convert to modern efi and ignition

[nimblemotors]

so I just replaced the points on my Case 530, and the distributor shaft is pretty well shot, not to mention the carb throttle shaft is also sloppy loose.
And so it makes me wonder if there is a way to update the engine with modern electronics without spending months doing it.

Has anyone done such a thing?

I'd think a throttle body injection wouldn't be too hard a conversion.
I have a Geo Metro 3-cyl and the fuel injection is rather simple, just needs the O2, temp sensors added, and the injector mounted for the tractor motor.

Jack

 

[nimblemotors]

So I guess not, cuz if someone did, you know they would be proud of it. Updating just the ignition to eliminate the points would be pretty easy,
assuming you have a good distributor. Not sure I want to modify the original.
I have a electronic ignition from a 78 302, I could modify it to fit the 158 instead.

It looks like I could do a coil-on-plug setup with off the shelf parts for $200,
even less if I use my own microprocessor instead of OEM, to get the timing advance instead of the mechanical setup.

I would do it if I plan to keep this backhoe, but I will sell it when my house is done, and I suspect a buyer would prefer it has the original points, don't you think? or would they appreciate an upgraded ignition?

 

[Fixemall]

I would go with oem replacements, while the ignition would be somewhat straight forward, EFI requires much more money and modifications, from an upgraded fuel pump to a air management system...I doubt any prospective buyer would view it as a plus.

 

[nimblemotors]

The bushings for the distributor are no longer available from case,
so it looks like I'd have to make my own if I go that route.
But having dismantled the distributer, it looks like the mechanical advance is in poor shape, the springs are shot, and the slots are worn, so it tends to get stuck with the timing advanced.
So at minimum I think I need to find another distributor to make fit into this motor. The 302 Ford I happen to have spins counter clockwise, so the advance is the wrong way. A chevy v8 seems to tall and skinny.
Any suggestions?

 

[RickB]

If it is a Delco distributer, I can't believe that there aren't bushings, springs and weights available for it. Maybe not from CNH, but I'll bet they are out there. I got Delco brushes & springs for a generator on an Oliver 660 from an eBay seller (outside of eBay; direct to his store) IIRC he is in Ohio ar a neighboring state.

 

[RickB]

Delco Distributor Bushings - Yesterday's Tractor Co.

Info in this YT thread indicates wide commonality with Delco distributers. May be helpful if correct. I poked around eBay for the seller I did business with and didn't see anything familiar.

 

[nimblemotors]

Unfortunately, the distributor is not a Delco, but an AutoLight.
I've decided to pretty much an electronic ignition setup for it.
It also has a 6-volt coil on it that was wrong, so that needed replacement as well. Amazing this thing ran at all.

A '70 Dodge V8 distributor I picked up at the pick-n-pull has the proper clockwise rotation, mechanical advance, and the same size shaft to fit the 159 camshaft gear. My biggest problem is how to drill the rollpin hole in the shaft, the shaft is hardened steel. I don't want to modify the gear, since a future owner might want to put all the old stuff back in...

I also picked up 4 coil-on-plug coils, so I'm going to go ahead with a full electronic setup, use a pair of ford ignitors, which I like because they have a 6-degree ****** when starting, and put in two of the inductor switches into the distributer to fire the 1-4 and 2-3 plugs. So no plug wires or distributor cap or rotor or points, a no maintainance ignition with a lot more firepower,
no more .025 plug gaps, we'll go .060 now.
I'll have pictures later if anyone wants to see.
Jack

Delco Distributor Bushings - Yesterday's Tractor Co.

Info in this YT thread indicates wide commonality with Delco distributers. May be helpful if correct. I poked around eBay for the seller I did business with and didn't see anything familiar.

 

[jimmysisson]

We'll definitely want to see! Best of luck with the conversion.
Jim

 

[nimblemotors]

We'll definitely want to see! Best of luck with the conversion.
Jim

I'm just about finished, need the final wiring hooked up, but here is the money shot..

Those are 2000 Dodge 2.7L coils.
1970 Dodge V8 distributor, vaccum advanced removed, the 159 distributor gear attached to the shaft, the housing turned down a big to fit further inside the hole.

Two 70's Ford Electronic Ignition pickups triggered with a wheel that was modified
to have 4 triggers, two above for 1-4, and two below for 3-2.
These connect to two 70's Ford ignition modules that operate the coils.

 

[jonyyuma]

You weren't kiddin about going all the way for it? What did you spend so far. those coils were pretty expensive weren't they?

