6 - Mercruiser Thunderbolt? Delco EST Is Superior

Описание: In this video I explain how I think the Delco EST Ignition module “knows” what size engine it is installed on. This is important because there are 3 different timing curves residing in the module and if the wrong timing curve is used you run the risk of serious engine damage.

In a previous video (   • Part 9E - How GM Delco EST Marine Ignition...  ) I described how the ignition timing is set with a “set timing tool”. I made the statement that there were three different part numbers for the Delco EST ignition module because I assumed that each module could only contain one timing curve. I was wrong in that video because to my later surprise I found out that there is only one part number for the Delco EST ignition module. Ever since I made that video I have been trying to understand how the module “knows” what size engine it is running.

I thought the module used the RPM that the engine was running at when the set timing tool was enabled to select the timing curve. But when I did an experiment where I used a V6 engine running at 800 RPM to trick the module into using the V8 timing curve, the experiment failed. The module continued to use the V6 timing curve. I concluded that the distributor VR sensor that the module uses has a unique characteristic for each size engine. The module can’t be tricked to using the wrong timing curve and that’s a good thing. However the timing still must be set to the correct initial setting for your engine or you risk serious engine damage.

I failed to mention in the video that it’s important to use a marine ignition module in this distributor. The car and truck modules have completely different timing curves in them and if you don’t damage your engine using one it will certainly lose power because my experience with them shows that the timing curves are very conservative and weak. They were designed that way because they were only used in limp home mode in cars and trucks.

Btw as promised in the video the marine module part number is 3854003. This is a Volvo Penta part number but Google it and the equivalent Mercruiser, Sierra, etc. part numbers will show up. MarinePartsSource.com has the lowest cost quality model in my opinion. There are a lot of cheap ones out there that I wouldn’t trust.