E: Engine Ignition Advance

Dave Hulstone

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
so what effect does having a twin plug head have on ignition?.
Hi Brian. From my experience they make for a more efficient combustion allowing for later ignition timing, like 28 degrees btdc , resulting in more power out of your engine. For years I had to run my twin spark head with one plug replaced with a decompressor to help my starting as I was using a bth, giving me a 4 - 32 ignition curve from memory. I fitted a Grosset electronic ignition designed for a twin spark set up giving me a 4 - 28 ignition curve, fitted 2 plugs and the power gain was massive. I was getting a bit of pinging under load so after talking to David Dunfey I adjusted it to 2 - 26 and gained even more power.
 

stu spalding

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
so what effect does having a twin plug head have on ignition?.
It give's a sweeter running engine. I don't know about dyno figures/ quarter/ lap times etc but for road use it's much better, fuel consumption is improved, I run 26 degrees BTDC fully advanced and 2 static, as recommended by Grosset for electric start. Cheers, Stu.
 

vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I think I would rather have a decompressor than twin plugs on my road Comet and like David above I have fitted an electric start.
 

vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I think my avoidance of the knitting needle, roller dropping, oil spewing standard valve lifter arrangement is well known. and I want to ease the first rumble of the starter (retires to foxhole :) )
 

Marcus Bowden

VOC Hon. Overseas Representative
VOC Member
Twin plugging is definitely an improvement on power and economy 1990 I did it and since then I've been averaging 200 plus miles to the standard 15 Ltr Tank 3.25 gallons. 240 miles was my best ever but light loaded and didn't break speed limits, I have an aversion to service stations where they charge extortionate prices and usually to get to destinations quicker as I haven't stopped to refuel. Dick Powell from Braunton did a lot of miles behind the iron curtain (before 1990) 350cc AJS or Matchless used to do 400 plus miles between refuels, left a ferry once with other groups of bikers when he did his fuel stop there were three other bikers fueling and they looked him up and down and said we don't believe it stating that this was their third fuel stop on their multi-cylinder rockets, Dick told them it was his first !!! tortoise & hire story. My ignition is a Grosset with a manual lever also. as pinking can be present at times so if it occurs I can retard, even more, 24 to 25 degrees, with two sets of double-ended coils splitting them between the cylinders as one to each cylinder can be a problem if incorrectly manufactured, but the other way with splitting them one does not know if a coil has failed as both cylinders are still firing but too far retarded, overheating, ended up with a dropped valve seat in front pot and a 20mm hole in the rear piston yet still wasn't breaking speed limit.
bananaman.
 
Last edited:

brian gains

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
i/m still ticking off issues on recommissioned twin and haven't had concerns about ignition yet. However, with the motor running twin plug heads the notes with the machine specify a 30 deg' fully advanced setting and that fits in with comments above.
I haven't noted fuel consumption but that would need to fall through the floor to be a concern.
 

Dave Hulstone

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I agree Brian. Performance and fuel efficiency rarely go hand in hand eh?
If you’re not getting pinging, or pinking as some of you English say, under hard acceleration you’re pretty right I reckon. I was recently speaking to Martyn Goodwin however, who started this thread, and he is currently experiencing the best power he’s ever had at 30 degrees full advance, with a single plug head Comet. He’s been anywhere from 36 down. Running 95 octane. K&N. Straight thru silencer. Mkll Amal.
 

Bill Thomas

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Does Martyn use Mk2 Amal ??, If He is some people use a 105 needle jet, I have found 106 for me, U.K.
I know He says use a bigger main jet, But the petrol still has to go though the needle jet.
And being hotter out there, I would have thought it needs to be rich.
 
Top