Sparking up the Davrian
Because I’ve been enjoying using the Porsche, I’ve not done anything on the Davrian for quite some time. Well, I’ve redressed now that situation as I noticed that the Davrian’s offside front tyre was look rather deflated. Fortunately, I have a compressor ...which should have made inflating the tyre a breeze. Unfortunately, not only is the compressor seemingly feeling its age, my airline inflator didn’t appear to be working that well. So I bought a better quality one. It works well, but is stymied by the compressor’s lack of puff. I might have to start saving for a new compressor!
As I mentioned recently, I haven’t been able to get the Davrian’s engine to fire. I think the problem lies with the electronic ignition. But rather than mess around with the old system, I decided to invest in a new, distributor from H&H Ignition Solutions. The original distributor, which I bought
Subsequent owners have altered and messed around with the Davrian’s loom and it was in a bit of a pickle
second-hand and subsequently modified, had never been quite right and I had the feeling that the advance curve wasn’t quite correct for my engine spec.
But H&H have oodles of ignition experience with all kinds of engines, including Imps, and they tailored the new distributor’s advance curve to suit my engine. It’s included in the price. All H&H distributors are in fact custom-built. The distributor base is actually a very high quality reproduction of the Lucas 45D.
I also asked them to supply the distributor with their built-in, high-performance, electronic ignition. The electronic conversion is very neat, uses top quality components, is robust, and sits nicely within the confines of the distributor cap. As well as being exceptionally effective, it’s hidden from view. Perfect for those looking to keep the distributor looking original, yet upping its performance considerably.
Swapping distributors is very straightforward, although it’s important to ensure that the distributor’s drive (offset for Imp engines) is in the right position and matches the offset drive in the oil pump gear. Otherwise, the timing will be 180 degrees out (not to mention other potential problems). I was hoping to use the top entry cap that came with it, but when I tried it out it was obvious that the HT lead would be touching the engine A frame ...with the potential for shorting. I have ordered a side entry cap. Of course, until this arrives, and I modify the ignition leads, I won’t be able to start the engine.
Talking of starting the engine, the high power distributor is supplied as kit, complete with a dry cell coil. This is filled with epoxy resin making it more resistant to heat. I was able to mount the new coil in almost the same position as the original, but angled it slightly so that it runs parallel to the A frame and has better clearance.
Another job I’ve tackled on the Davrian is to tidy the wiring in the engine compartment. Subsequent owners have altered and messed around with the loom and it was in a bit of a pickle. I spent a couple of hours redoing the earth and other connections and rerouting wires. Funny enough, in doing so, I did notice that one of the wires had a small break in its insulation. I’ve sorted this. And I must say that I’m very pleased with my wiring handiwork ...the engine compartment is looking much less cluttered. Roll on the arrival of the new cap and the engine start-up!