[pointless idea forums] Using a distributor to run coilpacks

[RomanV]

Seems as though it would be pretty easy to make Toyota coil on plug setup work, with a distributor reconfigured to send the signal to fire them.

Coilpacks have 4 pins:

1. Main 12V supply
2. Signal to fire from ECU (I think the ECU earths out this pin when wanting to fire)
3. Confirmation of firing, signal returned to ECU
4. Main Earth

So if you wanted to run them via a distributor, you'd obviously not use the coil feeding it anymore, but have the cable that normally comes from the coil, just earthed to the chassis or engine block. And obviously what was formerly a spark plug lead would just be the wire to earth out the pin on the coilpack.

Then you'd just need to supply the other 2 pins with 12V and earth, and the 4th pin (confirmation of firing) would be redundant.

Buying a set of coilpacks is same price if not cheaper than spark plug leads these days, with common cars using them.

converting a distributor'd car to a dizzy/coilpack setup could be easy enough... maybe better reliability? Stronger spark perhaps...

Or is the only advantage of a coilpack setup the precision with which they can be fired by the computer...

[MR2BOY23]

My friend used coilpacks on his type r turbo engine.

Apparently the stock ignition couldn't provide enough spark higher in the rev range, so thats one advantage

[RomanV]

Could be an easy way to upgrade ignition for 4AGEs etc, while still being able to use standard computer.

[jakesae101]

why not run the 4agze wasted spark setup?

[Lloyd]

2 wire coils would be the easiest. And the confirmation bit you are talking about on extra wires is only for the ECU, makes no difference to the coil

Why would you want to? If your ignition system isn't up to whatever you've done then I'd be guessing an aftermarket ECU would be on the cards already and it would happily do multiple coils without the need for a dizzy except as a cam/crank angle sensor. Which is essentially what a lot of late Toyota distributors are anyway. Even early ones for that matter

[RomanV]

Why would you want to?

Toyota wanted $300 for a set of spark plug leads...

Vs the ~$0 it would have cost me to make some coilpacks work instead.

On an older car it could potentially be cheaper and not much harder to convert to coilpacks in that manner, than it would be to buy a set of spark plug leads.

I ended up just getting some leads for $8 from Pick a Part anyway, but was just a thought I had while thinking how to not spend $300 on a $500 car.

[gasman]

http://forums.club4ag.com/zerothread?id=18900&page=1

maybe you should tell this lot your idea

[MAGN1T]

I think it's one of the silliest ideas I've ever read about.

Steve

[NZ_AE86]

Dwell?

This is the most upsidedown idea this week.

[Mr Revhead]

dave thinking outl oud again, don't shoot him down... usually quite good when he gets in his stride

[fivebob]

Won't work unless you want to run a huge signal amplifier. The gap between rotor & dizzy cap is ok @ 40,000v but won't pass enough of a signal @12v to activate the coils.