Electronic ignition conversion kit
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- Newbie
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 7:54 pm
- My tercel:: 1984 Wagon 4AC engine
- Location: Perth Western Australia
Electronic ignition conversion kit
Has anyone fitted an electronic ignition conversion kit to their points ignition distributor, like the kit from Hot-Spark (no affiliation I promise....just what I found via Google)???
I know its possible to fit the complete electronic ignition distributor but the conversion kits are way cheaper and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them
thanks in advance
I know its possible to fit the complete electronic ignition distributor but the conversion kits are way cheaper and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them
thanks in advance
1984 Tercel 4WD wagon with 4AC block (not too sure about the head but looks like 3AC)!!
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- Top Notch Member
- Posts: 136
- Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 4:21 am
- My tercel:: 1986 SR5
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
In the USA and CA we have ignitors in our distys, not points, for emissions reasons. I know that Oz didn't get as much into the emissions game until later. But to your question, I have in the past used the Pertronix Ignitor in a '78 VW van and it was a nice upgrade, not to have to worry about adjusting or replacing points. Never heard of the Hot-Spark system, but I guess it's basically the same as the Pertronix.
1986 4WD Tercel, formerly gold, now camo
1995 Ford Aspire SE, MPG development car, shooting for 65 MPG hwy
1990 Ford Festiva, mild motor swap, HP development car
The other Tom M. in STL w/a gold 1986 SR5--from the universe where Spock has a goatee
1995 Ford Aspire SE, MPG development car, shooting for 65 MPG hwy
1990 Ford Festiva, mild motor swap, HP development car
The other Tom M. in STL w/a gold 1986 SR5--from the universe where Spock has a goatee
- Petros
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 11941
- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
- My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
- Location: Arlington WA USA
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
a stronger more reliable spark is always useful. Back when all our older cars in the USA were all points systems, it was common to upgrade them to electronic ignition, we did it with all of our cars. I remember I was under the hood of the car at least once a month readjusting the points (they wear and cause timing changes). Whatever system you buy make sure it all solid state with no moving parts, that way is should have little/no maintenance for the future. You might also try and find out which of the aftermarket systems are more reliable from souses other than the manufacture or retailer.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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- Newbie
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 7:54 pm
- My tercel:: 1984 Wagon 4AC engine
- Location: Perth Western Australia
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
Thanks for the advice....I agree with the pain about adjusting the points every couple of months....I guess anything that takes tedious maintenance away has gotta be good 

1984 Tercel 4WD wagon with 4AC block (not too sure about the head but looks like 3AC)!!
- Mark
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 904
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:49 pm
- My tercel:: 1984 Automatic, 1981 sedan
- Location: Victoria, B.C.
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
I just bought a 1st gen Tercel with the points-type distributor. Is it possible to swap it out for the 2nd gen distributor? I imagine the shaft and gear are the same.
- dlb
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 7447
- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
- My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
- Location: bc, canada
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
which terc is it?? is it the one you were stalking in vancouver? i'd like to see it sometime.Mark wrote:I just bought a 1st gen Tercel with the points-type distributor. Is it possible to swap it out for the 2nd gen distributor? I imagine the shaft and gear are the same.
- Mark
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 904
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:49 pm
- My tercel:: 1984 Automatic, 1981 sedan
- Location: Victoria, B.C.
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
Yes it was the one in Richmond. They finally replied after 2 weeks and then it was another 2 days of e-mails trying to figure out their address. We haggled and settled on $850. It looks almost exactly like the one in this link:http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2105934/1 ... ta-tercel/. -Same red colour, black interior and seats. It was interesting driving back to the ferry on the highway since the tires weren't round anymore from sitting half-flat in a garage for 2 years. It was like driving on a trampoline. Since the oldest cars in Richmond are from around 2012, I had a few people staring as I drove by.
- irowiki
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 3469
- Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:02 am
- Location: Farmington, NM
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
Yeah, I get a lot of stares too, and a lot of cops tailgating me 

Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)
Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!
87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 197k
05 Avalon, 199k
Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!
87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 197k
05 Avalon, 199k
- dlb
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 7447
- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
- My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
- Location: bc, canada
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
neat, what kind of condition is it in? is there much work to do on it, besides the square tires? the terc in that link is super clean, very nice.
- Mark
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 904
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:49 pm
- My tercel:: 1984 Automatic, 1981 sedan
- Location: Victoria, B.C.
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
It's in pretty good condition. It has less than 100,00 kms on it and it idles and runs great with lots of power. I haven't had a chance to find any mechanical defects yet. The body isn't as great as they made it out to be, but it's still as good as I could hope for. It seems like there was a bondo repair around one of the tail lights and a small hole through the door by the driver's side keyhole. I'll post some photos and descriptions when I have a chance as long as it doesn't bug too many people who want to keep this a pure 4wd wagon forum.dlb wrote:neat, what kind of condition is it in? is there much work to do on it, besides the square tires? the terc in that link is super clean, very nice.
- irowiki
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 3469
- Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:02 am
- Location: Farmington, NM
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
Mark wrote:I'll post some photos and descriptions when I have a chance as long as it doesn't bug too many people who want to keep this a pure 4wd wagon forum.
Nobody has chased me off yet

I look forward to hopefully trading useful repair tales and such.
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)
Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!
87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 197k
05 Avalon, 199k
Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!
87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 197k
05 Avalon, 199k
- dlb
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 7447
- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
- My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
- Location: bc, canada
Re: Electronic ignition conversion kit
4doorVIP also has a 1st gen (in addition to a t4), and another member called lilbeast who has not been on in a while had a 1st gen, too! it's like a sub-cult.