recall the precise settings, (and given the changes to my car these may be less valid for you) but as I recall I run about 15 degrees at idle (3 mechanical plus 12 on the dial), mid to high 20s at 3K and 34 at 5K or thereabouts.

You can get a degree of popping through the exhaust at idle if it is running rich due to the waste spark characteristics of the HPX. Put the idle screws in 1/2 to 1 turn if it persists.

The systems have an excellent reputation and to my knowledge, no one on this board has suffered particular problems with one.
Philip

 

Kermit,
Nice to see you posting F-Chat. Those of us who've been around the modified Ferrari world have respect for your work.

 

"Kermit,
Nice to see you posting F-Chat. Those of us who've been around the modified Ferrari world have respect for your work."


348 Turbo,
I am honored, and I thank you. I do not have the many years around Ferri's as many, but I bring what I can to the thread for the benefit of those like me who are still learning.
Kermit