Re: Fire went out!

[Orin Eman <orin@wolfenet.com>]

> OK, I'll bite.  How can the car run/start without the Hall Effect Sensor?

> As far as I am aware (read: Bronco, Bronco II) the hall effect sensor
> triggers the timing much as the points would on a less modern vehicle.  On
> the Broncos, you set the timing by twisting the distributor, as you would on
> a points system.  In either case, failure of the hall effect sensor means
> doom for the car running or starting.

> Where do these fine v8q and 5000's get any timing information in the absence
> of the hall effect sensor?  Why would there be a difference between running
> and starting?

It gets the timing from the flywheel teeth and a pin pressed into the
flywheel.  The hall sensor is only useful for determining whether
whether cyl 1 is on the compression or exhaust stroke.  Once cyl 1 on
compression has been determined, there is no need for the hall sensor.
However, it can affect the knock sensor code on the 5000s... the
engine will run, but the knock sensor code can lose track of which
cylinder is firing.

I don't know how the V8 would start without the hall sensor.  It would
certainly keep running for the same reason as the 5000s.

Since the hall sensor is in the distributor, which is driven off the
cam which is driven by a rubber belt, the hall sensor signal isn't
accurate enough for ignition timing on the high performance engines...
hence the use of the flywheel teeth for accuracy.

Orin.