240 to electronic ignition

[woytovich]

I sent you a PM but frankly I like your set-up best...

[7T1240]

If you go with the 280ZX / E12-80, you might want to go to a wrecking yard and see if you can snag the "T" shaped 2 wire connector that plugs into the module itself. The wires runs from the distributor to the driver's side fender well, and will probably be encased in some wire loom (you can grab that too.) Cut it at 2 feet or longer, and you'll have plenty. Then you attach ring clips on the cut ends for the dizzy connection.

Gary S.

[conedodger]

In the Porsche world, no one would dream of using a Pertronix unit without a set of points in the glove box. I am not sure exactly why, but they seem to leave people stranded regularly.

I love my Mallory on my 914 but they are the best possible solution there if you aren't going to aftermarket EFI with crank triggered ignition. I am not at all sure that is the case with Z cars, though I trust Carl's assessment because it is Carl. I would love to see the same performance data I have seen with the Mallory and the 914.

The Euro distributor is elegant because it is new and stockish... Much of our collective ignition problems are related to age and wear I suspect.

[woytovich]

If you go with the 280ZX / E12-80, you might want to go to a wrecking yard and see if you can snag the "T" shaped 2 wire connector that plugs into the module itself. The wires runs from the distributor to the driver's side fender well, and will probably be encased in some wire loom (you can grab that too.) Cut it at 2 feet or longer, and you'll have plenty. Then you attach ring clips on the cut ends for the dizzy connection.

Gary S.

I am hoping to score these parts... buy them or at a pick-n-pull I hope to get to soon... I saw some info regarding the early 280ZX distributor upgrade so I have something to work with - it mentioned the wire connector.

In the mean time I need something to use to get the engine running (for the first time since 1985) as it is missing the coil...

Mark

[Arne]

In the Porsche world, no one would dream of using a Pertronix unit without a set of points in the glove box. I am not sure exactly why, but they seem to leave people stranded regularly.

I've heard the same issues with the E12-80 modules. I know of at least three that have failed here in the Pacific NW over the past couple of years. When I had the ZX dizzy on my car, I carried a spare E12-80 too.

I ditched my E12-80 dizzy after I got fed up with the advance curve on it, and after the E12-80s failed on several friend's cars. If I have similar problems with the Pertronix, I'll just go back to points. The benefits of electronic ignition for a very stock L24 used as a weekend tourer aren't important enough to me to put up with failures. I've dealt with points for decades, it's not hard.

[sblake01]

Maybe I'm just lucky but I never had a problem with an E12-80 dist. I owned my 810 for 6 years and it had the one the was in it when I bought it. I even carried a spare module in the glove box but I never had to use it.

[Arne]

The only time I used my spare module was when I gave it to EScanlon when his died suddenly and without warning at Canby in 2008.

[7T1240]

I had previously tried a E1280 module dizzy and it just did not work for me.Module went out ( it was old when it went in) and you either get another one out of the junk yard if you can find one or fork out $300.00 plus for a new one.

The module may be $300.00 new from Nissan, but can actually be had at a number of aftermarket suppliers for $85.00 or less:

http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS354&q=1979+nissan+280ZX+ignition+module&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=qDkDS7OEOoKutQOh0L3nDw&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCMQrQQwAA

[Z-Luke]

Is this to which you guys are referring?

http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/PEIC10/12-4020

Seems to come with the ignitor and the coil but not a distributor itself. I would like to get a brand new unit as I think I have some serious ignition issues I need to weed out. I'm going to replace the whole shabang.

Am I to understand you still need points in the distributor to tell the electric ignition to fire?

[sblake01]

Is this to which you guys are referring?

http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/PEIC10/12-4020

Seems to come with the ignitor and the coil but not a distributor itself. I would like to get a brand new unit as I think I have some serious ignition issues I need to weed out. I'm going to replace the whole shabang.

Am I to understand you still need points in the distributor to tell the electric ignition to fire?

That's the Pertronix kit. You don't need points. The magnet and pickup in the kit replaces them.

[Z-Luke]

Does the stock distributor still handle the advance? I don't think its entirely vaccuum advance is it, should be mechanical. Not familiar with these older setups, but I will be!

I wonder if it would combine well with the euro distributor, I don't trust the one I have.