Upgrading an Early First Gen Breaker-Point Ignition
   by Robert Scott Winnicki
   bobw@umich.edu

The following article outlines the procedure for replacing that crappy breaker-point ignition system in a '79 Rx-7 with the vastly superior breakerless electronic ignition found in the '81 and later. (Yes, '80 had electronic ignition, but the system is less refined as that found in the '81 and later.) A schematic for the new wiring can be found on Tim Stiles' site at http://www.thegrid.net/tstiles/pub/distr2.gif. -RR

   It is not that hard to do at all. I think I can explain the rewiring without the use of diagrams.

1. Get the distributor (including attached ignitors), both coils, and the wiring harness (just the part to the distributor, not the whole damn thing) that connects to the distribitor from any 81-85 Rx-7.

2. Remove the crappy old ditributor. Install newer distributor. (See shop/Haynes manual.)

3. Remove old, not-so-crappy coils, and install the new ones. This is really easy, and a bolt-in.

4. Connect the coils right to the old wiring harness, the same way the original coils were connected.

5. Disconnect all eight wires from the internal resistors. They are the white rectangles near the coils.

6. Connect the input and output wires from the larger and longer resistors. The resistors are located in two sets. Two go to the igntion short relay. Don't bother with these; just leave the wires unconnected (these are the smaller ones).

7. Pick up the old harness and strip off some of the outer coating. You should see 4 wires: white with a red stripe, yellow with a green stripe, yellow with a red stripe, and black with a white stripe. Forget about the white/red wire; it is for the alternator.

8. Strip the covering from old distributor harness. You should see three wires yellow with a green stripe, yellow with a red stripe, and black.

9. Connect the black wire to the black/white wire of the new harness. Now I'm working from memory here, but I think it's yellow/green from the old harness to yellow/green in the new harness, and yellow/red in the old harness to yellow/red in the new harness. Basically, these two wires lead to the ignitors and you just need to keep the leading wires to the leading ignitor and the trailing to the trailing ignitor.

10. Tape it all up and start the car.

11. Adjust the timing and have fun!

   Disclaimer: I am working from memory, so I recommened double-checking anything I say, but I believe this is right. Anyone do anything diffrent? So far my '79 is just fine.

   Also, you might want to upgrade to a '81-'85 alternator, as they have internal voltage regulators, and are much better than the external one on the '79.