Hi all,
I just converted my Lucas '74 1500 contact/points
style distributor over to the Crane XR700 electronic
ignition system. I also installed the Crane Cams
Chrome street coil along with the system. I'd be
interested in hearing from others who use this system.
Did you have any troubles converting? Are you pleased
with the performance, etc.
My system seems to work but a couple of notes:
1. I still have what feels like an occassional
electrical "miss" .. I'm not loosing a cylinder, just
a little "hiccup" every once in a while. It does not
represent a significant loss of power (at least not
yet). I have a new rotor and cap, and have ordered new
Bosch Platinum plugs & silicon wires from Vicky Brit.
They should be in by mid-next week.
2. When I first hooked up the XR700, I tested each
cylinder with an open-grounded test spark plug. This
plug has a much larger gap than normal. Every cylinder
fired except #2. After investigating, I discovered the
mounting bracket for the XR700's pickup unit is in
close proximity to the rotor near the #2 cylinder's
firing position. I think the ignition might have been
shorting to the bracket because the large plug gap
(and resistance ignition wire) made the "course of
least resistance" from the rotor to the bracket
instead of through the plug. When I hooked the system
to the regular spark plugs, I tested cylinder #2 with
a timing light and it was firing normally. To play it
safe, I bought corona high voltage "ARC" TV dope from
a local electronics store and coated the top of the
bracket with many layers of dope. The bottle said it
repels 10,000 volts per .01" of thickness.
Thanks for any ideas/comments.
--Rick
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