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GTL electronic ignition conversion

Quatrelle

Quatrelle

Enthusiast
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Hautes Pyrénées
I have just acquired a 1984 GTL. The first thing I'll have to do is replace the points because they're fairly worn. This isn't a big deal, I've had a bunch of old cars, bikes and scooters with points ignotion, but every old VW I've had I've replaced the points with electronic ignition, kits available for about £50, and you fit them once and never ever have to look at them again.

Can anybody point me to a supplier of such a kit for the R4? My garage said they don't do one for these cars, but I have to say that would surprise me considering its longevity and popularity. But you never know, anyway fingers crossed.

Regards

Frank
 
Points to Electronic ignition conversion unit

Hi Steve,

Thans for that tip. The CraneCams Points to Electronic ignition conversion unit Enrique mentioned is just what I was looking for. If anybody's interested the unit that would fit your R4 would be the 700-0231 unit on the Renault page of their catalog:

http://www.cranecams.com/pdf/Page066.pdf

crn-700-0231.jpg


It can be found on a variety of US automotive websites, just Google for "crane 700-0231" and you'll find them. Price is between $85 and $100 and with the dollar exchange rate as it is, works out pretty cheap (http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi).

This is the kit as advertised on summitracing.com

Shipping with this site was $30 airmail. I had to ring them as it didn't state international shipping on the site. Another dent in the credit card, but not bad considering I didn't pay a penny for the car :)

Thanks again for the search tip. I hope this post helps any other people searching for this unit.
 
Pazon do a similar kit to the Boyer one Steve mentioned at around £45.00, you retain the points but they last a hell of a lot longer.
 
I've never bothered with electric ignition on a Renault 4. The points normally last a year before they need cleaning/replacing. They aren't like Lucas points which need to be fettled every weekend.

I put a Luminition system on an MG and it's fit and forget, although I suspect most conversions will be much the same so long as the electronics aren't housed inside the distributor. I'd be interested to know which one you buy and where you get it from.
 
Hello everybody

After what seems like a lifetime (a lot can happen in four years) I have finally got round to trying to fire up my poor little Suzi who has been in the barn for all that time. The last time she ran was in 2010 when I was giving my daughter a driving lesson and all of a sudden she coughed and died (the car, not my daughter!). After a few failed attempts to restart her and with many other things on my mind I towed her home and put her in the barn.

So, finally, this weekend I replaced the battery and discovered the points were shot to pieces (one of the arms had snapped). Having (#shame#) never got round to fitting the electronic ignition I bought in 2006, and being a little frightened of doing so, I just replaced the points and condenser. She fired up but coughed and stalled and no amount of adjustment would make her idle. So I bit the bullet and decided to fit the Crane XR700 electronic ignition.

Connecting the wiring and the amp is a doddle. Fitting the parts inside the distributor was more of a challenge because I had to grind away some bits of the points plate, but nothing too challenging for my limited engineering abilities.

IMG_8646.JPG

When all was done I took a deep breath and turned the key: she fired up and ran. The petrol was pretty rank after two years but I filled her to the brim with fresh juice to try and mix some new with the old. Now, after a few hours of fiddling and just sitting in her enjoying the sound of the engine, she runs, she accelerates, she idles. That electronic ignition is a blessing. As always, I wish I had done it ages ago.

Now to fix those dodgy brakes! :)
 
Helow....
I want to know electronic ignition in other words is called magneto? i want to change my R4 from point to magneto....
 
I fitted the boyer's one Stan said some posts ago and I run fine by a couple of year with my cleon engine.
Now on the billancourt one I would like to try something similar.
I like it, more spark to the plugs and less bothering with regulations.
And when I want to, a couple of minutes playing in a parking with a screwdriver and I am again to the original settings!
 
Hopefully electronic ignition is solution of points. I almost run mad because of points. Sometime car fail to start in the trafic light....!! What a shame!! Storm is going to be over soon
 
Jambo Ndelilio. I can tell you that changing my points to electronic ignition has made a world of difference to starting and running smoothly. I imagine that it's fairly expensive to get an electronic ignition kit to Tanzania, but if your R4 is your primary mode of transport then it should make it very worth while. Once it is fitted and correctly aligned, you can simply forget about it and if you have any other problems afterwards you should quickly be able to exclude the ignition from your troubleshooting.
 
Jambo! Friend of my had R4, he change from point to electronic ignition... He experience several problem....sometimes ignitor fail several times, and another mechanics tell me that when you drive your car Ignitor may get hot and fail. When it fail you supposed to buy another ignitor which cost $50, while to buy new distributor completely cost $50. And to fix that electronic igniton is cost $100, for time being I'I buy that new distributor and look its performance. if manance to me I'I change to electronic ignition.....
 
There are several kind of electronic ignition... And tell us where to buy complete new distributor for just 50$!
 
Azazello said:
There are several kind of electronic ignition... And tell us where to buy complete new distributor for just 50$!
Click to expand...
Helow azazelo, Here in Tanzania they sell new distributor for peugeout $50, it the same with R4, but l dnt know what type of Peugeut fit with R4. If its is 206,505 i dnt know. But when l buy and fit it. I'I attach pictures of the whole issue.....
 
Last edited:
Ndelilio Nnko said:
Jambo! Friend of my had R4, he change from point to electronic ignition... He experience several problem....sometimes ignitor fail several times, and another mechanics tell me that when you drive your car Ignitor may get hot and fail. When it fail you supposed to buy another ignitor which cost $50, while to buy new distributor completely cost $50. And to fix that electronic igniton is cost $100, for time being I'I buy that new distributor and look its performance. if manance to me I'I change to electronic ignition.....
Click to expand...

Jambo Ndelilio. I think that there are different levels of quality in everything you buy, including electronic ignition. I have installed electronic ignition in at least two motorcycles and one car (maybe the other way round, I can't quite remember) during my life and they have never failed, but of course maybe I was lucky or maybe I didn't ride in the extreme heat of the Arusha rush hour in December!!! However, personal experience does always colour one's view.
 
hi
I have a renault r4 1.1 GTL, and would like to switch to an Electronic ignition, know tell me what the best way?
My distributor is the ducellier!
 
Hi there esmarra, welcome to the forum. There are various electronic ignition systems on the market, but the one I've fitted to my GTL is made by a British company called Aldon. It consists of a module which fits inside the dizzy and a sleeve that goes over the dizzy spindle. Two wires from the module go to the coil, and that's it, no boxes of tricks on the bulkhead, and just those two wires. Simple. The part number is EP 141, and it cost about £80 sterling. Regards Brian.
 
Hi
This system is equal AccuSpark? Runs through a magnet, right?
I would appreciate respondesses some questions:
1- How long have this system in the car?
2- Until now do you have any problem?
3- When you install you had to sharpen the point?
4. The work of the car works best? Less fuel consumption?
 
Hi esmarra,
I use an AccuSpark kit on my R4 GTL, that I bought on eBay for around £25. It does use a magnet switch. I have had it for around 2 years with no problems. To install it, I had to remove the points because this kit replaces them. With electronic ignition, the engine starts more easily and idles more smoothly, and the ignition never needs adjusting. I haven't measured the difference in fuel consumption. I would definitely recommend it!
 
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