123 Ignition distributor.

[Waxer]

Just fitted one to my Bus.

Forgot what I normally time it to first of all so first test drive was a bit flat but once I set it to 7.5 BTDC it drove much better.
Lost the flat spot, smoother accelaration, nice tickover.
Once I've done more driving and set the carbs up a little better I'll report back again on what I've found.

 

[Tofufi]

Is that the version with the vac advance module?

 

[Anonymous]

I've got one of these and love it. What advance curve are you using?

 

[Waxer]

No, I didn't get the vac model as I may end up sticking it on other vehicles and both my cars run twin Dell's so I didn't want the hassle of having to find a vacum supply and pulse valves etc.

I don't know my engine number, its not stamped on, plus the old distributer was an aftermarket replacement so I've left it on the stock "one curve fits all" advance curve.
What are you running?
What do the other advance curves do?
Is it worth experimenting with other ones?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm running on setting 6, I have the vac-advance model.
The curves advance at different rates to simulate the different stock dizzys. Mine is new Mexi engine, and so doesn't really correspond to the numbering in the instructions, so I just changed it until it ran best
Bit of a pain having to take it out, undo the bolts etc. but worth it I think.

 

[Waxer]

Yeah, I think my engine must be a replacement meican engine, it came over in a US bus and was put in the Bus I bought in replacement to the one that was in it that the owner wanted to keep.
Did you do all of them and settled on 6 or did you get to 6, like it and stop?
I need to work on the carbs a bit more before I stuck into advance curve experimenting!!

 

[Anonymous]

I think I tried all of the settings, and 6 was the last
On the vac models the vaccuum settings are also changed depending on which curve you use. I'm also running with twin Dells.

 

[noddy]

really interested in how you get on with this, I think I may have found my birthday present from my wife :lol:

 

[Waxer]

Only two fairly local drives so far but no complaints, drives smoother, pulling well.
I'm tempted, like Ash, to experiment with other advance curves but my Buggy is more important at the moment so working on that more.

 

[Waxer]

Ash, how did you set the timing on your 123?
Did you do it static only or did you time it with a gun?
What did you time it to? 7.5, 5, TDC or something else?
What engine is it on?
Mines at 7.5 BTDC but is feeling a bit retarded, I may set it static again and just see how it does, ignore the gun for a while.

Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

I timed mine with the gun, in the same way I did my stock one: removed the vac line, did 7.5 at idle then checked it was 30 degrees at 3500rpm (ish) not sure if this was right with this one, but it runs well

Just checking out the 123 site, they recommend 7.5 static and 10 at idle.

Its a stock 1600 (new mexican) with twin Dells and 4into1 exhaust.

 

[Waxer]

10 at idle and 7.5 static?
How can you have two different times?
Do you pick one and stick with it?
Mines 7.5 at tickover, I may try 10 at tickover and check what full advance is.
I might just select number 6 on the advances curves as well and see what thats like!!
haha
Cheers

 

[Waxer]

Timed to 10 degrees now.
Running nice.
Its got the new exhaust on now, quiter and a lot smoother.
Happy bunny.

Might save my pennies and buy one for the Buggy.

 

[K@rlos]

I've been hearing alot about these dizzys as of late. thinking of upgrading from my 009, are these deffo worth the money if so who sells them and i bet their cheaper than MSD kits too :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

I got mine herehttp://www.sciperformance.co.uk/onlineshopproducts_53353/cat_19796-123-IGNITION-SYSTEMS.html
I didn't really check out any others. I had just fried my Pertronix and my existing dissy was a cheap copy, so I decided to upgrade, the 123 had vac advance and some good reviews (over on JK forums)

 

[stagger lee]

10 at idle and 7.5 static?
How can you have two different times?
....

you can time it statically, i.e. not running at 7.5 degrees. when the engine starts and is idling you'll have some vacuum so the advance will increase a little to maybe about 10? thats how you can have two.

these are nice items, i run one on my citroen ds, which is the same as the vw injection units. they use the same efi. if you can afford, go for it. but to be honest purely from a spark point of view, you'll do just as well with a mudule to replace the points. no real benefits there, not really.

but if you have a shot dissy all round; vacuum, worn out etc. then these cool.

 

[Clem]

i run one on my citroen ds.

You have a DS? :shock:

8)

 

[stagger lee]

hi mike, yeah i took the plunge about twelve months ago, vw's are cool, but the 'd' is ultimate to me. it's a road going resto and my daily drive untill it gets too nice to use every day.

 

[Clem]

hi mike, yeah i took the plunge about twelve months ago, vw's are cool, but the 'd' is ultimate to me. it's a road going resto and my daily drive untill it gets too nice to use every day.

Awesome. I remember back in the day discussing DS' on kamperchat! I agree entirely.

Mental to think they were made when they were, they must have looked like spacecraft on the roads back then.

 

[stagger lee]

i looked out for one over a year or so and looked at a few. this one came along whilst making routine enquiries; same owner 21+ years, remaining years spent in a barn, came with a van full of spares, literally. very low mileage and rhd 2.3 efi semi-automatic pallas. so the king of d's, or is that queen? downside to all this, it deserves a quality refurbishment/restoration. so all my surplus income and time is going on it at the mo', to the neglect of my van. but every dog has it day, yeah .