The V8 Owners Forum -

I may sound silly asking this but I'm new to all this, is there a budget way of converting a 3.5 low c/r motor on a carb to distributorless ignition without breaking the bank?

Depends what you class as budget..

Easiest way is a trigger wheel, EDIS 8 and 2 Ford coil packs. Then a Megajolt if you want 3d programmable ignition. The EDIS will give you static 10 deg advance without the MJ.

Theres places sell these in kits, however I found my EDIS8 on the USA ebay and it only cost me $18 inc postage. Found the coil packs in the scrapyard along with the bits of wiring and the crank sensor.

I reckon on about £200 for that setup, most expensive bit is the MJ.

I did much the same - imported an EDIS8 unit and VR sensor with pigtails and also the pigtails and caps. for the coils from the US. Cheaper than they usually make on Ebay.
Coils from a scrappie - and get some plug leads too. It's quite easy to re-use the connectors with just new plug leads, bought by the metre. I bought the trigger wheel new - much easier to get one designed for an RV8 that mess about with a generic one.

As regards the ECU, you might consider a MegaSquirt, which can be used ignition only - giving you the choice to go injection at a later point, if you wish to. Plenty available used, unlike MegaJolt. And lots of (free) support.

Hi
if you go for the later megasquirt you don't need the EDIS you drive the coils directly. This is how I have done mine. Personally at the price of new Ford 4 post coil packs I would buy new but that is really just because I don't like getting mucky!
Best regards
Mike

kiwicar wrote:Hi
if you go for the later megasquirt you don't need the EDIS you drive the coils directly. This is how I have done mine. Personally at the price of new Ford 4 post coil packs I would buy new but that is really just because I don't like getting mucky!
Best regards
Mike

You can, but the costs go up. You can buy an MS1 V3 for about £200 used, which is comparable to a stand alone ignition only unit. Although an MS2 at about £250 used would be my choice. FWIW, I've bought quite a few used MS off Ebay, and they've all been just fine - unless otherwise stated, or said to be 'as is'.
Used prices for MS2 have dropped now the MS3 is here.

The beauty of EDIS is it's extremely reliable, and easy to install. Setting up the VR input on an MS for directly driven coils seems to often give grief.

And the advantage of the EDIS is if anything goes wrong with the ECU it will still run at a static 10 deg advance (limp home mode)

V8Developments fitted a Megajolt system for me,



Martyn.