Re: Dual Ignition coil on Scirocco

[ChuckKuecker <ckuecker@mcs.net>]

At 13:31 6/30/97 -0500, you wrote:
>At 12:21 AM 6/30/97 -0500, you wrote:
>>***lurk mode off***
>>I want to put an extra coil on my ITC Scirocco.  If I want to be able to 
>>switch over to the spare quickly, can I attach the negative poles, and the 
>>positive poles together, and only have to change the coil-distributor wire?
>>Or must I change all wires to 
>>
>>the new coil when needed?  I've seen dual coils on race cars before, but
>>never really paid that much attention.
>>BTW, it is a stock Bosch points ignition.
>>tia
>>***lurk mode on***
>
>
>The way I understand that the big boys do it is, they have basically an A-B 
>switch. the coil wires both run to this switch as do the wires. Then if they 
>have a problem, they simply flick a switch to the second ingnition system.
This 
>is on the entire ignition systen tho, so yours may be much easier to build.
>
>My first thought would be to have 2 A-B switches. one for the coil wires and 
>one for the -/+ wires. (Or would this require 3 switches? I dunno, its been a 
>while since ive clammered through radio shacks electrical inventory...)
Anyways 
>this could be dash mounted easily, I would think. 
>I've never done it, never seen it done or even seen a finished unit. I just 
>know it look really good in my head. 
>HTH!!
>
>
>Shawn

You can hook up one wire (+ or -) to both coils - but you can NOT keep both
coils in the circuit at once. The unconnected (coil wire) unit will arc over
and destroy itself in short order. Also, two coils might overload the
ignition module, or burn up the points. The minimum would be an 'A-B' switch
in the other wire to the coil.

Anytime you crank an engine with the center wire out of the distributor,
it's a real good idea to ground this wire. It won't hurt the coil, but
avoids that arc-over problem, and you don't have to worry about getting zapped!

The high voltage coil lead is special. I don't know of any switch from Radio
Shack or elsewhere that will withstand spark voltages. I would simply swap
the coil wire from the bad unit to the good one when you need to..

Even if you find an 'A-B' swith for the high tension lead, it would not be a
good idea to make the wires any longer than absolutley necessary. Long high
voltage wires tend to leak energy.

Do the race guys use this as a backup system they change in the pit. or can
they swap on the fly? Something like aircraft engines with dual plugs and
dual distributors, maybe?

Chuck Kuecker

ckuecker@mcs.net

'83 Scirocco (in process)
'58 Ghia Convert
'75 Bug (rusty!!)
'67 Bug
'63 Bug
'91 Vanagon


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