This may be the idiot question of the year but I thought I'd ask (and learn) from those of you who have done this mod.
I have an M900 with JE high-comp pistons, Dyna coils and a few other mods. I had some issues with the bike changing idle when out on the road (fine in the driveway, 2000rpm 5 miles out) so I opted to change out the Pederzini ignition modules for the Ignitech.
I have heard this mod is pretty much 'plug it in, and ride'. I installed the module, and even starting and idling the bike is easier. better response from idle, blipping up a bit etc.
Do I need to know what my bike's 'baseline' timing is before dinking with maps etc.? How do I know where the timing is (TDC, advanced etc.)? I think the software which came with the Ignitech asks where the timing is, so I definitely need to know. . . .
Also, with high-comp pistons, I assume I'd advance the ignition slightly (?) I have read the lengthy thread about the Ignitech and greenmonster's input, but still have these questions unanswered.
Last, is it possible to ride the bike 'as is' with the Ignitech plugged in and working? I need to borrow a friend's PC to run the .exe program.
Thanks for any pointers, just making sure I don't blow anything up.
if you have the TCI-P model, then plug in your laptop and download the map and you can read all of that info and save it as a file. If you ordered yours for a Ducati, then the timing lump angles will be entered into the map.
From the old discussion, the lump was a big pain to mess with, but could be done. Look on Brad Black's website for a fuller discussion of it.
If you ordered the Ducati model, then it came with a generic map based on teh Pederzini modules, but with 2 or 3 more steps.
I don't have a laptop (PC) yet. Sometimes running an Apple has it's disadvantages.
Anyway, how do I know what my baseline (ignition on the bike) advance is? How do I determine it?
Also, since the bike starts and runs with the Ignitech, can I ride it before fiddling with the map? I got mine from Chris at Cycleworks, not sure if it's the 'lump' version you describe.
I have the same set up as you (JE pistons and ignitek)
If I am safe to asume you have some sort of hi-flow filter and less restrictive pipes, I have a perfect map for you. (will of course depend on your hard timing-that is the pickups under alternator cover)
email my user name at gmail and I'll send you the ign file.
This was configured on a dyno-so it should really set you on the right path.
Quote from: avizpls on July 20, 2010, 09:23:09 AM
I have the same set up as you (JE pistons and ignitek)
If I am safe to asume you have some sort of hi-flow filter and less restrictive pipes, I have a perfect map for you. (will of course depend on your hard timing-that is the pickups under alternator cover)
email my user name at gmail and I'll send you the ign file.
This was configured on a dyno-so it should really set you on the right path.
This is 'step one'.
How do I find this out?
http://www.bikeboy.org/ducati2vignition.html (http://www.bikeboy.org/ducati2vignition.html)
QuoteI also found out something I didn't know here. The Ducati spec for all the 2V carb motors has always been 6 degrees base advance and 32 degrees max advance, meaning the lump on the flywheel corresponds to 26 degrees of rotation. When I was marking out some more advance marks on my original 750 flywheel late in the piece I found the dot corresponding to full advance was at 36 degrees BTDC, not 32. The idle advance dot was still at 6 degrees, as expected. As the 750 and 900 motors with the 2 phase alternator (up to and including '97 year models) share the same part number flywheel I can only assume all the 750 and 900 actually have 36 degrees maximum advance. I haven't played with any of the '98 onward 3 phase alternator flywheels or timing, but the part numbers overlap for the 600 and some 750 motors and some 750 and all 900 motors. So I'm not really sure.
The flywheel has bumps on it that go past the pickups. As SOON as this bump meets the pickup, a signal is sent to the ignitek. The angle between genuine TDC and the point at which the bump triggers the pickup is the baseline timing. The ignitek would like to know if the motor is allready at 6 degrees when it recieves that signal. Ideally, it would be true TDC. But this is the base advance.
This value has no REAL effect on the spark delivery. All it will do is ensure that the numbers in the software of ignitek relate to actual crank rotation angles. It also sets the MINIMUM advance angle. You'll notice in the software you cant set an advance value of 5 degrees if you have the baseline set to 6 (because the crank is allready past 5 degrees whent he unit get the signal) What the ignitek does is determine how many degrees per second the crank is moving based on RPM as measured from the pickups. Then, when it gets a signal from the pickup, it looks at the RPM, checks for how many degrees of advance you want at that point, and then waits the right amount of time before sending spark. The time it waits is your advance - baseline. So if you want 10 degrees, and base is all ready 6 (meaning the crank is at 6 degrees all ready when the igniteck gets the signal) it only has to wait 4 degrees. If you move baseline to zero, now, to get the same 10 degrees, it thinks to wait 10-0=10 degrees.
I'll have to look at my maps, see how I have my baseline setup. Its either 6 degrees or zero.
QuoteDo I need to know what my bike's 'baseline' timing is before dinking with maps etc.? How do I know where the timing is (TDC, advanced etc.)? I think the software which came with the Ignitech asks where the timing is, so I definitely need to know. . . .
Most likely,
noone has fiddled w the flywheel & pick-up positions so you shouldn't need too worry bout your timing,
esp if it ran OK before (except idle) w the Kokusan boxes.
Usually it is, at most, 1-2degrees off. So start w the default Kokusan map as you`ve already done &
experiment from there.
Timing is measured w a degree wheel on crank and a stroboscope light.
Link to Brad above gives answers to almost everything about the Ignitech TCI-P4.