Crane Hi6M ignition
 

Has anyone had any experience with this crane ignition system? On the CraneCams web site it looks like the Hot Ticket when compared to others. Multiple ign curves, adj. rev limit and more. Ironman.

I have one on my 555 Merlin and think it is great. So far 80 hrs and it has been very dependable. I'm using it wit ha Thunderbolt IV distributor, but with the Merc module disconnected running the HI6M advance curve.

I just bought 2 of them. They aren't installed yet - sure look like the ticket though.

Bobl, did you modify your distributors like they recommend in the tech sheet?

I had 2 on my formula running built Hp 500's, best ignition out there. Never a glitch. The rev limiter worked perfectly when I scatered a drive. I did not use any advance curves and had the distributor locked at 36 degrees. Below 2000 rpm the multiple spark function actually ranges +/-20 degrees so it would fire the cylinders at 14 degrees without requiring an advance. Just remember, timing light will be useless below 3000 rpm. I used their coil too and had to use an MSD tach adaptor for my tachs to work.

Where can I order one from at a reasonable price? Thanks, The Ironman.

They are great!!! Summit Racing was the best pricing I could find. Use their first 3 digits to indentify Carne products and add the Crane number for princing. they stock it.

Cignificant, yes I used the pattern they included and changed the phasing. I've done 2 of them and they work perfectly.

So is this just a plug and play install or do you need the tach adapter when using a VDO tach? Is there any real performance gain or does not loading up the plugs at idle enhance the overall performance?

What distibutor mods does Crane recommend?
http://64.90.9.168/cranecams/pdf/90006000a.pdf
Tim T

[ 02-03-2002: Message edited by: cpqtim ]

Ironman, the best price I found was Doug Herbert Performance. He has to special order them, but I got mine in less than a week. Their phone number is listed here..
http://www.geocities.com/Richmondpba/Resources.html

Tim, that spec sheet is for the auotmotive unit (HI-6). The spec sheet for the HI-6M is at..
http://64.90.9.168/cranecams/pdf/90006462a.pdf

The rotor phasing of the Merc distributor has to be changed. Looks easy enough. I've decided to use Mallory distributors, so I won't have to worry about it..

Steve

One more question will my stock tach still work? And thanks to all who responded I have decided to use the Crane over the jacobs or msd. The Ironman.

Cignifigant,
I think I am with Ironman on this, I will call Herbert racing monday for a price. Should I stick with my stock 12 year old coil or upgrade to something else?

Ironman, let me know what you find for pricing. I will also check with a local guy here and see what his price is.

Tim T.

Buy the new coil, you wont be disappointed. I think its a something something-92. Just stay away from the plug wires when its running. It will knock you on your a##, But it will start instantly and idle low. I used the car version and had to use an MSD tach adaptor. Dont know if the marine version will run your tach. They have a great site, check it out. You will have to make a bracket to mount the coil and tach adaptor.

This past summer I have used the Crane HI M6 ignition system in conjunction with the MSD billet distributor and the MSD crank trigger fire system and it all works together very well. I was using the PS92 coil but was told by Crane that the 92 coil is more for drag racing than endurance and have a tendency to heat up more. They told me that the PS91 coil is more for endurance situations such as mine so I will be switching over to the 91's...I don't want to end up having trouble with the 92's down the road.

Also, if you're switching from an MSD ignition box to a Crane box, the phasing is a little different from each other. We tried this last summer and experienced some cracking/popping backfires until we slightly rotated the the distributor which smoothed everything out and took care of the problem.

[ 02-05-2002: Message edited by: KAAMA ]

KAAMA did you have any problems with your tachs working?

Ironman, I didn't seem to have any tach problems. I had the smaller Auto Meter tachs in the begining (no problems) and then I switched to some Graffrig MONSTER tachs and still didn't experience any problems...none that I could see anyway.

Ironman,
Summit had the Hi-6m for about 290 and Doug Herbert for around 299. Anyone have any better source for pricing? Local guy was 300.
Tim T.

Try calling Lane Automotive(AKA Motor State)located in Michigan, and see what kind of price they give...they usually have good prices on the items they stock and keep in inventory---their warehouse is HUMONGOUS! 616-463-8136.

