New Cat Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 As you may have gathered from my stuck in France thread, my distributor has gone kaputt... Thankfully the car was recovered to my garage. This is the second major ignition issue I've had with the car in c.9k miles. While I could just stick another distributor in I have to say I'm tempted to make some sort of upgrade. My options seem to be: 1) Source another modified Bosch Valencia distributor (maybe Tony L is still doing these?!) Advantage: Cheap (<£100). Disadvantages: Unreliable, poor running/throttle response/economy (notable on big trips!) 2) Get an ECU, trigger wheel, throttle position sensor etc and go fully mapped. Advantages: Smoother running/throttle response/slightly better economy, better reliability with fewer moving parts? Disadvantages: At least £500 with little use post-xflow. Life of my engine without rebuild is a major unknown (mileage is uncertain but somewhere between 10-20k probably on 1.3L Supersprint spec pistons). 3) Take Raceline up on their Zetec offer. Including exhaust, lightened flywheel and maybe throttle bodies (I'm very keen on ultimately fuel injecting the car for a smoother, more consistant throttle response). Advantages: More power, more torque, smoother throttle response, new engine, better reliability. Disadvantages: Cost I guess would be £3500-4000 with TBs minus £500-£1000 from selling xflow engine, weber carbs and ancillaries. My head says option 1 but I have to say 3 is tempting! What do you think? Thanks. Jon 1994 1.7 Supersprint De-dion X-Flow. Yellow with black cycle wings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 What's your destination 3 years from now? Are you keeping the car? Do you want to have a XF in 2 years' time or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickie Normuss Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 My limited input will be: Go option 3. There's more cost but you'll have a newer engine and ancillaries. For what it's worth I've been averaging 25k a year in my injected Vx, fuel consumption has averaged 36mpg and I don't drive like an old lady. If you're going to keep the car, use it a lot and do more touring abroad I'd go Zetec. VX HPC - Loud and proud here Watch out, whatever hits the fan will not be distributed evenly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Cat Posted July 2, 2007 Author Share Posted July 2, 2007 I plan to keep the car indeffinitely and I'm not convinced I would save money by selling it and buying another with a more modern engine, not by the time I'd specced it as I wanted. Certainly having a more modern fuel injected engine appeals a lot. I have to say I don't feel the need for much more performance, I've seen just how fast my humble xflow is around the track in more capable hands (at Le Sept) and there is lots of driver upgrading to do! I imagine 180-190bhp of 2 litre Zetec on TBs would be insanely fast (and probably also warrant brakes/suspension upgrades). I'd be perfectly happy with 150bhp of smaller lighter engine its just that the Zetec option seems to make the most sense and be the most trodden path. Is it also worth speaking to someone like RAW and costing a Toyota 1.6 or 1.8 on TBs swap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DohNut Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I thought the MegaJolt light Jr. was les than £100 (+ sensors?) If you are really tight then you could get it to run on speed only (although you would loose much of the economy benefit.) If you are thinking of spending anywhere near £500 then something like an emerald becomes a possibility (nearer 650?) But that is then expandable to injection or easy to offload secondhand. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molecular--Bob Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Or you could inject your crossflow, and then transfer all of the kit to a zetec when the crossflow expires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revin Kevin Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Jon, I don't no what every body gets in such a fuss about, I have a well maintained 130bhpish X flow with an Aldon distributor and lumenition ignition. I have had only one reliability issue in twelve years of hard motoring with the ignition, which includes european trips to the Pyrennes etc, in fact we are just back from 1300miles through France, Belgium and Germany, including the Ring. In the past five year or so I've been away with the same group of lads (West Hants Luddites) into Europe, we have a mixed range of cars from X Flows to SLR's and the K series cars have been by far the most unreliable. In the past two european trips the X flows haven't had the bonnets off for more than an oil and water check each morning. Get a good quality distributor and ignition system for the X Flow and spend the rest of your money on driving it. Cheers Chris Edited by - Revin Kevin on 2 Jul 2007 15:07:16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c7kjt Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 come on Chris, only fair