Paul wrote:
> I'm pretty sure my dad and I installed a Tiger 500 on our 1960 Comet...
> It didn't work much better than stock.
After Michael wrote:
> My dad just brought over to my house a brand new unit from the late sixties
> or so. It is called a Tiger 500 made by the Tri-Star Company..
Ah yes, a CDI system! The way it works, there's an inverter that steps
up the battery's voltage to 200-300 volts and stores it in a capacitor
(C). When the points open, an SCR triggers and dumps that 200 volts
across the coil (D). Instead of that wimpy snap of a spark you usually
get, this results in a significantly hotter and more robust spark.
When your engine is in good shape, good Air-Fuel ratio, no excessive
oil burning, there's not much difference. But if the mix needs a little
extra 'boost' to get it to go off, the CDI will provide the spark that'll
do it. It also pretty much eliminates burning of the points (though the
cam block still wears, so periodic adjustment is still in order). One of
these units kept my Datsun 1200 running past 200,000 miles (also stranded
me at a left turn when the unit failed. The nice highway patrol officer
behind me stopped traffic while I pushed it to the curb). Roadster
content: I used one on a friend's Roadster eons ago; it was the only
way we could get it to start. I don't use one on my current Roadster -
I still remember getting stuck in that left turn lane :-)
-- John
John F Sandhoff sandhoff@csus.edu Sacramento, CA
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