74 620 magnetic pickup

[Richie]

Hello. I’m leaning towards putting in a magnetic pickup in my 74 620. I’m looking online and can’t find any. Any ideas where I can get one? Thank you. 

[datzenmike]

If you have single points, I think you do, try Pertronix ignitions way under $100. Gets rid of the points but does not increase spark strength.

 

...https://pertronixbrands.com/search?q=&hPP=12&idx=shopify_products&p=0&dFR[vendor][0]=Pertronix Ignition&hFR[named_tags.level_1][0]=Electronic Ignition Conversions&is_v=1&filter_cat_brand=Datsun&filter_cat_model=620 Truck&filter_cat_engine=4

 

 

 

Another is Hot Spark ... https://www.hot-spark.com/

 

[Richie]

Thank you! I’ve been looking for like three days online. 

[datzenmike]

The ideal would be a Nissan matchbox distributor and matching high output coil from a '79 or '80 L20B. They were on the first year '80, S110 200sx but NOT in California. Magnetic pick up but able to handle higher current coils for higher voltage spark.

[distributorguy]

Pertronix has a growing reputation for diminishing quality (I'm trying to be nice about it.)  

Hotspark is a brand put on a very cheap Chinese EI, that I can purchase for just a few $s each - and the quality is marginal.  

If you insist on going electronic,  get the Matchbox distributor, feed a 1.5 Ohm coil with full battery voltage, and gap your plugs at .040".  It'll outlast any other option tenfold.  

[Richie]

47 minutes ago, distributorguy said:

Pertronix has a growing reputation for diminishing quality (I'm trying to be nice about it.)  

Hotspark is a brand put on a very cheap Chinese EI, that I can purchase for just a few $s each - and the quality is marginal.  

If you insist on going electronic,  get the Matchbox distributor, feed a 1.5 Ohm coil with full battery voltage, and gap your plugs at .040".  It'll outlast any other option tenfold.  

I looked online for matchbox and the price is pretty steep but I’m not against it. What would be the benefit from a just a regular conversion to a matchbox set up or than diminishing quality? Thank you. 

[datzenmike]

Most points coils are 1.5 ohm but can't handle the current without a ballast and will over heat. If you find a1.5 ohm coil that will operate on 12v,  the matchbox can easily handle this load. Matchbox coils are 0.75 to 1.0 ohms and with some E I R math, that's between 12-16 amps of current flow for a much hotter spark. 

 

The matchbox shuts down if not used and the ignition is left on.

It has current limiting circuitry built in

It has a variable dwell built in so the coil output is the same at any RPM.

It's used on the L28 engine and good to 7,000+ RPMs on a six cylinder. That's 10,500RPMs on a 4 cylinder. 

 

[Richie]

Wow that was very detailed thank you. If I go with just the two options you originally gave me I wouldn’t need that ballast resistor correct because it gets rid of the points?

[datzenmike]

1 hour ago, Richie said:

Wow that was very detailed thank you. If I go with just the two options you originally gave me I wouldn’t need that ballast resistor correct because it gets rid of the points?

 

Yes it gets rid of the points, but that's all. The Pertronix or Hot Spark are limited to the current through the points they replace. 1.5 ohm coil plus 1.5 ohm ballast = 3 ohms divide into 12v = 4 amps current. Without the 1.5 ohm ballast the current jumps to 8 amps and the coil will over heat and eventually the Pertronix / Hot Spark will burn out. The ballast is there to protect the coil so keep it.

 

Just getting rid of the mechanical points is worth it. 

[gene knight]

i have a matchbox dizzy on my L18 in my 521 instead of points, but then with the price of matchbox modules i upgraded to an HEI module and mounted it next to upgraded coil and then wired it from coil to HEI module then from there to my dizzy and removed matchbox module

Edited June 8, 2020 by gene knight

[banzai510(hainz)]

Pertronix or hotspark in the instructions says keep the stock coil and keep the ballast resistor.

 

your dist has to be a single point 68/69 distributor.later single point had a ring below where the rotor sat on and needs to be ground or milled off so the magnet ring in the kit fit on to the lobes.

i have run Pertronix which is USA made for 20 years and had good luck. Key is put nail polish or superglue on the tap edge so it don’t wear out and don’t take the magnet ring on/off a lot otherwise the magnets might stay on the distributor shaft.

this is in the” how to “section a few pages in on what how to do

[Richie]

I know this is probably a dumb question but I don’t know why I don’t have a spark and want to send pictures to you guys but it won’t let me send pictures on how I have it wired up. I am on an iPhone. 

[bilzbobaggins]

42 minutes ago, Richie said:

I know this is probably a dumb question but I don’t know why I don’t have a spark and want to send pictures to you guys but it won’t let me send pictures on how I have it wired up. I am on an iPhone. 

 

I just checked on my fruit phone.  You can use an outside hosting site such as imgur or there is now an option that should be at the bottom of the text box that says drag files here to attach.

[banzai510(hainz)]

Donk have spark?

How you checking this?

Pull the center coil wire from the dist cap place near ground and hit the key. see if you get spark.

If not this is what I do. Make sure you got 12volts to the coil + side of ballast reisiter and about 6 volt at the coil.

On start there is a wire that bypasses the ballast and you should have 2 wires at the + side coil which one will be the HOT START wire. this give tru battery voltage as the starter draws down some voltage. then when the key snap back to ON the power comes from the fuse box thru key switch ON then to th ballast and then to the + side coil.  this is to prevent the coil from getting too hot and burning up the points.

