WANTED HELP, ADVICE magnetti marelli distributor for BIS ?

[iowdan]

Hello all,
            I am in need of a Magnetti marelli distributor for a 1990 bis. This is a long story and one I am going to tell so that any of you out there are aware and may be able to help me out.

I purchased a the fiat a few months ago, and it coughed and spluttered on the way to work and just wasn't running as it did, eventually broke down on the way home. all pointed toward the points and condenser so knowing how much hassle these can be I thought i'd order on electronic ignition system. So I called a well known Fiat spares company in Surrey, I explained my concerns and the year of my car, model BIS, Zelmot distributor housing etc etc......

So just before Easter weekend the new 123 electronic unit arrived, I booked it into my friends garage and off to work I went, removed the housing, vac advance etc.   reading through the fitting instructions of the 123 electronic unit all had to be removed from the inside of the current housing so off i went, bits flying out everywhere !! I was ready for the unit to be fitted proud of my animal mechanics removing all of the internals


     it doesn't fit 

OMG I cannot believe it the supplied electronic unit is no where near the correct diameter for the distributor housing to sit inside......weekend ruined, easter everywhere closed ! car now sat in the middle of the garage like a stranded whale (small one)

Tuesday I contacted the supplier of the unit and today sent loads of photos showing the massive difference in diameters......reply from the supplier:


"I received the photos fine thanks and i must say this is a really unusual Distributor you have on the car. I have forwarded the photos onto my 123 distributor suppliers in Holland and have never seen one and do not offer a larger diameter one for that at all, sorry. they do loads of different versions of the electronic type distributor but none have the longer shaft, so would not be ok. They have not invested in making one specifically for that because there are not enough cars around to warrant it. I think your best way forward would be to return the unit back for us to refund and to get another new / second hand original distributor, preferably Magnetti Marelli which is more reliable than the Polish one. I may be able to help finding one if you have any trouble, please let me know. Apologies for the problems, but you sure have an obscure one there for sure."

So a first time for the supplier of the electronic unit, and many thanks for their help.


So I have a few questions for all of you experets out there:

Will a Magnetti Marelli fit my BIS and thus I can fit the elctronic unit to the Magnetti for the BIS ?

if the answer is yes...

Does anyone have a secondhand / new MAGNETTI housing unit for sale for the BIS ?


If there is an alternative to my issue ie still unsing the Zelmot unit, wanting to fit an electronic ignition to the BIS please advise.....
 

Many thanks in advance

iowdan

 

[kev126]

Was it an electronic ignition for an air cooled 126? Because the BIS has a different sized dizzy and they don't fit.

The dizzy on my BIS is a Zelmot. Magnetti points WON'T fit it, meaning that they're different sizes. That's all I know.

[iowdan]

Well I was told that the electronic unit was for the BIS and I stated it was for a Zelmot housing......So does the Magnetti 'dizzy housing complete unit' fit as a replacement unit for the Zelmot on the BIS or is the Magnetti only for the air cooled ?

I am getting totally confused and all i want is to get the car running again !!  Surly the supplier who has been est since 1969 would have known this was incorrect for the zelmot BIS unit ?

[Pete126]

Simple answer is NO the geardrive on the zelmot has a different gear pitch to the magnetti distributor

The 123 ignition is only suitable for the Aircooled 126's

[Hazey-n-Marc]

Are all BIS' zelmot?

[Pete126]

As far as i know all Water Cooled Bis's are all on the waste spark coils and Zelmot distributors

[iowdan]

many thanks, I think that i will return all 123 electronic parts purchased and let them know that the units cannot be used on any BIS models...just in case someone else finds them selves as dissapointed as I am.

R1 engine here we go !

[DEYAN IYI]

M. Marelli S 314 A
Zelmot 3459 A

Both have same advance characteristics.

PS - i must say this is a really unusual Distributor you have on the car  yeeeah... with 3 ears and 5 legs