Conversion to Electronic Ignition.....Help!

[Skitzerow]

Well I did it.  I purchased the Crane XR700-0231 ignition kit tonight.  Also ordered the PS20 Premium Street Coil which comes with a ballist resistor.

Now what I do with it when I get it is something else.  I looked at the online instructions at the Crane Cam website, but it does not go in to detail for the 1969 280sl 2.8L.

I would, if you don't mind, like to know what I have to do when I get it?

1)  Do I have to drill holes in the cast iron distributor, to route the wires?
2)  Do I need to use the ballast resistor?
3)  It looks like I set the rotor to the No. 1 cylinder distributor mark while installing?

The reason I bought it, is because I was experiencing the intermittant start conditions others have talked about here.  If the electronic ignition will save me from one tow job, then it has paid for itself.

Any guidance is appreciated.
Thanks.



SDK

[George Davis]

SDK,

perhaps you've already heard from others on this, but if not:

You shouldn't have to drill a hole, just take out the screw and insulators that are there for the stock wire connection and the hole is probably big enough.  A grommet or dab of sealer would probably be a good idea to seal the hole up when you're done.

The instructions should say whether you use the ballast resistor or not.

Installing this kit takes a bit of fiddling, and it's easiest if the dizzy is taken off the engine.  Mark the dizzy and block somehow to make reinstallation easier.  You have to ensure that the rotor is in line with one of the plug wire terminals in the cap while a slot in the shutter wheel is passing through the IR light beam.  Doesn't matter which cylinder or slot it is.

Don't forget to push the dizzy down against the spring under the dizzy shaft when you reinstall it to ensure that the drive lugs are fully engaged.

Good luck, hope it runs well!

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

[Cees Klumper]

SDK - I can send you an extensive installation manual for the XR700 that was written by John Hassell of Texas. It's a .pdf file (Acrobat) with photos, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions for installation in a ... 280 SL! It's extremely comprehensive and thorough. It's also 544 Kb in size, so please let me know off-line if you want me to send it you.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic