With some spare time available recently, I refitted this unit as technically it's a good low cost solution to upgrading points which can be troublesome over time. However, with the unit refitted BART developed a misfire as he, and I presume the unit, warmed up.
BART ran fine for a few miles then developed a small cough under acceleration, this got worse the further he was driven, just like a blocked jet. I just about managed to get him home where he promptly died on the drive way. Not thinking the unit could be at fault I took the jets out of the carb and removed the float and blew everything out.
I put it all back and he fired straight up, "aha! it's the carburettor!"......wrong! of course he had cooled down whilst I cleaned out the carb. Two miles down the road, cough, cough, just as before. Back home I took the distributor out and called ignitioncarparts, the module was still in warranty and they sent me a new unit, free of charge. Great stuff guys and 100% recommended!
A close inspection of the points module base plate and distributor mounting plate showed that neither where 100% flat. Even though I'd used heat conducting compound between the two surfaces the mount and the plate where not touching except for where the mounting screw was positioned. I was able to flatted the module base plate but could not find a way to correct the distributor plate, hmmmm.
I refitted the old points again and contemplated what to do next.
Whilst browsing the Eurosport website looking at Lumenition ignition units I noted some words on S155 distributors as 'typically being fitted to the Lido model'. BART had a S135F fitted.
Curiosity started to take hold. I asked on the Xweb forum if anybody knew of the correct distributor and what the advance curve might be but nobody had any data. One link to an Australian service manual though did include a distributor advance curve for the S135F.
I decided to check mine...with BART warmed up and timing light attached I mapped the advance curve and found it didn't match the one in the Aussie service manual. In fact the curve was somewhat worrying, it stopped advancing at 5500RPM when typically for a road car it would stop at 4500RPM or lower but the total ignition advance should have topped out at 33deg +/- 2 (28 deg mechanical plus 5 deg static) but my distributor was showing 41~42 deg of advance.
Maybe the distributor is just worn, the timing marks do jump about a bit indicating some wear or maybe the springs are just weak or perhaps even replaced on purpose to give that amount of advance.
Either way I started looking for a replacement....and didn't have to look far...as luck would have it Giles @DGRally had a new old stock (NOS) S155AX for sale! Yay!
A few days later it arrived and I promptly stripped it down, cleaned and oiled all the correct parts, cleaned and adjusted the points and checked everything thoroughly.
It's a drop in replacement in effect being designed for the Fiat 128 engine which the x1/9 uses, the only slight difficulty is the top entry distributor cap which creates a bit of a clearance issue with the bulk head access panel. The cap has to be removed before the panel can be taken out. When fitted though there is a finger width of clearance between the panel and cap.
I statically timed BART up and he burst into life on the first turn of the starter...phew relief!
The strobe timing light showed the correct timing at idle and with BART warmed up I checked the maximum total advance again, it was spot on 32deg and at 4500RPM! Yes! Result!
I also noticed BART was running smoother with a clean idle, no misfires and a steady timing mark under the strobe light. The old distributor does have a tiny amount of play in the shaft and probably needs refurbishing.
A quick test drive reveals a bit more low down pull, not that the 1300 ever had much to start with and a bit more punch when the second choke opens up under acceleration. Top end power seems more or less the same. A pleasing result but Im still looking at replacing those points and will probably go for a full Lumention system at some point in the near future.
