Ignition Timing

[noctorum]

According to the installation instructions for a zex wet kit ( http://www.zex.com/Technical/Instruc...stallation.pdf )

I need to set the ignition retard to 4 degrees for a 75 shot. How can I go about setting it like that? And is it permanently set at 4 degrees, which would affect performance, or is it only at wide open throttle?

[curtis73]

Gotta tell us car, year, model, engine, the works.

If its an old american car, you just rotate the distributor, but newer cars need to be hacked and reprogrammed, or an aftermarket digital ignition with a retard circuit built in

Help us out... what are we talking about here?

[comedycentral]

Switched emails, had to sign up with a new name, comedycentral = noctorum.

It's a 2000 mustang gt.

[curtis73]

Someone else who knows them better might chime in (I hope) since I know very little about them. The last mustang I was under the hood of was a 1967

The mustang folks will know if hacking the computer to retard is a wise choice or not. It might make you fail emissions or lose significant power when not under spray. The best way to do it is to use an aftermarket ignition like MSD that has an ignition retard function. They can be referenced for boost, or just hook up a wire for it to retard X degrees when the solenoid is activated.

That's the best way since it keeps factory advance for the 95% of the time your off spray, but there may be just as acceptable ways that the Mustang boys know without buying an ignition box.

[noctorum]

How hard is it to install the new ignition, including wiring it to the nitrous solenoid? Would switching ignition timing when the engine is going at pretty much max be alright?

Thanks

[curtis73]

Wiring it is pretty easy. Its a saturday afternoon kind of job. I've never personally installed one, but I've studied them after they were installed. There are about four wires for the ignition itself; one from the coil, one power, one ground, and another for something else. An ignition box like an MSD 7 would have a couple other wires; nitrous retard, hall effect, etc.

Its quite fine to change the ignition advance during max throttle since it would be retarding it. If you were advancing it, I'd be prepared for fun explosions You might notice a teeny split second drop of about 10 hp in between when the ignition box retards 4* and when the nitrous actually makes it to the cylinders. Even if your bottle were empty and you hit the nitrous button, all you would notice is a slight drop in acceleration, but no damage.

The fun fireworks happen when you hit the button and get nitrous without the ignition retard Ask me how I know

[curtis73]

http://www.msdignition.com/pdf/7520_frm20346.pdf

Here is a link to the instruction manual for the MSD digital 7 box. There are others but I just knew that one controlled nitrous. Scroll down and you'll see a diagram that shows like 6 wires and where they hook up.