DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Just noticed the update, Ian, nice to get the rolling road figures! Weird about the timing though: can't imagine how the rev counter could affect the timing, unless I suppose it was disrupting the dwell, and therefore the timing ... strange though, not something I would expect. I supoose the the dizzy clamp was nice and tight before the tacho lead was pulled off?

Look forward to seeing it next year (if I pack my passport and venture up north).

Barry

My tacho is making its way to join your CD unit, so maybe Tim could give it a try before pulling it apart to see if he get's the same changes in timing with it in his car?

There may still be something wrong with my CD unit or 'coil' as the engine gets wheezy at the very top end rather than hitting the rev limiter, but it's good enough for now - I've been out and about today for 80 miles in it (a nice day in Yorkshire!) and it really is good fun.

Just imagine what it's going to be like following a rebuild...

Hi Guys,

I am setting up a small test rig, involving the CD box and the Tacho. Coupled to some electronic timing gizmo and and an electric motor. With all this, I hope to be able to test both parts out to beyond max RPM's. I should also be able to see if the Tach pulls the timing out...
I'll let you know.

Ian Donkin wrote:Barry

My tacho is making its way to join your CD unit, so maybe Tim could give it a try before pulling it apart to see if he get's the same changes in timing with it in his car?

There may still be something wrong with my CD unit or 'coil' as the engine gets wheezy at the very top end rather than hitting the rev limiter, but it's good enough for now - I've been out and about today for 80 miles in it (a nice day in Yorkshire!) and it really is good fun.

Just imagine what it's going to be like following a rebuild...

Ian, do you ever head up into North Yorkshire / Yorkshire Dales?

James

I have family friends in Bedale (hence an odd post once on PCGB...), but haven't called in for a while.

They're good friends and it's a great part of the world with some excellent roads so perhaps I should make more of an effort.

I've seen the PCGB weekend runs, but they never seem to fall in with my diary - isn't that always the way.

2005 resolution #1 must be to visit North Yorks more often - I'll let you know well in advance next time I'm up that way!

Regards
Ian

Hi Tim / Ian, will be very interested to see whether tacho can affect timing. That would make it megga red-herring material then: not only affecting upper rev limits, but throwing timing out as well! I would of never even thought of the tacho at all, had it not been for a comment a friend made about general diagnostics, which was to cut out every possible componant from a system, only leaving the bare essentials in order to run the engine.

Ian Donkin wrote:James

I have family friends in Bedale (hence an odd post once on PCGB...), but haven't called in for a while.

They're good friends and it's a great part of the world with some excellent roads so perhaps I should make more of an effort.

I've seen the PCGB weekend runs, but they never seem to fall in with my diary - isn't that always the way.

2005 resolution #1 must be to visit North Yorks more often - I'll let you know well in advance next time I'm up that way!

Regards
Ian

I live in a village quite close to Bedale

Hi Barry - Happy New Year!

If I hadn't been looking over my tech's shoulder whilst he set the timing on both occasions, I wouldn't have believed the difference myself (but nor do I understand how the rev counter can influence the CD unit).

I watched him set the idle to the correct speed first (c. 900 rpm), then check the timing. As he has one of those clever snap-on stobe jobbies, he could dial-in the correction factor to work out how much amiss it was before adjusting the settings.

I also witnessed him using a crowsfoot wrench to tighten the distibutor nut when he'd done, so I'm sure he set it right first time and it was the rev counter causing the change. Interestingly the tickover speed also rose significantly with the rev counter disconnected - this is something I believe you can achieve by moving the distributor [in isolation from anything else].

It'll be interesting to see what Tim finds....

A (hopefully) final update to this saga - I spent the evening at Tim Bennett's (impmad2000) yesterday and it turns out that by driving the tacho from the coil rather than the points (i.e. post CD-box), I have both a fully working tacho and an engine that pulls straight up to the red line (and some way beyond).

I'm sure Tim / Barry will be able to discuss the science behind a coil v points feed at a level well above my understanding, but thought I'd share the outcome with you all, possibly for your own future reference.

Also to acknowledge my thanks to Tim and Barry for their assistance - thanks guys .

So thats one car sorted, Ian ,

erm, can we do mine now ( )

Actually, reading through this thread again, shows that I checked my running without tacho before the MSD went on: I feel a repeat experiment coming on ....