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Re: electronic ignition

To: "Wm. Severin Thompson" <wsthompson@thicko.com>
Subject: Re: electronic ignition
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 15:59:33 -0500
Cc: Glen Byrns <grbyrns@ucdavis.edu>, spridgets@autox.team.net
References: <000f01bf78b3$79d14460$7364640a@internal.vgl.ucdavis.edu> <02aa01bf78b3$cf9327b0$e5786520@avid.com>
Here's where some of my professional study comes in (calculating
statistical mortality tables for equipment).  Solid state devices have a
high degree of "infant mortality", followed by long failure-free
periods, as opposed to electromechanical devices, which degrade at a
fairly steady rate, that accelerates slightly over time/use.  (I say
"solid state" because, technically, even points ignitions are
"electronic".)

I think what it boils down to is a points ignition has 5 states:
Works great
Works OK
Works crappy
Tries to work, but doesn't quite
Hosed, dead, useless

A solid state ignition has 2 states
Works great
Hosed, dead, useless

A points ignition will degrade from state 1 to state 3 or 4 in a fairly
consistent period of time or use, at which point bits of it can be
readily replaced to return it to state 1.  

A solid state ignition, if it survives the first month or so, will go
100,000 miles or more with no degredation in performance, until it
abruptly transitions to state 2, at which point you just replace the
whole shebang, because it's not worth diagnosing.

In short (pardon the pun) "Ya pays yer money an' ya takes yer choice."

Chris Kotting
ckotting@iwaynet.net
'77 Midget with Crane XR-700
'58 Magnette with points
and a dizzy with fresh points installed that can be a backup for
either...

"Wm. Severin Thompson" wrote:
> 
> Glen & All,
> 
> Any time I've seen someone at the track, trying to find their ass with both
> hands when it comes to an ignition problem, they're tossing their electronic
> ignitions across the pits. I've seen countless failures. To win a race, you
> have to finish...
> 
> WST
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Glen Byrns <grbyrns@ucdavis.edu>
> To: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000 1:24 PM
> Subject: electronic ignition
> 
> > Yesterday my electronic ignition failed for the second time.  I got the
> > Crane Cams 3000 unit when a lister noted they had a sale.  The original
> was
> > a 'rebuilt' one at a great price.  When it failed after two weeks, they
> were
> > very good about replacing it with a 'new' one.  I'm sure they will do
> right
> > by me this time too, as the replacement is only a few weeks old also.
> >
> > What I want to know is what the hell is up?  I've noticed that several
> > listers have mentioned having EI and then converting back to points.  Are
> > these things hopelessly destined to fail or am I just very unlucky?  Is
> > anyone out there using a unit with no problems for a long period of
> > ime?( more than two weeks)
> >                             Thanks, Glen Byrns
> >

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