Installing an EDIS ignition

[Washout]

Does anyone know the recommended gap between VR sensor and the 36-1 tooth wheel? I've started mocking up the EDIS on a spare engine. I've mounted the 36-1 wheel to the front pulley and now I'm building the mount for the VR sensor. I read the stuff at megasquirt and found no reference to this gap.

[2 Fast 4 U]

I would say a close as possible, and then check carefully if it doesn't touch the 36-1 wheel.

[jordan]

The recommended gap is 1mm (0.0393701" and for all practical purposes 0.040" will be fine).....good luck.

[Washout]

Thanks Jordan, that's what I was looking for.

[Washout]

The first challenge was how to mount the 36-1 gear to the front pulley and get it centered. I started out with a slice off of a 7 inch diameter round stock aluminum. After trueing it on the lathe I relieved it .375 to just allow the 36-1 gear to be forced into the relief. I then drilled and then machined the center hole to the same dimensions as the front pulley's hub. In this way both parts are forced to the center. I then used a bolt to secure through the pulley and the machined housing, pulling the two parts together. They were then tacked together for the rest of the mock up process. Once I get the final alignment worked out between the VR sensor and the missing tooth I'll make the final welds.

[Washout]

Once I was sure the fit-up tool I made was true I continued to make the mount for the VR sensor. Using the two holes in the timing chain cover I used two pieces of aluminum to make the mount. I wanted to have some adjustment in the VR sensor to be sure that I could get it properly timed. I used an air gap of .040 between the trigger wheel and the VR. I used 4-70X12 allen head screws for the mounting of the two plates. Once the fitting was complete I powder coated the pieces. The last step was to refit the 36-1 gear in proper position to the VR sensor. Using a printable degree wheel I positioned 0 on the degree wheel at the VR and located the missing tooth at 90 degrees. Spinning the engine using the starter produces an AC voltage of 2.5v from the VR.

[jordan]

It looks like a nice set up, I'm sure it will work great. I will post pictures of my modified pulley soon, as it is almost done. What I did was very similar to your method.

[Washout]

Finished the setup today, set the 36-1 gear per the instructions on the Megasquirt website. Wired all the EDIS components together and installed them on my mock up engine. Marked my front pulley at TDC and tested the setup. Using a timing light I confirmed the system was firing strong and steady at 10 degrees BTDC as advertised. Bead blasted the 36-1 gear/pulley and powder coated. I expected to have to remove the powder coat from the top of the teeth on the 36-1 gear but it was unnecessary as the unit fires fine even with the powder coating on the gear. I plan to install my megasquirt II controller and control the ignition alone while I work on the fuel injection side of this project. I assembled the MSII this past week and found it very easy to build. The guys at DIYautotune are top notch! Next the fuel injection.

[simplemind7]

Originally Posted by Washout I assembled the MSII this past week and found it very easy to build. The guys at DIYautotune are top notch! Next the fuel injection.

yeah its very simple, i just assembled one of their kits too, an MSII V3... though not for an opel. doing it to my nissan 240sx, i'm going to use the same EDIS system, though i'm going to try to control it with the factory cam angle sensor in the distributor since i don't have any precision equipment to mount the 36-1 wheel perfectly.

project looks very good, best of luck with it and keep us updated.

[Washout]

Originally Posted by simplemind7 i just assembled one of their kits too, an MSII V3... though not for an opel. doing it to my nissan 240sx,

Our setups will be very similar! I'm using a 60mm throttle body from a 240SX on my opel manifold with the EDIS.

[Washout]

Over the long weekend I installed the EDIS setup on my GT. It started immediately in the "limp-home" mode prior to installing the Megasquirt controller. Timing was exactly 10 degrees BTDC as advertised.

Next I installed the Megasquirt controller and relay board. The hard part was finding a good location for the ECU under the dash, kinda tight in there. Once installed I made the PIP and SAW connections to the relay board and fired the car up. Within a few minutes I had the Ignition advance programmed. This is a learning process but progressing nicely. I'll need to make some runs now to fine tune the advance. This gives me a chance to drive the car while learning to modify the ECU control parameters before installing the Fuel injection.

Next I begin the mock-up of the fuel injection. I've already completed the tank mods for injection. Added baffles and a return line.

[jordan]

I started to modify a distributor (thanks mike) so it can basically just spin the oil pump so I cut the shaft and the part of the top if the distributor off. I now have to make a decision if it is best to use both bushings of the housing for the shaft (the tacky way) or would it be adequate to cut all the way down to the lower line and only use the lower bushing. To me this lower bushing seems tight and secure enough, but I just figured I would get some more input. If I do that I plan on cutting the shaft slightly below that level I would make a disk shaped plate and screw it to the existing area below the second line just to seal it. Thoughts?

