Non Vacuum electronic distributor

[TulsaSpider]

Ok so I have located a non vacuum electronic distributor. I am going to guess that it is designed specifically to operate without a vacuum advance and as such would need no further alterations?

[divace73]

I've got a complete mechanical unit that was out of an Argenta (as my original unit just gave up with a lot of shaft movement), I think the 131 also came out without Vacuum (at least in Australia they did)
I am hoping really soon to ditch it in favour of EDIS, unfortunatly real soon may mean another 6 months, we have just had another baby

[majicwrench]

Likely will work fine as is.
But I really wanted to post just to apologize for the hyjack on your other thread. Appreciate your tolorance!
Keith

[TulsaSpider]

Ha! A lively discussion is always welcome!

[bradartigue]

Ok so I have located a non vacuum electronic distributor. I am going to guess that it is designed specifically to operate without a vacuum advance and as such would need no further alterations?

Make sure you get pictures of it; I've seen several vacuum types on Ebay marketed as Marelliplex (non-vacuum) but really they just have the vacuum advance removed. They look the same from every angle except the bottom (plex has no connection for the vacuum thing)

[bradartigue]

oops-saw in your other post this is one you can actually put your hands on. nice find! plexes are more than a little rare.

[kolls]

yea plex is REALLY HARD to get your hands on and then you pay dearly for it when you do find one

[azygoustoyou]

I have a plex for sale on Ebay now. Here is a pic if your interested. Only reason I'm selling it is I have the one Mark sells.

[kolls]

i figured you would have one for sale brady, lol

[TulsaSpider]

So what did these come on originally? I have seen this one in person.

[kolls]

what i know and understand about them is that it was a kit to convert a dizzy with points to electronic ignition..and the kits are no longer available

[azygoustoyou]

I was told the one like I have was sold as a unit, not a kit. If it ever needed rebuilt, you would just have to send it to a distributor rebuilder. This one is perfect. It's not like if you buy it and it breaks. You can't fix it.

[bradartigue]

what i know and understand about them is that it was a kit to convert a dizzy with points to electronic ignition..and the kits are no longer available

The distributor was sold in kit back in the mail order days. I am only aware of Bayless selling it but I'm sure others did as well. You could get it in cam box and block mount (I've owned both). The cam box kit was, I think, called Plex 801. Regardless the kits came with everything between and including the coil and distributor.

There isn't anything special about the kit, it was a stock Marelli coil that they used on all kinds of cars and the electronic distributor that could be mounted on a FIAT. For what its worth you could also get them for the A112 Autobianchi, which fit the FIAT 850 motor. Same coil.

The intent was to provide an electronic distributor to the earlier (pre-1979) cars but it also worked well with carburetor conversions, such as the twin IDFs or DCNFs, which did not have porting the vacuum advance. Most of the vendor carb upgrades back then consisted of the 34ADF and a spacer, and the ADF was ported correctly. Now-a-days the ADFs sold aren't ported, you have to drill them if you want to use the advance on the standard dizzy. The DFEVs are often ported.

[Five40iguy]

I don't want to sound like a butthead but I've purchased electronic ignitions, (the one with the optic eye and the spinning disk right underneeath the rotor), for $80.00 at the local parts store, (not checker, auto zone or pep whatever, but a "real" parts store with real guys behind the counter that were tech's at one point in their life),and have had no difficulties tuning and running BMW's four's and Porsche six's. Granted, I am not taking the cars to the track or anything but so far so good with the pre programmed advance curve

[TulsaSpider]

OK I have a question about this unit. One difference on the electronic unit I had on prior to this is the magnetic strip was mounted directly to the dizzy housing. On this unit there is a chrome piece of metal that the magnet is sandwiched between the pickup and the chrome looking piece of metal. Does that make sense? Basically I am asking if the piece of metal is supposed to be there? Do I need to put dielectric grease there?? I seem to be getting weak spark-? I just changed the plugs to the Champions and it really helped with the power. The old plugs (NGK) were not that old but I am sure glad I changed them out!!