Distributor to coilpack conversion?

dunc101 · Nov 4, 2022

Hi all,

Forgive a noob query, but in trying to make the whole of my 3.9 v-belt engine water / deep wade proof.

I head about bypassing the dizzy, and using [Ford Mondeo??] coil packs instead, to crest a more powerful controlled spark,and provide a waterproof system.

Is this all correct?

Can anyone point me to any info, diy kit, or a company / site selling a kit?

Thanks,
Duncan

Turboman · Nov 4, 2022

dunc101 said:
Hi all,

Forgive a noob query, but in trying to make the whole of my 3.9 v-belt engine water / deep wade proof.

I head about bypassing the dizzy, and using [Ford Mondeo??] coil packs instead, to crest a more powerful controlled spark,and provide a waterproof system.

Is this all correct?

Can anyone point me to any info, diy kit, or a company / site selling a kit?

Thanks,
Duncan

I have never heard of that, although I do have a petrol Mondeo, and the electronic ignition is pretty good, so no reason it wouldn't work.

However, I might just point out that waterproofing the engine isn't going to make your vehicle resistant to deep water.
Water deeper than about the wheel hubs is highly likely to get into your gearboxes and axles, and in addition fill the chassis via the numerous holes, and leave mud in there that will rot the chassis out later on.
Not to mention the rest of the notoriously fragile electrical systems.

kermit_rr · Nov 4, 2022

Never heard of that, how would you tell the coil pack to fire if there is no dizzy? Where would the timing come from?

Turboman · Nov 4, 2022

kermit_rr said:
Never heard of that, how would you tell the coil pack to fire if there is no dizzy? Where would the timing come from?

On the Mondeo, I think the timing comes from a sensor on the camshaft.
So guessing the kit of which he speaks must incorporate such a sensor, unless the engine has one already.

Ratae · Nov 4, 2022

Megasquirt was mentioned on various LR websites over the years.
Worth a read: www.megasquirt-v8.co.uk/ms_what_is_ms.php

Don't forget that on a lot of the V8s the oil pump is driven by the dizzy shaft so you'll either need to leave the dizzy on or fit something to replace it.

Datatek · Nov 5, 2022

Water will kill the spark if it gets to the plugs no matter what system you use.

dunc101 · Nov 5, 2022

Turboman said:
I have never heard of that, although I do have a petrol Mondeo, and the electronic ignition is pretty good, so no reason it wouldn't work.

However, I might just point out that waterproofing the engine isn't going to make your vehicle resistant to deep water.
Water deeper than about the wheel hubs is highly likely to get into your gearboxes and axles, and in addition fill the chassis via the numerous holes, and leave mud in there that will rot the chassis out later on.
Not to mention the rest of the notoriously fragile electrical systems.

All good points, thanks. Hmm.. More investigation / consideration needed here I think.

dunc101 · Nov 5, 2022

Ratae said:
Megasquirt was mentioned on various LR websites over the years.
Worth a read: www.megasquirt-v8.co.uk/ms_what_is_ms.php

Don't forget that on a lot of the V8s the oil pump is driven by the dizzy shaft so you'll either need to leave the dizzy on or fit something to replace it.

Yes - I saw the megasquirt page also. Alas their system - which does look to do this - is a lot more than just dizzy cap replacement. It’s the entire wiring loom and ecu (I believe) amongst other components to time the spark etc.

I’ll read around megasquirt a bit more, but it’s looking like more of a pain and expense than the value it may provide - for the very few times things might get that wet.
Great info here though, thanks all!

kermit_rr · Nov 5, 2022

I don't think I'd bother replacing a system that generally works well (if you keep it serviced properly) with a more complicated one with more points of failure. See what i did there?

Rubberknees · Nov 5, 2022

kermit_rr said:
I don't think I'd bother replacing a system that generally works well (if you keep it serviced properly) with a more complicated one with more points of failure. See what i did there?

dunc101 · Nov 5, 2022

kermit_rr said:
I don't think I'd bother replacing a system that generally works well (if you keep it serviced properly) with a more complicated one with more points of failure. See what i did there?

Well played, sir

Nodge68 · Nov 5, 2022

dunc101 said:
Alas their system - which does look to do this - is a lot more than just dizzy cap replacement. It’s the entire wiring loom and ecu (I believe) amongst other components to time the spark etc.

That's what you'll be looking at.
There's no way to remove a dizzy and not replace the timing signals via electronic means. This means adding a target wheel to the engine, a new programmable ECM to fire the plugs at the correct time, and all the associated wiring to go with it.

Why not just use it as is, and keep to water that is within LR's original design.

kermit_rr · Nov 5, 2022

At least with the 2.25 petrol you could waterproof the dizzy somewhat with a suitably trimmed 'marigold'

aj1954 · Nov 5, 2022

Just lift it to monster truck spec, so it can't get wet

kermit_rr · Nov 5, 2022

aj1954 said:
Just lift it to monster truck spec, so it can't get wet

Like this one?

dunc101 · Nov 5, 2022

Nodge68 said:
That's what you'll be looking at.
There's no way to remove a dizzy and not replace the timing signals via electronic means. This means adding a target wheel to the engine, a new programmable ECM to fire the plugs at the correct time, and all the associated wiring to go with it.

Why not just use it as is, and keep to water that is within LR's original design.

Yes, that's fair. I was looking to understand more about the option, and whilst there is at least one solution (mega squirt), for me, now, its more hassle and cost that I want to commit.

At least I now know!

dunc101 · Nov 5, 2022

kermit_rr said:
At least with the 2.25 petrol you could waterproof the dizzy somewhat with a suitably trimmed 'marigold'

That's my fallback plan...or more for my 3.9 v8, random googling just showed me this : https://www.famousfour.co.uk/new_parts/ff_part?part=31828 Hmm..

dunc101 · Nov 5, 2022

kermit_rr said:
Like this one?
View attachment 277664

Absolutely!

Yours is bigger than mine though...

ha ha

Hicap phill · Nov 5, 2022

Pressurise the cap?
Don’t just seal cap as the inner connection probe onto top of rotor arm breaks down quicker

Wildefalcon · Nov 6, 2022

Coat all junctions with silicone grease, before wading.

Distributor to coilpack conversion?

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