W113 Electronic Ignition Bundle from SL Shop

[Heftos]

Thanks for your help and comments.

I have the manual, and I have been following it point to point during installation, but thanks for sharing. The issue I have, is the same as Chumps has described in another post (https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=23611.0). The green LED that is meant to help position the distributor does not turn on, and I have close to zero volt at the coils (+) terminal point (where the red 123 cable is connected). However, once I disconnect the distributor's red cable from the colis (+) terminal point I get 12 volt.

I have not connected the black cable from the 123
The coil is not grounded from (-) terminal point - nothing is connected to (-)
My 123 does not have a blue cable
I tested the green LED by connecting the red 123 cable directly to (+) at the battery, and it worked

[WRe]

Hi,
most problems occur when the rotor finger/runner does not snap into place and the distributor is displaced by 180°.
Please note that the two tappets (at the bottom of the distributor) are not centered on the drive plate. In any case, make sure that you do not install the distributor offset by 180 °. The tappet must be clean and fitted complete in the counterpart of the motor.
...WRe

[Pawel66]

I tested the green LED by connecting the red 123 cable directly to (+) at the battery, and it worked

Sorry I cannot be of more help, but what you say here, in quote, should be the status when you connect red wire from 123 to + on coil. The only difference is that power goes through ignition switch and fuse No.2. You have to have +12V after ignition wire somewhere there where the coil was connected previously.

I assume you set the engine to "zero", which is Top Dead Centre of the power stroke (not the suction stroke) of cylinder 1.

[Heftos]

Hi,

Yes, the engine is set to zero, and I believe the rotor is correctly positioned. There is some wiggle on the rotor, but maybe only 2-3 mm.

It seems I have exhausted all my options here. I even called 123ignition, which believe it might be the electric wiring, which I have hard to believe as I did have a strong spark coming out of the HT cable on the old coil before I started... 

[mbzse]

.../...It seems I have exhausted all my options here.../...

Did you talk to Bjarne?
www.oldtimerservice.no

[Heftos]

Hi, funny you asked that. I just sent him a text two minutes ago. He is quite busy these days, and I am waiting for him to do an overhaul on my car. I really didn't want to trouble him, but starting to get a bit desperate here... 

[Pawel66]

Keep thinking about this....

I assume you found your +12V after ignition source wire.

You do not have the blue wire.
1. Are you trying this with your 123 installed in its slot in the engine?
2. Have you added a ground wire from 5mm slot on 123 to ground in the car?

[Heftos]

I have found the 12v source going into the coil, it deliverers a bit more than 11v with ignition on at the coil. The distributor is in its location, but not fastened.

I’m not certain how I can verify with certainty that the rotor is not 180 degrees off. 

I have not added any ground wire, the black cable coming from the 123 is not connected. And I only have the two wires. I would expect that the distributor is grounded by being assembled to the engine?

[Paul & Dolly]

Heftos,

The two lugs at the bottom of the distributer are very slightly offset, so  not exactly centrally located, so it should locate into the drive correctly with a "clunk", it is quite easy to mislocate it by 180 degrees.

good luck

Paul

[Pawel66]

Two issues I see:

1. Your battery may be bad/discharged. You should get ca 12.5V, not 11 on battery posts without a load.
2. You may not have ground on 123 distributor. There is a 5mm hole in it for a short screw to attach a ground wire. I would do it. I would not expect distributor to have a solid, reliable ground from just being fastened to the engine. Especially if yo do not have it fastened now.

Black wire is, certainly not for ground. You connect it after the LED exercise to the other coil pole.

[Heftos]

I really do appreciate all your help!

Paul & Dolly: thank you, it did go in with quite the clunk, and i tried turning it 180 degrees to test for a better fit, but could not get it to sit as easily. This makes me confident that it is mounted correctly as it is now.

Pawel66: your comments are of great help. The battery actually produces around 12.2 volts without a load. When i turn on the ignition and measure at the coil, I get around 11.1 - 11.2. Also, keeping the distributor locked in the same position; i get the green light when connecting the red wire from the 123 directly to the (+) on the battery, but not when connecting it to the (+) on the coil. This makes me suspect that i need higher volt on the (+) of the coil in order for the green LED to turn on.

[kampala]

Take the NEW coil out of the equation.  Put your old coil back in and try to see if you get the green light on 123. 

Also since your car is a late 280 you should connect the wire coming  from the starter that was going to the transistorized ignition and move it onto the positive coil.   

[Pawel66]

I think:
1. Make and connect ground
2. Check if it works with your old coil (as per Kampala)
3. Forget that connector for a moment, just get the + from ignition (I think also Kampala, this connector might have been for transistorized ignition)
4. Try without resistor

[Heftos]

So, problem is fixed thanks to the help of an outstanding mechanic. The car is running again, and I’ve had a few nice rides this weekend.

He basically bypassed all of the electronics related to the transistorized ignition, he might have made some other connections to account for vacuum adjustments in the old system as well. To be honest, I couldn’t keep up with it all. My conclusion would be to not recommend installing a 123 on a US car with emission systems your self, unless you know exactly how the system works. For European cars without this system, it’s basically plug and play.

[Pawel66]

Great you got it done!

[PeterW113]

Good to hear your sorted!