Tuning your ignition

The 910 engine loves lots of advance, up to 30° total advance. Total advance includes the static timing added to the amount of advance from the distributor (centrifugal and vacuum).

Recurving the distributor does not add any adavnce, only where in the RPM range the advance comes in. Centrifugal advance is altered by changing the calibrated springs and weights which live in the distributor.

To see how much advance is in your car as well as when it comes in, hook up a timing light and start the car. Check to see what the static timing is by strobing the light against the flywheel when at idle and read the scale. Then, increase rthe RPM's steadily, the advance will climb, note at what RPM these increases take place. At about 3k RPM, the timing will not advance any further, read the value on the flywheel, this is your total advance.

If you are at less than 30°, add the difference to the static timing value so that the total advance increases. This is something that you can play around with and is not the same on all engines. My car likes 28° best, 12°static timing and 16° of advance. I know one guy who's car runs best at 32° total, but I think that is too high and certainly is for my engine. Too much advance, and the power begins to trail off. Hope this helps.

FEDERAL HCi SPECIFIC: The service notes call for an ignition timing setting of 15° BTDC on Federal HCi cars, but that's for emissions. The car actually runs much better at a setting of 22° BTDC. I've personally set three HCi engines to this setting and all the owners noticed an power and response improvement.

Based on a Jim McFadden Post

Electronic Ignition

Lotus P.B.C. Inc. has the Electromotive distributor-less ignition system for the pre-HCI cars. Even more popular is the Lumenition Kit.