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Alternative to reluctor wheel?

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Old Aug 23, 2010 | 04:12 PM
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Default Alternative to reluctor wheel?

I've read that guys running high rpm road racers choose to go a different route than with a reluctor wheel. They have the hub and reluctor wheel taken off. What do they used instead? Why would they do that?
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Old Aug 23, 2010 | 06:01 PM
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They use either the Dizzy conversion kit, or you can use an MSD timing wheel kit or a jesel front drive kit.

All of the are pricey options. The only reason they are used is if you are going massive RPM, or you want the nostalgic look.

Otherwise, stick with the tried and true method.
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Old Aug 24, 2010 | 12:19 AM
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Does anyone do this with a non carberated setup? I've heard that at high rpm the reluctor wheel isn't as accurate but would they still be running an EFI setup?
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Old Aug 24, 2010 | 02:15 AM
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Originally Posted by bp944

I've heard that at high rpm the reluctor wheel isn't as accurate but would they still be running an EFI setup?
Where did you hear that?
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Old Aug 24, 2010 | 09:11 AM
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Originally Posted by bp944
Does anyone do this with a non carberated setup? I've heard that at high rpm the reluctor wheel isn't as accurate but would they still be running an EFI setup?
That is why I mentioned the MSD timing wheel setup and the Jesel front drive setup. Both are used with fuel injection setups. Im not sure if they are "stock" setups or some aftermarket though.

At the higher rpms (twilight zone) the sensor gets too many pulses per second even that it just becomes an electronic blur due to the resolution of the signal, or something complicated like that .
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Old Aug 24, 2010 | 01:35 PM
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John, how does something like that work? Most of those run off of a magnetic pulse and then it would need a EFI that'll take a magnetic pulse for a trigger, right? Is there a system that doesn't use a magnetic pulse? There's a FAST conversion for the old SBC and use a trigger. Would you have to run a megasquirt system or is there a different EFI that you could use?

Last edited by bp944; Aug 24, 2010 at 02:09 PM.
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Old Aug 24, 2010 | 01:45 PM
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Yes. The short answer is, you will need alot of different parts to make it work and work right. I do not believe any of the setups will work correctly with a stock computer really.
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Old Aug 29, 2010 | 04:21 PM
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Something like this you mean?

http://jesel.com/index.php?categoryid=9
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Old Aug 29, 2010 | 07:09 PM
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A crank trigger setup is usually used in ls setups to use a aftermarket ignition unit such as an msd programmable 7 or something of that nature were individual cylinder timing can be accomplished thus squeezing every last HP out of a engine were as stock pcm's won't tune individual cylinders.

On other engines that don't come with EFI as efficient as an ls1's pcm or didn't come efi at all this kind of ignition coupled with a FAST or Big Stuff 3 this is a great setup.
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Old Aug 29, 2010 | 10:51 PM
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Can someone explain how I would do this, part by part? I understand the concept but FAST, Jesel, and Big Stuff 3 sell quite a few products. The Jesel valvetrain link doesn't look like something you'd use in a daily driver. I want something that is dependable. There's a damper sold with magnetic pick-ups but what else will work? Would something like this fit on a LS block?

http://www.fuelairspark.com/Pages/35...n-Program.aspx
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Old Aug 30, 2010 | 09:32 AM
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Yes that will work. You would order a ls style kit that way the inductor bracket will line up with the trigger wheel and you have to switch to a conventional style balancer with a 3 bolt holes. Here a pick from a engine that BES Racing Engines did. They placed 2nd in the engine masters challenge last year with a motor just like this but this engine is carb'd and runs a gmpp front cover with a modified ford distributor. I understand what you are saying about the belt drive distributor not looking streetable. I cannot tell you other wise but I imagine as long as you kept it clean and kept the belt serviced and always carried a spare you probably wouldn't ever have a problem with it.

http://www.besracing.com/customer-en...hallenge-motor

Last edited by Oldsmobility85; Aug 30, 2010 at 12:37 PM.
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Old Aug 30, 2010 | 09:43 AM
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If you run any type of timing set like that, you will have to make triple sure that it is timed correctly on the crank. Just like when they clock the reluctor wheel. To do that with a front drive system like that, you would have to pin the crank in a specific way to make sure its clocked right in the beginning then adjust with the bolt holes on the timing wheel.

