Section : Ignition and Distributers

Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

Posted By : Peter Lee, 05-Nov-2006, 12:52pm

• Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

  Posted By : Peter Hope, 21-Nov-2006, 10:01am

  Im having the same problems! Just taken me 40 mins and a tow down the road to get my car going. Am picking up a new battery today to see if its due to the higer voltage requirement but am thionking its more to do with timing. Sooooo close to puting the points back!!!! just goes to show.... if it aint broke dont fix it!

  • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

    Posted By : Mark Stradling, 21-Nov-2006, 10:59am

    Vauxhall Vectra battery is much beefier and fits the Spit. battery tray...

• Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

  Posted By : James Fotheringham, 21-Nov-2006, 11:03am

  Stick with it, the Ignitor is a much better system.
  Neither of you mention if you've checked for a spark or not?
  What state is your coil in? Ignitors like a powerful coil, try a Lucas sports coil or the Ignitor coils is yours is old and tired.
  The timing does need to be altered too, I belive its 2-3 degress retard.
  

  • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

    Posted By : Steve Cureton, 21-Nov-2006, 12:47pm

    I agree it's not likely to be the electronic ignition, and I also use a standard coil without problem. The most likely cause is the timing needs to be adjusted. I set mine roughly by fitting a spark plug to number 1 HT lead and earth the electrode against the dynamo bracket, and with the ignition light on turn the engine by hand (using the fan) until I see a spark at the plug. Depending on what model you have you will be able to see if the timing marks at the pulley are roughly where they should be. Works every time.

    • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

      Posted By : Peter Lee, 25-Nov-2006, 09:31am

      Thanks guys, some very useful tips.
      
      As I mentioned I have been running with the ignitor for several years and it had been straight forward to install originally, but not with the new engine.
      
      Steve, I will try your suggestion for setting the timing, this will also confirm a spark is generated from the ignitor. I will try and set it to around 8 degrees to start with.
      
      At some stage I will probably swap to a 12V coil, but it has run fine with the 6V before.
      
      The engine has been quite slow to turn over on the starter, I think this is due to the engine being new and a higher compression after skimming the head.
      
      The car is running quite well at the moment, although I am keeping the revs down while the engine beds in. So far it has completed just over 100 miles since the MOT earlier this month. I still need to sort out the suspension geometry and wheel alignment properly to get the handling back.
      
      I'll let you know how I get on.
      
      Peter
      79 Spit

      • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

        Posted By : Peter Lee, 26-Dec-2006, 01:27pm

        Hi Steve,
        
        At last I found time to sort out the Aldon Ignitor this morning, warmed up the car before I started and followed your instructions.
        
        I connected a plug to no1 lead and earthed it against the alternator. As the engine is still a bit stiff I rotated the distributor instead of the engine (after setting the engine to about 8deg BTDC).
        
        I got a decent spark, but the engine still would not fire, tried the same method with the standard points and the engine fired, proving the method is correct.
        
        I tried the Ignitor again and noticed I could only get a spark when rotating the distributor anti-clockwise, where as with the points I got a spark in both directions.
        
        More to the point, rotating the distributor anti-clockwise simulates the rotor arm rotating clockwise - which it doesn't.
        
        Conclusion, with the rotor arm rotating in an anticlockwise direction I do not get a spark which is why the engine doesn't fire.
        
        At the moment I don't why I only get a spark in one direction, any ideas. I know the system relies on a simple hall switch activated by a ferrite rod, the device is basically quite simple.
        
        Peter
        

        • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

          Posted By : Mathew Roberts, 26-Dec-2006, 05:40pm

          Are both wires from the aldon conected correctly to the negitive and positive conections?

        • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

          Posted By : Steve Cureton, 27-Dec-2006, 09:03am

          I cannot explain why the Aldon only sparks in one direction but maybe it's designed that way, the fact it creates a spark is a good sign. You say you got a spark but it wouldn't fire; I wouldn't have expected the engine to fire while you're just turning the distributor, I know mine doesn't do that and I'd be very concerned if it did in case it fires up while my hands are by the fan belt! The fact you get a spark from both units suggests to me the timing needs to be adjusted. Take a note of the current settings so you can put it back if necassary, then turn the dizzy until the spark coincides with the correct timing marks for your engine.
          
          Good luck
          
          

          • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

            Posted By : Peter Lee, 29-Dec-2006, 10:02am

            Hi Steve,
            
            Sorry didn't mean to confuse you, you are of course right, the engine will not start just by turning the distributor. For one the engine is not being cranked and two, the spark is outside the engine. The only danger is getting an electric shock from the HT circuit.
            
