Crank Trigger

[Pedigo Perf]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

All I can tell you is claims of more stable timing aside, my 950HP engine, turning 8000 in the lights in my nearly 3200 lb. ride that makes 250+ passes a season, prints time slips WITHOUT a crank trigger and no belt drive either.

Where can I get a time slip printer for my car?

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Pedigo Perf

Where can I get a time slip printer for my car?

You don't need one. Come up with some numbers on your own, post them on-line and eventually they will become fact. Happens all the time.

[Bobby Fazio]

What about if your motor lives in the 8500+ rpm range would it be better to have one? We both run 289 I run the trigger and he doesn't but both cars are very consistent.

[Jeff Lee]

If you really have a race car where every .001 counts, and the rules allow a crank trigger, you should have one. The simple fact that a crank trigger is more stable, it has to be, should tell you there is something there.
Personally, I believe if someone that has never tried one, but denounces them, have no business saying you don't need one. For all they know, their car could be faster with one installed. But they'll never know...

From my own experience, the two best things I can say about going from Stock to Superstock, aside from the extra 100 HP, was the shaft mounted T&D rockers over the OEM stamped steel rockers and the crank-triggered ignition. Both made the car more stable in their job and the result was a smoother running engine. And I probably have a better distributor system than most in Stock in areas that promote more accurate secondary ignition triggering than most out there.

In my opinion, there is no way a crank-triggered ignition system CAN NOT be better than a distributor triggered system. You throw a timing chain in there, cam twist and or flex, meshing of two gears, oil pump issues, valve-train issues (spring pressures, harmonics, etc.), etc.,....I'm all ears if you think you can convince me the crank-trigger ignition is "maybe as good but not better" than a distributor triggered ignition.

My new ignition is for Stock and I'll be using an ICE Ignition which is a hall-effect system. I don't hear much about that but I believe it is a better system than the monkey see, monkey do MSD system. But I could be wrong. But I will test both systems on the dyno. Then I will know, not guess.

[Maverick]

I always ran a billet distributor for years with a curve in the distributor, and I finally went to the crank trigger and programmable ignition before I started this season. Had to have some machine work on my crank mandrel to fit the wheel on the front of the balancer, and also upgraded the ignition boxes. I picked up a lot. Too much in fact. I run the car in super gas and I don't run a throttle control, I change the shift points for the five speed, using a automated programmable shifter. It was too fast for what I was trying to do, and then I retarded the timing to slow it down, and that worked ok, until, the weather changed big time. Still trying to come up with a programmable curve, so I can control things the way I want. Got close this last two weekends, but then started spinning the tires when it got real hot. Crank triggers are a little bit more expensive, but you can do a lot more with them. I will never go back to a distributor controlled ignition, unless it is on the street car that I am trying to get back to.

[1320racer]

Unless the op is racing Pro Stock, Pro Mod, Comp Eliminator or turning 9000 RPM in a super stocker looking for that last .01, a crank trigger is worth NOTHING on the time slip compared to a properly functioning locked out billet distributor.

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

Unless the op is racing Pro Stock, Pro Mod, Comp Eliminator or turning 9000 RPM in a super stocker looking for that last .01, a crank trigger is worth NOTHING on the time slip compared to a properly functioning locked out billet distributor.

You don't know what your talking about. You read it or heard it somewhere and now it is gospel to you. And I'm sure about now you'll tell us you tried one and it didn't help.

[buzzinhalfdozen]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

Unless the op is racing Pro Stock, Pro Mod, Comp Eliminator or turning 9000 RPM in a super stocker looking for that last .01, a crank trigger is worth NOTHING on the time slip compared to a properly functioning locked out billet distributor.

Let's see he posted the question in the Stock Super Stock tech section. What can we gather from that? Ed if you've never actually ran a crank trigger how can you comment on the pros or cons? As I stated there is NO question as to which system delivers more accurate timing, you make it sound like a crank trigger set up costs $1000 from the guy that claims we all bitch about any little extra costs the rule makers impose on us. Bottom line is if you want the most accurate timing system for your motor, be it a bracket motor or a high end comp motor go with a crank trigger! BTW the RPM of the engine is irrelevant here, the need for good steady ignition events is critical at all engine speeds.