Can you post a picture of the crankshaft? Maybe it will throw some more ideas out.
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Old Aug 30, 2010 | 12:57 PM
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adjusting the wheel with the bolt holes gets your timing close and in range. The inductive pickup bracket is then slid up or down to set the timing and on my sbc has a adjustment range of 20*. The tricky part is once you have the timing set close enough to start the engine you have to make sure that when the ignition box is firing the coil that your rotor is pointing directly at the plug wire terminal. Its not super hard but it takes a big getting used to. If the rotor and terminal aren't super close to each other when that coil fires the engine will not start and if it does will not run very well due to large spark gap inside distributor.

If you are intersted in the belt drive dist I would try to contact someone who has hands on used that setup. I think that the gmpp front drive setup with the modified ford distributor would be cheaper but Who Knows there all expensive.

good luck.
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Old Aug 30, 2010 | 01:04 PM
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You dont have to use a "modified" Ford dizzy for the GMPP setup, it takes a standard 302 distributor. Pinning the crank is next. Then spacing the water pump. Then using a keyed balancer with timing marks and/or the timing wheel.

In this application the GM setup with the front mount dizzy would prob work better. It would take less cost to do for everything. Machining the crank with some sort of timing mark or for a wheel would be more costly and using any of the other setups would be as well.

You are looking in the wrong place to have made this cost effective really. It going to take quite a bit either way to get it going.
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Old Aug 30, 2010 | 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted by John@Scoggin
You dont have to use a "modified" Ford dizzy for the GMPP setup, it takes a standard 302 distributor. Pinning the crank is next. Then spacing the water pump. Then using a keyed balancer with timing marks and/or the timing wheel.

In this application the GM setup with the front mount dizzy would prob work better. It would take less cost to do for everything. Machining the crank with some sort of timing mark or for a wheel would be more costly and using any of the other setups would be as well.

You are looking in the wrong place to have made this cost effective really. It going to take quite a bit either way to get it going.
By modified I meant that the few of these setups I have read about a crank trigger was deployed and the MSD Ford pro billet distributor was employed but was completely gutted of electrical components and reluctor. I would imagine you could get a ford dist. for a crank trigger as well. Maybe they had these laying around or something. As far as keying the crankshaft goes I imagine almost any machine shop could perform this task. And I bet if you were buying a aftermarket crank it could probably be ordered from a high end manufacturer. I think we might be the only two interested in this thread now. LOL
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Old Aug 30, 2010 | 01:37 PM
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No. Not keyed like that. Pinned in time with what would otherwise be a timing wheel on it. They are different. Not just a keyway. There is a diagram inside the front dist cover kit that tells you how to do it, but you have to make sure you are on or at least close so the distributor can be timed. The crank companies would prob not be too interested in that.

It is a special setup that gets looked at alot but passed over due to cost. Most go with the timing box and ls coils. But that is not the case here since there is on provision for the timing wheel on the crank.
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Old Aug 30, 2010 | 01:46 PM
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Interesting!
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Old Sep 2, 2010 | 11:49 PM
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ATI sells a damper for the ls crank. They also sell a system that mounts magnetic trigger inot the damper. Anyone know if that is compatible for the LS cranks and if this would work?
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Old Sep 4, 2010 | 12:17 PM
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The ATI setup works (just called them) and I think that may be the best way to go. I'd have to get a MSD trigger and work off of that. Where would I put the magnets as far as degrees go? Are the ATI dampers custom or can I get these used or discounted somewhere?
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