--JR--

So I got myself a used CRANE XR-700 ignition kit, with no instructions.

I've been having a HELL of a time getting this thing to work properly.

I've got my pickup installed and I have my timming light (with magnetic pickup) clamped on the coil wire so I can tell when it's sparking.

Now to align the "eye" with the engine I set the engine to TDC (as marked on the fan) and then alined the distributors plug one with the head of the rotor. Then I installed the rotor sensor and positioned the eye so that it was at hole on cyl 1.

I have verified that the ignition unit is opperating and I am getting a spark. But the problem seems to be that the spark isn't being delivered at the right time or even the right cylinder.

I've have a few coughs out of it when I'm messing around but none of it seems to be logical.

Any suggestions?

Rouser

Installation Instructions - XR700/XR3000

911pcars

When the timing mark lines up at TDC, no. 1 cylinder is either at TDC, ready to fire or TDC eng of exhaust/beginning of intact. You want the former. Sound like you have it lined up at the latter position.

You could start from where you are (probably at the latter position) which coincides with no. 6 ready to fire. or....

To start from scratch, manually rotate engine so the TDC mark is approaching alignment and the no. 1 cylinder is on the compression stroke. How do you tell? Easiest way is to feel for compression at the spark plug hole. Don't have long fingers? If available, use a detacheable hose from a compression tester to extend the opening up to your thumb where you can feel air pressure coming out. Lacking this, you maybe jury-rig a longish hose from the SP hole up to where you can feel the air pressure escape.

Once the timing marks are aligned, install the distributor so the rotor points to no. 1 plug wire on the cap. The dist. drive gear is helical shaped (slanted), so the rotor will shift slightly as it meshes. Compensate when you install. Tighten the hold down just enough so the dist. keeps a set position when rotated. With the dist. in this rough position, you should be able to start the engine (assuming the spark is going to happen). Finish up with the timing light.

As Rouser so efficiently suggested, the Crane website has downloadable installation instructions, but it assumes the above.

Sherwood

--JR--

Thanks for the replies! The manual was the biggest help. I absolutely don't have it lined up 180deg out. I've installed this very kit on the car before and when I install the points everything works just fine. I'm thinking (after about 7H into it) that my Crane box has become a brick after the engine was rebuilt. It seems to work on the bench, but I'm thinking that it's not generating a hot enough spark to make it through the distributor.

My only real clue to that is that if I install a plug on the coil lead I get a small spark out of it but once I put it through the distributor I get no sparking from any cylinder or the coil (since the spark isn't going anywhere).

I have two working caps, rotors and coils which are all known good. I've checked all the plug wires for good measure and they all check out. I think the old box is just fubared.

Thanks for the assists though!

-JR-

911pcars

Hmmm. Didn't you say:

"I have verified that the ignition unit is opperating and I am getting a spark. But the problem seems to be that the spark isn't being delivered at the right time or even the right cylinder."

So you have a spark or not?

Sherwood

--JR--

Well that's the tricky part. There is a spark when a plug is attached to the coil lead, but not once you run it through the distributor. But the distributor is NOT at fault since it works fine with points. I went even so far as to get a used distributor cap and I drilled it out for a sight hole at #1. Just so I could see what it was up to.

xsboost90

after you line everything up, turn the ignition on and see if your LED on the back of the crane box is lit up, that tells you if the eye is lined up correctly. You want it on the leading edge i believe, so you have some adjustment after the LED kicks on. W/O lining that up, it will not start.

--JR--

On my model there is no LED. So to do the adjustment I installed my multimeter on the coil "-" lead and measured the voltage. There will be little to no voltage there to ground when the eye is blocked and 12V there when the eye is in a slot. I have even taken it the next step...

I set the engine for 5deg after TDC, this is where the engine book says the points should open and I adjusted the timming so that the distributor is pointing at #1 as well as the eye just enters a slot. So in theory this should allow the engine to at least run. But it's a no go.