Any Ideas?

Would like to use basic Crank Trigger and cam trigger sensors but eliminate the computer stuff or use a stand alone triggering box with the same sensors
and ignition MSD.

Tom Vaught

 

Sorry, I'm not quite understanding what you want to do.

You want to use basic crank and cam sensors to trigger an MSD ignition? Does MSD not make a box to do this? They sell those dual-sync distributors now.

The only other thing I can think of is to use EDIS, but you need something to control the EDIS module or else it's stuck at 10* BTDC. Is this for a Carb'd engine or something?

 

How crued are we talking? Instead of a flying magnet type if the crank trigger was a toothed wheel (like GM's LS engines) and an open collector type hall sensor the hall sensor could be directly connected to the MSD's trigger input. This would be every plug firing at each tooth pass.

The next thing up would be a simple set of digital logic to look at the cam sensor and crank trigger and determine the correct plug to fire. This would still not have the ability to advance or retard the timing.

 

Imagine a boat engine with a carb but with coil on plug or coil pack ignition

As you said lots of msd distributor deals with crank triggers and cam sensors.

Looking at coil pack/ coil on plug but with basic electronic timing control

Tom Vaught

 

If I was going to do this and have it be easy as possible (locked timing) I would use a ford EDIS system. They will run without the ECU and do locked timing. Other than that if you wanted to do it with "hard" electronics you need a few things.

The first is you need to know where TDC is, this is usually done with a cam sensor of some sort. With wasted spark you can get away with having something on the crank only. After you know that, you would have a counter that would tell you what cylinder you were firing, with a decoder. After this you would need to take the decoder output and drive the proper coil. LSX coils have the firing stuff built in which is very nice. Keep in mind that this says NOTHING for stuff like Dwell or timing control. That gets a lot more complex.

 

If that's the case, I think your best bet is the megajolt lite/jr.

It's an adaption of the megasquirt hardware, but designed specifically as a stand-alone EDIS controller. Comes in 2 different flavors for TPS or MAP sensor input. Fairly cheap too, $165 for the assembled unit, or $90 for the unassembled. The rest of the parts you can get from the junkyard for cheap.

http://www.autosportlabs.net/index.php?title=MegaJolt_Lite_Jr._Users_Welcome

 

Fuck yeah I was going to get a msd 6010 but i'll wait for the MJ2 witch should be out when I get back from Iraq.