 

Now cheack the point to make sure they open and close. sometimes the condenser may go bad is is not grounded correctly do to corrosion.

 

its a very simple system but one that need to be maintain a lot , this is wear a lot of Datsun and point cars go down cause owners don't know how to main these fragile systems.

Once I went to a Pertronix my iginition only fails when the dist just wears out the bushing causing dist shaft wiggle at high speed  causing power loss

 

read everything here

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by banzai510(hainz)

[Richie]

35 minutes ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

Donk have spark?

How you checking this?

Pull the center coil wire from the dist cap place near ground and hit the key. see if you get spark.

If not this is what I do. Make sure you got 12volts to the coil + side of ballast reisiter and about 6 volt at the coil.

On start there is a wire that bypasses the ballast and you should have 2 wires at the + side coil which one will be the HOT START wire. this give tru battery voltage as the starter draws down some voltage. then when the key snap back to ON the power comes from the fuse box thru key switch ON then to th ballast and then to the + side coil.  this is to prevent the coil from getting too hot and burning up the points.

 

Now cheack the point to make sure they open and close. sometimes the condenser may go bad is is not grounded correctly do to corrosion.

 

its a very simple system but one that need to be maintain a lot , this is wear a lot of Datsun and point cars go down cause owners don't know how to main these fragile systems.

Once I went to a Pertronix my iginition only fails when the dist just wears out the bushing causing dist shaft wiggle at high speed  causing power loss

 

read everything here

 

Thank you. I’m still going to post a picture just to make sure. Because I tested all the points according to the owner’s manual and even YouTube and everything checked out but still no spark. I cleaned grounds points replaced wires and still nothing. Could a ballast resistor go bad? 

[banzai510(hainz)]

maybe they can go bad but Like I said if you measures the voltage before the ballast. 12 volts and after the ballast like 6 volts then it works. or use a Ohm meter and measure it.

Most time I seen a wire fall off.

 

sometime I put a new set of points in and don't work then go back to the old one then it works.

 

This is a 10-15 min simple fix

Edited June 8, 2020 by banzai510(hainz)

[Richie]

https://imgur.com/a/YoDMlHt
 

i took some pictures of the ignition set up to see if I did it correct or am I missing something. Also just to let you guys know I disconnected the horns because they started to spark when I tried starting the car. 

[datzenmike]

Where's the original coil?????????????????????????????? SHINY don't make it better!!!!

 

 

 

Looks right. If you have your original coil put it back on. 

 

 

Take

[Richie]

37 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Where's the original coil?????????????????????????????? SHINY don't make it better!!!!

 

 

 

Looks right. If you have your original coil put it back on. 

 

 

Take

It didn’t work with the original coil neither 

[datzenmike]

 Do you still have the points????

 

Did you change the coil because no spark?

 

Probably the points are worn or dirty and just need changing.

 

 

[Richie]

1 hour ago, datzenmike said:

 Do you still have the points????

 

Did you change the coil because no spark?

 

Probably the points are worn or dirty and just need changing.

 

 

Yea I changed the coil because of no spark and I still have the original points. 

[datzenmike]

Good, now we're getting somewhere.

 

Take one of the spark plug leads off and put any old plug in the end. Hold it tightly against the valve cover, where you can see it. Have someone try to start the engine. Do you see any spark??? Often people think they have no spark but they do and a lot of time is spent looking for a problem that isn't there.

 

 

 

Take the distributor cap off and watch the points open and close while someone uses the starter to turn the engine. The points should be clean and when open fully the gap should be the width of a piece of Cheerios box. If they are eroded, burnt or worn, replace them. This is the most likely cause of no spark.

 

Is the distributor loose from setting the timing? Snug the bolts up. The distributor has to be well grounded to the engine.

 

 

Buy a $4 12v test lamp.

 

Clip to a grounded surface and you can touch the probe to any contact and if there's 12v it will light up.

 

With the key on touch the coil + terminal

 

If it lights dimly it's good and has power.

 

Try the coil - side while trying to start the engine. It should flash on and off dimly

[Richie]

20 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Good, now we're getting somewhere.

 

Take one of the spark plug leads off and put any old plug in the end. Hold it tightly against the valve cover, where you can see it. Have someone try to start the engine. Do you see any spark??? Often people think they have no spark but they do and a lot of time is spent looking for a problem that isn't there.

 

 

 

Take the distributor cap off and watch the points open and close while someone uses the starter to turn the engine. The points should be clean and when open fully the gap should be the width of a piece of Cheerios box. If they are eroded, burnt or worn, replace them. This is the most likely cause of no spark.

 

Is the distributor loose from setting the timing? Snug the bolts up. The distributor has to be well grounded to the engine.

 

 

Buy a $4 12v test lamp.

 

Clip to a grounded surface and you can touch the probe to any contact and if there's 12v it will light up.

 

With the key on touch the coil + terminal

 

If it lights dimly it's good and has power.

 

Try the coil - side while trying to start the engine. It should flash on and off dimly

Thank you. I will try all this tomorrow and let you know what happens. 

[banzai510(hainz)]

Your new shiny coil looks fine as long it’s about More than say 1.4 ohms or close to it.

 

points constantly wear so this is the first to look at not the coil.

 

this is me

if you just took the center coil wire place near chassis ground and hit the start and see if sparks.dont need to look at the spark plugs.

pill the rotor off so you can see the point open and close. It’s about .020 on the high spot on the point lobe

Edited June 9, 2020 by banzai510(hainz)

[Pacific coast Datsun]