280z ignition

[mom'sZ]

Guys:
My car is a 77 280z. It came stock with electronic ignition. The stock black box overheats when you rev the car up near redline and goes bonkers until it cools off. Motorsports carries a Crane for this application but it has an external controller box. I'd perfer it all contain inside the distributor. Keith mentioned a Jabob's (I think?) but I see no application for 280z w/ electronic ignition. Same with Pertronix, I called and they wanted to know what the distributor number was. I looked at it and it has a bunch of numbers marked on it. I think it's Hatachi, can anyone confirm? The numbers are in two rows, top row D6F5-03 7602 bottom row 22100 N4705
So... can anybody help with an ignition for this thing? (IT legal of course)

Also, I don't mean to be a dumb a$$, and I read the sticky about wiring the master on/off switch but how do you guys commonly wire it on a Zcar? Is it common to run the negitive cable to the switch? Does a Zcar charging system need the 4 pole or just the two pole? Idunno
Thanks
Andy Rowe

[kthomas]

"I'd perfer it all contain inside the distributor."

Why? Generating big electricity to make big sparky makes big heat which must be shed, preferably not inside your distributor. Plus, any electronic component you stuff in there will be subject to engine heat. Muy bad. That's why the factory stuff craps out. The only thing inside your distributor should be the shaft, a rotor button and a magnetic pickup, like a Pertronix. No mechanical advance weights or springs, gotta save weight where you can. The spark should be generated by a good coil and controlled by some big honkin' computer box like an MSD or Jacobs.

Our Jacobs EnergyPak was mounted on the rocker panel at the passenger door, and the Jacobs Energy Coil on the passenger inner fender 'cause you can't get enough stuff to the right and down. We triggered with a 280ZX inductor/reluctor, but when we were running the MSD we triggered with Pertronix. We also ran a large diameter cap, with the obligatory ozone vent.

I don't remember how we wired the Kill switch, I'll have to dig up my notes.

[mom'sZ]

I'm fine with a big ol' external controller box, I guess I'm just confused. I planned on using a MSD or even a wegasquirt. I might could even use the stock piece inside the distributor, I've read about using a GM HEI module with the stock ZX piece.

[Ron Earp]

I am pretty sure you can use a MSD 6AL and trigger it on the green and purple wire into the MSD from the stock dizzy.

Get yourself a MSD and hook the big black wire to ground. Hook the big red wire to 12V from the battery/starter terminal. Hook the little red wire to a switched 12V. This little wire is "Ignition On". You will not use the white and orange wires.

Use the pigtailed connector out of one end of the MSD to run to your dizzy. This is your trigger for the MSD. This will be connected to the short pigtail two wires out of your stock dizzy. If you get the polarity of the trigger wrong it won't fire. Just reverse them.

Now, I am taking a leap of faith in that I think your dizzy is very similar to the one in my 260Z. I think it is as I've seen a 280z dizzy not too long ago.

Use a two pole kill switch, the one with alternator kill. On your kill switch run the 12V positive with some 2 gauge (or whatever you like) wire to one side of the kill switch. On the other side run some 2 gauge to the starter lug that will then be used for power take off for everything else on your car.

The alternator wiring is simple as well. Just hook one side up to the 12V output of the alternator, then put the other side to a load like a 2-3 ohm resistor so that the alternator discharges into that load when the switch is activated. The alternator will also be connected to the starter lug too.

There are other ways to do the alternator as well. Some are not so friendly to the alternator, but if you figure it gets used once or twice a year in tech checks you will probably be okay.

Before you do your wiring make sure the switch is in the proper position etc.

Hold on, do a search, follow this diagram for the kill switch:
http://itforum.improvedtouring.com/forums/...&hl=kill+switch

[mom'sZ]

Thanks Ron, excellent write up!
I will try using the stock distributor (I think the pickup is called a RA or reluctance something or other) I have a spare as well to fidle with other then the one on the car. I will disable the advance mechinism like Keith intructs. Not sure if I'll use an MSD or some other signal amp/controller. I'll let everyone know. Does the 260 have electronic ignition? I thought it was still points.

[Ron Earp]

Nope, 260Z has a mag pickup type, no points. I think yours is the same type.

Ron