Does the bigger, better spark associated with an ignition amp (like the HKS DLI-2) lead to a better, quicker burn of the fuel, such that a degree or two of timing retard is necessary?

I'm hitting knock after the DLI-2 install, just curious if anyone else experienced the same, or if the above statement makes sense on a theoretical basis.

 

Well.. the answer is it depends..

It doesnt lead to a quicker burn, but many tunes typically compensate for poor spark or ignition quality by leading the timing more than you would need to if your ignition was perfect..

Therefore.. if your ignition system was running perfectly, you would see no gains in switching to the DLI2, plus you would not need to alter your tune since the ignition is working as expected..

However, in many cases cars are tuned with stock coils, wires, and plugs with some mileage on them, sometimes its necessary to accomodate those parts. So when you "fix" up the ignition system, you end up having to remove a bit of timing from your tune..

 

maybe a dumb question , but.....
If your tuned for 7*@peak and have no knock THEN add a ign amp and have to retard timimg 1*or 2* to reduce knock would you be losing HP due to less timming ??? or with the longer spark(?) it would be about the same ?

 

Longer spark will not make more power just clean up misfires.

There is an inherent delay in all spark systems, some are faster some are slower. All your really doing is putting the delay back to where it was because it moved due to different parts

 

When I installed my DLI-II, I did end up adjusting my timing a bit due to increased knock. The amount of increased knock wasn't much, but I'm pretty picky about these things. :-)

As for why, I assume it was due to a more complete burn of the fuel that was masking a knock-prone combustion environment.

Moral of the story is that if you want to have the safest tune possible, it's a good idea to have it checked after the install of an ignition amp like the DLI-II.

 

u need to adjust the ignition dwell timing. what do u tune with?

 

If that was directed at me, I tune with a Utec . I've seen some threads in the EcuFlash forum on adjusting dwell, but I thought that was for aftermarket coils only????

 

steelcityevo8, please don't take offense, I don't mean this in a negative way towards you, but isn't malibujack one of the guys on the cutting edge of stock ECU understanding? He posted in this thread, if the dwell of the stock ECU needed to be changed, I would have thought he would mention that fact. On a AEM EMS, sure, the dwell probably needs to be changed, but on the stock ECU?

 

yes i am sure that malibu jack is more knowing than i on the stock programming and his post is probably more in line. that info i had shared was given to me from folks at xs engineering in regards to their ignition amplifier. similar to hks. was told that ignition dwell timing would need to get reduced. something to look at!

 

There really isn't a setting in the stock ECU that we've found yet that alters the ignition dwell, its also really not necessary on a properly tuned car with stock coils. the HKS amplifier is an interesting animal.. its a simple CDI setup at idle and lower RPM, and it also boosts voltage to the coils, while correctly triggering the stock coils ignitors (and not boosting the trigger voltage, which can damage it)

Its not something I've had to even think about touching on the Evo with a stock ECU, typically when you go to aftermarket coils, there may be some advantage of doing so.

The biggest problem I've seen with ignitions on the Evo is the trigger method for different aftermarket setups.. Most of the time its resolved by using a DSM (or nology) Ignitor pack.