Marelli Electronic Ignition

[Southern75]

Hi Guys

Just need some advice on installing a marelli electronic ignition to my sud.

I acquired the set up with the engine i bought and i was just wondering how it is to be wired.

To i connect as per the original coil or what?

Any advice would be welcome!

[Evan Bottcher]

I fitted bosch electronic ignition to my Sud years ago.  It was simply a matter of supplying the original power and earth to the coil/ignition unit, and routing the sensor cable from the new distributor to the ignition unit.  I effectively wired it exactly as the old coil was, except took out the wires for the points.

Now of course I have wires hanging off my coil for fuel pump cut-off, rev limiter, data logger - it looks like a bloody christmas tree!

A slight tangent - a year or more ago I was having troubles which I thought were ignition, we sent the dizzy and coil/ignition to performance ignition to be tested and reconditioned.  It wasn't very expensive in the scheme of things, came back all shiny and nice smelling, and they modified the dizzy to provide a bit more advance.  I was surprised I actually felt the difference in power on my little car.  Not sure where this fits in the $$ per horsepower argument, but if your ignition is suspect I recommend it.

[Southern75]

Hi Evan,

Thanks for your quick reply.

I can tell you for a fact that the dizzy and one of the models is OK, the other ... well it was in a job lot of parts (no these never happen with suds!!).

That being the case it should be easy just hope it fits where the old one was ... i also have to do the fuel pump cut off as well however i was going to run that directly from the oil pressure switch ... bad idea??

I may also have to do something with the tacho myself ... although i would like to continue to use the original one as long as possible .. maybe will fit a shift light though.

What do you reckon?

[Colin Byrne]

i also have to do the fuel pump cut off as well however i was going to run that directly from the oil pressure switch ... bad idea??

The other option is useing a tachometric relay (designed for gas systems) cost about $30 and have the added bonus of primming the pump for a couple of seconds when the power goes on (good far cars that sit around for a while between starts i.e. race cars)

[Evan Bottcher]

That's what's on my car.  At tachometric wotsit.  It's great when I haven't started the car for ages and the carbs are all dry, switch key on for three secs, off, on for three secs, off, on, off, on, then the carbs have fuel again.

[Southern75]

Wow guy's you are a great help.

Just out of curiosity ... where did you mount the ignition module ... mine won't fit where the originial coil was ... bugger

[Evan Bottcher]

Hi Matthew,

The coil and ignition module wouldn't fit on my sud in the original location either.  I moved mine to back of the right-hand strut tower (where the washer bag is), and had to extend the wiring.

cheers,
Evan.

[Southern75]

Did you get rid of the washer bag?

[badsud]

Hi Matthew

on my sud's it sits on the other side an from what i can tell is the original position

slight tangent i was reading on another alfa forum about distridutorless ignition systems for the box motor

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/boxer-engined-alfa-romeos/106227-ditch-dizzy-distributerless-ignition-boxers.html