[T3] electronic ignition question

Max Welton max_welton_2k at yahoo.com
Tue Aug 9 17:24:20 PDT 2011


I guess I'll respectfully offer my own experience here as a counterpoint to Keith's. I don't believe that points-replacement modules are a step towards less reliability.

I've been 100% aircooled since 1999, first in a type-1 KG, then a 63 Baja and now a 68 squareback. Years of daily-driving plus 4 Berg Cruises and numerous desert crossings in August. I've driven these cars in 120ºF and -17ºF. The 2006 Cruise was nearly coast-to-coast (though I didn't go any farther East than Vermont). That's probably over 250,000 miles all told. I still have all three cars. Lost one engine to a broken oil pump.

For the vast majority of those miles I have been using Compufires. Though I actually have points in the squareback right now since I cleverly hooked up the Compufire backwards in March.

So other than self-inflicted human error, the only ignition failure I've had in that time was a 40 year old Bosch coil that croaked on the last Berg Cruise a thousand miles from home at 2 AM in Indio California. The Compufires have been rock solid.

So why do I run them? They're no better than points, right?

They don't degrade with time. They don't have contacts to pit or a rubbing block to wear. Timing doesn't change. They are like having brand-new perfectly adjusted points every single day.

And if I'm chasing a tuning problem, there is one less thing I have to worry about. Because if it's running at all, my "points" are perfect.

So, do I carry a spare module, points, or even a complete distributor? 

No.

At least I haven't so far. And when that original coil failed (Indo CA is apparently where old coils go to die) I was truly stuck until the sun came up.

Max Welton

http://www.maxwelton2k.net/

--- On Tue, 8/9/11, Keith Park <topnotch at nycap.rr.com> wrote:

From: Keith Park <topnotch at nycap.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [T3] electronic ignition question
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Date: Tuesday, August 9, 2011, 5:29 PM

Going electronic is generally a step toward LESS reliability.
First off, the electronic ignitions are aftermarket and not up to the
standards of OEM reliability, and they do generally fail after a couple
years especially with our hotter running engines.

The modern bosch blue coils have a horrible reliability problem, but the OEM
Black coils are virtually bulletproof in a stock kettering system.

Not much simpler than points, condenser and coil... so little to go wrong as
long as you use OEM parts and quality ventilated ignition points.  I change
my points every 15K but they could probably go twice that... but they are
cheap and it takes 2 minutes to change them.

Keith


Top Notch Restorations
topnotch at nycap.rr.com 
http://www.a383ina68.addr.com/radiorest/main.htm
71 Squareback "Hothe"
65 Notchback "El Baja Rojo"
65 Squareback "Eggcrate"
87 golf "Winterat"
93 RX7 "Redstur"


-----Original Message-----
From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org
[mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of Alex
Satala
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 9:45 AM
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: [T3] electronic ignition question

Hello everybody , i have a question about t3 ignition.
Is an electronic ignition that replaces the points better than the classic
setup?
As you all know from my previous posts i am frustrated by the engine turning
off and no power and 
i thought the electronic ignition , new ign coil and cables will make the
difference.
Another question i have is if i can combine the el ignition (a hall sensor
solid state relay i suppose) with 
those electronic boards that drive the ignition coil at high frequency.

p.s. as i was writing i understood (i think) the distributor system and i
think i can make the hall relay myself 
without spending around 80$. i will use cellphone hall sensors ( i hope they
are fast switching).

WBR Alex
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