Remote ignition module

[Quinten]

Hi,

I'm helping out a friend with a Westfield SEiGHT who suffered from an unfortunate wire melting incident and needs it rewiring. The original loom was a butchered Land Rover loom, but this time we're fitting a Westfield chassis loom and an V8 engine loom as supplied by John Eales.

A mystery I am faced with is the remote ignition module fitted that has a 3-pin econoseal connector.



The distributor however has got a 2-pin econoseal connector.



Anyone know a little more about these remote ignition modules?

[paul c]

I have a couple of them, I took out of 96 3.9 discovery's that I parted out. My 110 has one fitted to its 3.9.

[Quinten]

This is also a 3.9. Do you think you can

1) confirm that I should be connecting the 3-pin to the 2-pin
2) confirm what the wiring should be

?

[DaveEFI]

The third pin in very likely for a screen which would only be connected at one end, as it's also connected to ground - but you need to avoid current flow through it.

[paul c]

My memory is a bit vague on details since it was 12 years since I fitted it so will have to check in the morning. Google search brought up a few things, it was a lucas kit, I think Dab118 was the number.

[paul c]

I think Dave is correct, looking at one of my spare modules the middle terminal of the 3 pin plug is earthed to the heatsink.

[Quinten]

Thanks, that would just leave me to find out what pin 1 (left) and pin 3 (right) on the remote ignition module go to on the 2-pin distributor connector. Given that the distributor's connector has two black wires into it, I suspect it may not matter, but would be good to know for sure...

[DaveEFI]

Two wires means most likely a VR sensor. Depending on the design of the electronics, the polarity may or may not matter. But you won't damage anything. If any signs of a misfire, swap them over.

It would be safest to use a twin screened cable. This may be difficult to find at an auto cable supplier, but that used for balanced microphones - often called XLR cable - is ideal. And comes in a variety of colours. A local music shop that sells guitars and mics etc should sell it by the metre. Or Ebay, etc.

[Quinten]

I think you're right Dave, and it was my assumption that the ignition amplifier/module drove the distributor, but it is the other way around



The 2-pin connector ends up sensing the windings and then feeding the 3-pin with the signal. On closer inspection of the ignition amplifier/module I can see that the middle (black) wire just connects to a screw on the metal panel, so that one just needs to connect to the car's ground. And then the red and blue wires can just connect to the 2-pin connector.

[DaveEFI]

Yes - a VR sensor generates an output when a magnetic material (steel etc) passes it. When this is a toothed wheel, it generates a signal similar to a sine wave (bit like AC) which varies in frequency and level with speed. The electronics have to be designed where to trigger on this signal, so usually the crossing point between rising and falling. But there are two per cycle, hence the polarity may matter.

[Quinten]

Just to close the topic. It did matter which way around the wires ended up between the remote module and the distributor. We tried both ways, and the wrong way it ran as if it was skipping an ignition cycle, i.e. lumpy. Reversing the wires and she purrs like a kitten again

[Devonrod]

I am doing this, can you tell me what way round the wires go from the module into the plug on the dissy please, I have made up a screened cable with blue and red cables the same as the remote module end, with a three pin econoseal plug that end, I need to know which of the two black lead coming from the dissy pick up goes where ? see photo, thank you.

[Quinten]

Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of the end result, and the car is no longer in my garage. We ended up testing it both ways around by crimping the terminals on, but not pushing the terminals into a connector body yet. When they are the wrong way around, the car will run, but not smoothly. When they are the right way around, the car will run as normal (providing you've got everything else running right!).

I can ask the owner for a picture, but this may take a while...

[DaveEFI]

That really is the answer with a VR sensor. The output is approx a sine wave. The electronics trigger on a pre-determined part of the waveform. So if it runs correctly, the polarity is correct. If it doesn't, reverse them.

[Devonrod]

Thanks Dave and Quinten, solved the problem thanks to Denis Perrott ( " Devonman" on here ) he suggested I looked at a dissy with the module on the side and trace the wires, for everyones future reference see picture.