we give them a balanced view, we have had the odd problem with the x/flow cars over the years, there was your split wiper blade for starters 😬 I'm sure Burton's still do the Lucas Competition Ignition kit if you want another option for the x/flow Kevin Thomas The 7 Gallery... with added BBCi The home of LIMEY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elie boone Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I was told that the rally ign kit had become difficult to optain these days but i would go for the Lucas electronic ign kit from Burton, with this you will have the benefit of a new dizzy at ( 235£ from Burton ) or buy a new Aldon dizzy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezky Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Fit Megajolt. My xflow is running alot better now, cost me approx £250 but I did buy a weber TPS and Trigger wheel. Megajolt box approx £70 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Cat Posted July 2, 2007 Author Share Posted July 2, 2007 Thanks Q102, this sounds very tempting if there is a base map that is reasonable ok for a Supersprint spec x-flow. Could you blatmail me some more details of what you've fitted and where you got it? Do you have any photos of the install? Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revin Kevin Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Hi, The Lucas kit I believe has been updated, the new kit not having supply issues. Not sure about the advance curve, R King always modified the curve on the lucas dist, I think he said the advance curve was not very suitable. Aldon will supply the advance curve you require, although lucas is a very good system. I can also recommend the Lumenition performance system which I use now and the cheaper optronic which I used to use years ago on steel X Flows. Kevin, Ahh Yes, so I did split a wiper blade, didn't you have a slightly blowing exhaust gasket a few years back too. Jon, if you fit the Mega Jolt (I help a fellow luddite with his last year), it's worth the rolling road time to set it up. He acquired a base map that was so conservative I wanted to call it Maggie. Cheers Chris Edited by - Revin Kevin on 2 Jul 2007 17:25:35 Edited by - Revin Kevin on 2 Jul 2007 17:31:09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JampJ Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 The Lucas Rally system is still available and the man who makes them is still making them so I can't see a problem apart from the price. The Aldon distibutor & ignitor kit is cheaper, and you can contact them with your engine details and they will modify the distributor to your spec. Cheers J&J JFDI (Just F*****g Do It) Edited by - johnjulie on 2 Jul 2007 19:55:29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c7kjt Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 oops yes Chris, forgot about the blown exhaust gasket and OK I'll come clean there was the number plate sticky pad that came loose on this years trip as well 😬 😬 😬 Have to say that the Megajolt sounds quite tempting, but have to admit that before I do anything else to the car the nut holding the wheel needs to improve Kevin Thomas The 7 Gallery... with added BBCi The home of LIMEY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I have a X/flow, brilliant, had it for five years now, always driven hard, never broken down or given a hint of doing so, all great selling points so buy a Raceline Zetec. I still have my distributor, not sure which one it is, it has a lucas thing under the dash and the cap is angled and black, the cap is modified to be clipped on, was going to sell it with the engine. Location Bournemouth. X/FLOW 1700 DD 1990 ROAD USE ONLY..SO FAR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puremalt Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 As to your comment about the cost, there were 2 Zetecs for sale in LF last month, both at fairly reasonable prices, assuming the xflow will be worth (cough) 6K upwards, then the outlay for one of these zetecs was less than the Raceline conversion. I was tempted, but then I saw Rog Needhams engine... This one goes up to 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 New Cat So what have you decided then, is the car fixed? Bits from other cars...together at last IT LIVES I have created a MONSTER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Cat Posted July 8, 2007 Author Share Posted July 8, 2007 Hi Phil, Thanks for the distributor offer. I have decided to go down the Megajolt route. I'm in the process of gathering all the bits at the moment, having ordered the Megajolt itself. I'll post updates as to how the little project goes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Best of luck and I hope you are on the road soon. Bits from other cars...together at last IT LIVES I have created a MONSTER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonkeyBoy Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Let us know how you get on New Cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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