Direct Fire Ignition

[nobogez07]

One of the issues I've had with the 5.0L Ford is the big distributor in the front of the motor. It takes up room I would like for the air intake.

Has anyone ever used a direct fire ignition system (ie Electromotive or similar) in their engine.  If so, what's your take on both reliability and performance?

I'm entertaining the idea and I'd like some feedback on the subject if anyone has had the experience.

Doug

[Moderator]

Have you read this article already?
<a href="http://www.britishv8.org/Articles/Direct-Ignition.htm">Intro to Electromotive Direct Ignition</a>

Distributors are such crude, old-fashioned devices - it shouldn't be hard to beat them in terms of reliability and performance.  Several people on this board have put Ford EDIS systems on cars that didn't originally come so equipped. (Jim Blackwood? Bill Jacobson?) EDIS is probably more cost effective than Electromotive.  Didn't some 5.0L Explorers come with EDIS?

If EFI is in your plans, you might want to consider an integrated engine control system. For example, MegaSquirt MS3-Pro can be configured for Direct Ignition only, EFI only, or both. <a href="http://www.diyautotune.com/ms3-pro.html">Have a look at the manual.</a> MS3-Pro features lots of potential for custom tuning!

[burner1]

I used the XDI for my Pantera. Easy to set up. I cut my own toothed wheel on the laser. My brother sells them. He uses them for the V12's he sells but has put them on many things including his Contenental 1790 engine from a tank:

http://www.electromotive-inc.com/products/xdi.php

http://www.thunderv12.com/