            After setting the Ignitor as you suggested I tried starting the car by the key in the normal way but it will not start. The problem does seem to be that there is no spark generated when the rotor arm rotates in the correct direction.
            
            I have been doing some further investigation - the Ignitor seems to be a simple solid state hall switch, it should be normally closed and only open when the ferrite cores comes close to it. Opening the switch interupts the circuit causing a collapse of the magnetic field generated in the coil so providing in the region of 20000 volts to the HT circuit, so giving the spark. It should make no difference which way the the ferrite rod passes the hall switch.
            
            Witht the standard points I get a spark if I rotate the distributor in either direction, showing that the magentic field collapses whent he points open in either direction. as it should.
            
            One possible cause could be too large a gap between the ferrite and the ignitor, but then it shouln't work at all.
            
            I plan to take the Ignitor into work next week and get one of the electronic guys to look at it
            
            Peter

            • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

              Posted By : Ian Mulford, 29-Dec-2006, 10:45am

              Bin it, stick with points. That's what I did and have had no problems since.

              • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

                Posted By : Steve Cureton, 29-Dec-2006, 11:08am

                I have to disagree, I changed to electronic ignition ages ago and haven't looked back since, better performace and reliabilty were immidiatley obvious. Mind you, I do carry the old point in the glove box just in case ...

              • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

                Posted By : George Ralph, 29-Dec-2006, 12:33pm

                The ignitor is normally extremely reliable. Of course, if you had bought it direct from Pertronix (see Traders & Suppliers links) , you would have paid less and been able to avail yourself of the excellent customer support from Carl. Not helpful I know, but have you tried Aldon?

                • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

                  Posted By : Peter Lee, 29-Dec-2006, 06:30pm

                  Thanks Ian, but I am firmly in the electronic ignition camp, in fact I may consider a distributorless system with programmable advance in a couple of years time.
                  
                  I fitted the ignitor some 4 years and 40Kplus miles ago, it is similar to a Sparkrite system I used in the early 80's. As Steve said the improvment in overall performance was well imediate and worth while, smoother running and better top end power. My only problem is getting it to work again after a 12 month lay-up and an engine rebuild. But I do understand some of us prefer points.
                  
                  
                  Nice car George, I bought my ignitor from the club some years ago, I don't know yet what Aldon support is like. If I need to replace it I will shop around now.
                  
                  Peter

                  • Can't get my Aldon Ignitor working

                    Posted By : Peter Lee, 07-Jan-2007, 06:01pm

                    I finally got the Aldon Ignitor working today, it was a timing problem. Turned out I couldnt rotate the distributor far enough to find the correct timing point, the vacuum advance being in the way. Sounds easy but I had to rotate the distributor much further than I would have expected, and I could not have done it without a test lamp.
                    
                    During the week I bench tested the ignitor using both 12V and 6V supplies and a test lamp between the black wire and the power supply, this proved the ignitor was working, the lamp going out when the sleeve was rotated in both directions.
                    
                    
                    Today I reinstalled the ignitor, checked there was a 0.025 inch gap between the sensor and sleeve, I connected a 12V lamp between the black wire and the coil. I set the engine to 8deg BTDC on no1 cylinder and the sleeve and the sensor aligned as per the instructions. When I turned on the ignition the lamp was out, turning the distributor anti-clockwise the lamp came on, turning it clockwise the lamp went out, I continued turning the distributor clockwise about a quarter of a turn futher but the lamp did not come on. I couldnt turn the distributor any more because the vacuum advance mechanism fouled on the engine.
                    
                    I removed the distributor and rotated the drive gear so I could rotate the distributor further. I repeated the setup and was now able to rotate the distributor far enough for the lamp to extinguish. I used this point to set the distributor, Hey presto the engine fired first time. I then set the timing by strobe. The thing that threw me was the amount of rotation required.
                    
                    
                    For those not convinced about electronic ignition. I now have rock steady timing under the strobe, I have smooth idling and the pinking I was experiencing under load has disappeared.
                    
                    By the way I also fitted a modern hi torque starter motor from Canley Classics today. What a difference, instead of the engine cranking very slowly and me wondering if the engine is going to fire (I had to give up one recent cold day, the engine was cranking far too slowly and the engine just wouldn't fire)
                    
                    Now I turn in the ignition, the engine bursts into life almost imediatly.
                    
                    Thanks for everyones assistance.