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From: Brad R. Sahr
>The advertisement in V.B. claims "It takes a maximum of one hour to
>install." I doubt the average first time installer could actually get the
>unit installed and working correctly in one hour. Perhaps the condition of
>my distributor contributed to the length of time it took to get it working.
>However, I found that when I installed the cap, it pushed the photocell
>pickup into the rotating disk. In addition, the rotor actually came in
>contact with the photocell pickup. I'd say if the cap was larger, allowing
>greater freedom of movement of the pickup mechanism, it could be done in a
>couple of hours. I'd say the SECOND time through, it could be done in an
>hour.
I installed a crane XR700 about 3 years ago.
I agree, it took me more than an hour too.
The instructions were lousy, which contributed to an oversight
in installation that was caught only recently.
The phasing of the pickups to the rotor position is critical,
and the lucas dist didnt have holes where is should have
to allign the pickup to the rotor.
I installed it as best I could, and used it for years.
A month or so ago, I was trying to jet my webers and to fix a
lumpy off idle condition.
My air fuel meter showed rich, but the carbs were popping
and acting quite lean. Plugs even showed lean.
After changing the pilot jets, somebody suggested I may have a
weak spark.
Cant be, I have electronic ignition and a high output coil right?
Opening up the dist showed carbon at one edges of the rotor,
where it had been arcing due to excessive gap.
When the car was idling, the gap was large, when the rpms picked
up, the gap was reduced by the centrifugal advance.
I had to install a plate beneath the ignition trigger and the advance
plate in the dist to allow me to position the trigger to be phased to
the rotor.
The engine now starts easier, and the EGO and the engines
performance jive.
>I now have the system installed with over 500 trouble free miles. 500 is
>not really that many miles, but its some measure of correct installation. I
>have yet to correct my tach since installation. The RPMs read about 5500
>when I believe that the engine is only turning about 4000.
You need to double wind the pickup on the back of the tach.
Dont tweak the tach's calibration, it may not work consistantly.
>I believe that the 'two' Jarrid was referring to would be two XR700s. At
>$120, not a small sum of money, but well worth the savings in hassle and
>tow if a problem arises any substantial distance away from home.
Strive to find a lower price on the ignition. I bought mine for $79 at an
auto parts store, when V.B. wanted $119.
One last comment on the XR700....
The idea of installing the module inside the cockpit is good.
Twice now, Ive washed the inside of the engine compartment
with oil stripper and water, and twice the ignition failed to opperate
for hours afterwords. The trigger was working correctly, but the
module wouldnt fire the coil.
I discovered that I had installed the module upside down,
so that the wires were pointing upward. The potting material
apperantly wasnt sealing off the module from the elements
because an experimental squirt of water around the potted
wires would disable the ignition till the water dried inside.
I have since siliconed the wires to the potting.
Jarrid Gross
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