[Paul]

Jordan

You may be over complicating things. I just went down to the hardware store and bought a piece of 1/4 steel rod about 18 inches long. On one end I ground a couple of flats using my bench grinder. The other end easily fits in any 1/4 to 3/8 hand drill......

[jordan]

Originally Posted by Paul Jordan You may be over complicating things. I just went down to the hardware store and bought a piece of 1/4 steel rod about 18 inches long. On one end I ground a couple of flats using my bench grinder. The other end easily fits in any 1/4 to 3/8 hand drill......

This isn't going to be used to prime the oil pump as a temporary tool, this is a constant component. The only purpose of this modified distributor is to facilitate the movement of the oil pump while the engine is running as the electronic distributorless ignition system does not require the distributor, and an electric fuel pump must be used. So mainly for aesthetics I am cutting the top of the distributor off and I was curious as to if just the lower bushing only would be sufficient.

[RallyBob]

Jordan, I recently modded a distributor for the same usage. I cut it pretty much halfway between the lines you showed in your photo. I originally made one cut down to the lower line...then realized there was no 'center' to locate the distributor hold-down bracket from moving around.

So the second housing I cut half-way, then ran a tap into the top and threaded a 1/2" hex-head pipe plug to seal oil from leaking.

I felt that one bushing would be fine, there is no fuel pump pushing on the lower cam anymore, and there are no side loads at the top of the distributor shaft either...should be okay. It's just there to drive the oil pump.

Bob

[Washout]

I cut mine off at the lower bushing and then welded a plug on the top of the old housing. So far I've run mine about 500 miles without any issues and that makes a nice clean set-up. I could have cut it off flush with the lower plate but left about 3/8 of an inch sticking up as a locator for the hold down. I'll look for my pictures and post one as soon as I can.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by jordan This isn't going to be used to prime the oil pump as a temporary tool, this is a constant component.

Sorry, I didn't understand your intensions. I guess I was under-complicating things

[jordan]

I got the pulley back from the machinist finally and all looks well. I cut a piece of round steel stock (I don't recall the diameter) I then had the machinist bore a hole in the center and a .200"x.200" counter bore to allow for welding and face the would be 'inside' of the steel billet. I then welded the steel billet onto the pulley shaft (yes Bob I realize my welds are 'cut in' ) Then it went back to the machinist to to face the front so it runs true to the shaft and turn it to the finish diameter with .005" for the interference fit (I may still tack weld in a few places) and a small lip around the perimeter so the trigger wheel will fit on square. This whole process was probably overkill and not worth it for what it is, but I never want to have an issue with it. I also have a speedi sleeve for the pulley shaft.

[Washout]

Jordan,
That's going to be really clean installation, nice. I'm a little concerned that the flange may rub on the timing chain cover, it's really tight behind the pullley. I'm sure you already checked that though. As far as the missing tooth, it's placement is critical and will be based on where you mount the VR pickup. It has to be exactly 90 degrees past the VR with number one cylinder set to TDC. My post # 6 above shows the proper missing tooth position based on where I mounted the VR (last picture). Looking good!

[jordan]

Originally Posted by Washout Jordan, That's going to be really clean installation, nice. I'm a little concerned that the flange may rub on the timing chain cover, it's really tight behind the pulley. I'm sure you already checked that though. As far as the missing tooth, it's placement is critical and will be based on where you mount the VR pickup. It has to be exactly 90 degrees past the VR with number one cylinder set to TDC. My post # 6 above shows the proper missing tooth position based on where I mounted the VR (last picture). Looking good!

It's close, but it clears. Thanks for the set up info, where did you find the printable degree wheel?

[Washout]

Try this link for a printable degree wheel.

http://www.fastcushman.com/wheel.jpg

or

http://savetheledges.org/test/AVS/im...egreeWheel.png

[jordan]

Here is the distributor...or what's left of it. I bored the roughly .670" hole up to 23/32" (.718) and then tapped for a 1/2" 14 NPT brass pipe plug (thanks for the idea Bob.) Couldn't have been much easier.

[Senen]

Great work guys. I'm going down this road as well and will reference these pages as I go. I can't get into a full EFI conversion on the GT just yet, so I'm going with a simple MegaJolt/EDIS and Weber for now. My MSII is destined for another project and I'll take what I learn on that and apply it to the GT down the road.

Has anyone settled on a satisfactory timing map yet? If so, posting your Megasquirt or Megajolt config file would sure be appreciated...

Senen.

[wrench459]

ok I'm going to bite on this one
why go to a high K/V ignition system? like the mega-jolt?
unless were going lean with higher voltages (lean is mean)

[Senen]

I suppose each will have their own reasons, but here are mine:

- programmable timing curve
- crank trigger more precise than cam/dist
- more spark energy
- fun experiment, to be different, learn something

I have the Pertronix installed now and it works better than my points ever did, but I have a feeling it could be better (probably because I'm using a bastardized incorrect VW version).

I have other projects planned, so what I learn will be applied there.

Senen.