 

[nimblemotors]

You weren't kiddin about going all the way for it? What did you spend so far. those coils were pretty expensive weren't they?

The coils are not cheap brand new, but I got them used at the pick-n-pull for $11 each.

I already had a 70's Ford distributor and module, so I only needed to buy one more, which I bought new.

$44 2003 Dodge Coils from junkyard
$30 1970 Dodge Distributor from junkyard
$10 1976 Ford reluctor/rotor
$25 1976 Ford stator/pickup
$35 1976 Ford Ignitor/Module
$10 Wiring

$154

If one wanted to keep the plug wires and distributor cap and rotor,
one could have just modified the distributor with a 70's Dodge electronic ignition instead of the Ford, and removed 4 of the reluctor triggers,
and use only 4 of the distributor cap plug wires. As far as I could tell from the one I pulled, the Dodge electronic ignition distributors did not have the mechanical advance like the older points with vaccum advance.

 

[dodge man]

Very nice, if I ever needed anything fabed up, you can come over to my house and help.

 

[jonyyuma]

You did it my way, with used parts. I knew those coils were pricy, the reason I asked about them. The Pick& pull price was good, wish we had one of those close to here?

 

[nimblemotors]

You did it my way, with used parts. I knew those coils were pricy, the reason I asked about them. The Pick& pull price was good, wish we had one of those close to here?

You can buy them on ebay at similiar discounts.

I could have eliminated the ford parts and used my own hardware, but I wanted the next owner to be able to replace anything without much trouble.

 

[mitch becton]

you can buy the elctronic dist set from a company called petronixs i think i'm close on the spelling. they are the largest company that make conversion dist kits have used several over the years and if you follow instructions they work great and solve all the points gap and adjustment problems.

 

[nimblemotors]

Here is the update on this project.

I went ahead and eliminated the distributor altogether,
and made a crank sensor on my lathe that bolts between the crank pulley,
and the PTO shaft. It has 7 little Neo magnets that are epoxied into the disk,
then I used a $2 hall-effect sensor that I put into a carbon tube and filled with epoxy so its waterproof, then added a stud to it so I could adjust the mounting.

The Duraspark modules were replaced with an ignitor from a 1.8L VW, in which I used just two coil controls. I used one of my surplus microprocessors,
and it does the spark advance and dwell control.
Here is the video of the tractor running (quite well now!) using the setup.
That popping sound is from the choke being pretty much fully closed.

COP 4 running tractor - YouTube

Next is to convert it to EFI as well.
I will also use an electronic throttle control to eliminate the mechanical governer, so I can adjust the governer RPM to keep it at any RPM.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Here is the update on this project.

I went ahead and eliminated the distributor altogether,
and made a crank sensor on my lathe that bolts between the crank pulley,
and the PTO shaft. It has 7 little Neo magnets that are epoxied into the disk,
then I used a $2 hall-effect sensor that I put into a carbon tube and filled with epoxy so its waterproof, then added a stud to it so I could adjust the mounting.

The Duraspark modules were replaced with an ignitor from a 1.8L VW, in which I used just two coil controls. I used one of my surplus microprocessors,
and it does the spark advance and dwell control.
Here is the video of the tractor running (quite well now!) using the setup.
That popping sound is from the choke being pretty much fully closed.

COP 4 running tractor - YouTube

Next is to convert it to EFI as well.
I will also use an electronic throttle control to eliminate the mechanical governer, so I can adjust the governer RPM to keep it at any RPM.

Well done!

 

[nimblemotors]

Here it is, my Case 530 converted to use EFI and electronically controlled throttle.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44V0tRBtk6I]Tractor running on MSP430 EFI - YouTube[/ame]

I'm just wondering if this is the only tractor in the world in which this modification has been done?????

 

[Jerry/MT]

Here it is, my Case 530 converted to use EFI and electronically controlled throttle.

Tractor running on MSP430 EFI - YouTube

I'm just wondering if this is the only tractor in the world in which this modification has been done?????

Well done! You continue to amaze me with your ingenuity! I'd imagine it is the only tractor in the world to have EFI. I was in the aircraft propulsion business and I remember when we went to FADEC (Full Authority Digital Electronic Controls) to control the engine in the '80's and what a difference it meant to performance and control.Looks like you're part way there with this system. What's next?

Why does it sound so rough?

 

[hoseguy]

Excellent work there.

Made up a Megasquirt system a few years back on one of our cars.
Very interesting project.

200hp, Turbocharged, EFI, Nitrous, Ferguson35 anyone?