electrical and ignition 123 Ignition Distributor....any Info Or Personal Experience?

[peterschop]

Carl, I have looked at the Megasquirt/Megajolt with EDIS route and still may do it one of these years. I have a 318i intake manifold and set up sitting in the attic of the barn just waiting to be put together. In the mean time I went with the 123. Much simpler. 

[jimk]

Hey guys, let the 123 distributor guys go on struttin' their stuff.  Try not to hijack the thread.

[NickVyse]

bought, installed, running better than before, well made, very happy with the product. Now for the tuning!

[xferboy]

When the yellow wire is grounded it should be on curve #2

 

Do you have to switch between GND and 12 to swap curves, or can you switch to 12v and float (not connected) to swap? or alternately tie to ground and float the yellow input?

 

ie do you need a Double Pole  Single throw (one side connected 12, the other to GND and the center off to the 123) or can you just have a Single Pole, tied to 12v (similar to a light switch)?

 

I can make up diagrams if required if that would clear things up

 

I want to use my rear defrost switch to switch the curve.  When it's off, it would float the input.  This can always be fixed with a relay, but simpler is better.

 

Thanks

 

Allan

Edited September 17, 2015 by xferboy

[NickVyse]

I didn't find the wiring diagram confusing - if the yellow wire is disconnected (completely) then it reads map 1. If it's connected to a 12v feed it reads map 2. At least that's how I understand it and with the yellow wire temporarily left unattached it's reading map 1. 

[123Ignitionusa]

You don't have to float the Blue wire if that is what your asking. Take it to a permanent ground. When yellow is energized, curve #2 is active. Nick has it right.

[xferboy]

with the yellow wire temporarily left unattached it's reading map 1

 

Thanks, you can float the 'low' signal.  Good to know.

[peterschop]

What NickVyse said. I ran my 123 for about a month before I connected the yellow wire. It just stayed on curve #1. Your rear defrost switch is perfect for switching the yellow wire. I would have used it but it is already being used for another purpose. I did take the 12V from the power side of the rear defrost switch for the yellow wire and then ran it through a single pole switch back to the distributor.  I do like having the switch accessible from the drivers seat, allowing you to switch curves while driving. 

 

Where I found the wiring diagram confusing, it does not show the yellow wire going through a switch to 12V.

[xferboy]

Here is an better wiring diagram that shows the yellow wire better (even though its been explained well above)

 

http://www.big-fat-spark.com/anleitungen/anl-neg-eng.pdf

 

side note: anyone try the big fat spark product?

[Beach_Bum]

Ok guys, help me out here...I finally had some time to hook up my laptop and record some data from the 123. I have a stock M10 with Weber 40 DCOE and IE shorty headers and full stainless exhaust. The car feels pretty good...I still have some occasional hesitation and backfires during low RPM steady cruising, but it pulls hard through the RPM range.

Below are some of the numbers I wrote down while driving today and I've attached a screen shot of my tune settings. Please let me know what you think.

Idle: 1,000 RPM | Advance 13-14 | -.6 Bar

2,000 RPM Cruise: Advance 30 | -4.5 Bar

2,500 RPM Cruise: Advance 32-33 | -.3 Bar

3,000 RPM Cruise: Advance 38-39 | -.1 Bar (too much advance?)

WOT: Advance 39 drops to 33 | 0 Bar (too much advance?)

Edited November 8, 2015 by Beach_Bum

[arminyack]

Ok guys, help me out here...I finally had some time to hook up my laptop and record some data from the 123. I have a stock M10 with Weber 40 DCOE and IE shorty headers and full stainless exhaust. The car feels pretty good...I still have some occasional hesitation and backfires during low RPM steady cruising, but it pulls hard through the RPM range.

 

Below are some of the numbers I wrote down while driving today and I've attached a screen shot of my tune settings. Please let me know what you think.

 

Idle: 1,000 RPM | Advance 13-14 | -.6 Bar

2,000 RPM Cruise: Advance 30 | -4.5 Bar

2,500 RPM Cruise: Advance 32-33 | -.3 Bar

3,000 RPM Cruise: Advance 38-39 | -.1 Bar  (too much advance?)

WOT: Advance 39 drops to 33 | 0 Bar   (too much advance?)

 

 

Exact same trouble I had with a totally stock 1600...fabulous everywhere but sometimes a low RPM cruise stumble. I never got it sorted before the engine teardown

[Beach_Bum]

Exact same trouble I had with a totally stock 1600...fabulous everywhere but sometimes a low RPM cruise stumble. I never got it sorted before the engine teardown

Yeah mine did it a bit when it was completely stock too. It got real bad when I first put the carbs on, but Steve, Zinz, Wolf, etc. really helped me out to get it running better. Then I switched to the 123, and again it was better, but still stumbles and backfires on occasion.

Have you put yours back together yet? If so how's it run now?

[Stevenola]

Sounds like a jetting issue to me.  Have you bumped up your idle jet to the next size to see if that helps?

[arminyack]

Yeah mine did it a bit when it was completely stock too. It got real bad when I first put the carbs on, but Steve, Zinz, Wolf, etc. really helped me out to get it running better. Then I switched to the 123, and again it was better, but still stumbles and backfires on occasion.

Have you put yours back together yet? If so how's it run now?

Still not back together....I just got all the engine parts back from the machinist last week, so reassembly time is upon me!

[downhillwolf]

Had same issues but i drilled second progression hole bigger on mine weber 40DCOE19 and replaced 50f8 with 50f9. And 123tne helped a lot with backspitting but occasionaly at low rpm there comes stumble too...