UK Fuel crisis

[Buchholz, Steven]

>     I was not aware that a device to retard the ignition timing was 
> available. My 1984
> Ur with the WR engine has not got any crankshaft sensors as far as I know
the 
> ignition system being Hall effect all electronic ignition with
microprocessor 
> control. Crank sensors are not required.

... while I guess it is true that a system could be built without some
knowledge of the crank position, it would likely be little more than
"electronic" points.  The WR engine does indeed have two sensors on the
flywheel which are used to determine crank position ... in addition to the
sensor on the distributor.  One sensor on the flywheel "sees" the flywheel's
teeth, and the other senses a metal pin inserted into the flywheel as a
reference mark.  The sensor on the distributor is only used to tell the
computer when the engine is at TDC compression for #1.  

HTH!
Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)