Hey you guys! FYI, I called Crane again this AM and talked with one of the tech dept ignition guys and I told him that I had the Ps92's and was thinking about getting the Ps91's. I also told him that I was told by Crane months earlier that the PS92 was for drag applications and the 91 was more for endurance applications like mine. He said there are too many variables and then he asked about my specific application in which I told him twin MARINE naturally aspirated BB Chevy's and he told that I can "go around wearing a star on my forhead because I have the right coil for my application" and stick with the PS92's that I have. Got a good laugh out of the guy...that was funny! :eek: :p

[ 02-06-2002: Message edited by: KAAMA ]

KAAMA, you slightly rotated the distributor? What do you mean? Did it crack and pop when timed correctly?

KAAMA,
Lane said about 289.
Tim T.

Kinda interesting, to make a $300 piece of electronic equipment work, you need a machine shop to modify a $10 part. Why don't they include the trigger with the ignition?

Hey guys, would just replacing the stock coil with that Crane coil do any good on a stock Thunderbolt IV setup? Quicker starting sounds interesting.

Dont know, I doubt it. I think the multiple discharges from the igntion amp has a lot to do with starting. Although, the higher output voltage from the coil should help if you have good wires that can handle it. Interesting. If you do it, let us know what happens.

I have put one of the hot Jacobs coils on a slightly modified motor with good results. I helped a lot at low speeds.

I'm thinking very seriously about this Crane unit also. It appears to help with a slightly rich setup at idle. Do we also have to change over the stock Merc plug wires? The -92 is the coil that I see is recommended to use with the HI-6M unit. Anyone know the difference from the LX-92 vs the PS-92 coils? Also, is it just some tachs that will need the adapter, or all of them? Mine is the original Stewert Warner tach.
I also agree that they ought to come with a rotor!

BTW, I am taking my motor to Bruce for dyno very soon now, with all my stock original Merc distrib and T-bolt ignition installed. We are going to run it thru and then change over to his dyno MSD distrib and ignition and run it again. Should be interesting to see the results.

To confuse matters worse I just read Dennis Moores article in Famil;y and performance boating, His article seemed to say that below 5500 rpm a good inductive system should be sufficient. The data that US1 Fountain will be very useful, Please let us know what you find. Dennis's article seems to be refering to stock engines and not high compression engines though there may be much more to gain at 9.5:1 as opposed to 8.75:1 with a CD box system. Ironman.

Ironman,

In response to your most recent post, my cousin just finished up dyno testing his 454 today which has been modified with ported heads, Holley 830cfm carb, and performance camshaft. With the stock Merc Thunderbolt iginition system the engine made 514 ft# of torque @3500rpm and 461hp @ 5000rpm. My cousin then tried my Crane HI 6M ignition boxes with PS92 coils and the engine showed absolutely NO GAINS in HP or torque....they even ran the engine up to about 5400rpm...no difference. But we just wanted to check and see for ourselves---that's why we dyno. Funny thing is Tom Earhart who runs/owns the dyno told us (prior to us using the Crane ignition box) that he strongly felt that we would see NO GAIN with the ignition...and he was RIGHT!!!....but we just had to see it with our own eyes.

I totally agree. There are no gains over a stock ignition in good condition at the top end. I just like them because of the big fat spark it provides for start up and idling. If the carb is a litle fat if wont load up and foul the plugs. But at WOT, no difference.

Summit was giving a free PS-92 coil with some of the autmotive Hi-6 boxes. I would call and see if you can get them to give you the same deal on the marine unit.

I'm with formula31.

I'm really only conscerned with the idle quality and the help of burning off the extra gas at idle. If it can keep all the black off the transom, it's worth it just for that.

KAAMA, being the dyno-carb specialist that I am, should there be a difference in the fuel/air mixture at idle between the stock vs the Crane system? Any measurable difference on your cousins dyo results of the 2?
Thanks
Jerry

US1, I wasn't their when he tried my Crane box system. I'll have to ask him. I know that when we dyno'd MY engines (the 540's)we could get the idle down to 500rpm with a 70 pound brake load from the dyno. This simulated the engine as if we were idling through the channels, piers and "NO WAKE" zones. With my engine we didn't run it any other way because I already owned the Crane ignition system anyway. I should also note that I run the MSD crank trigger system on my engines with a MSD Billet distributor. That crank trigger doesn't EVER MOVE...the timing is ALWAYS right on whenever we check it! Tom Earhart (dyno owner/operator and marine engine guru) really likes the Crane system. He even uses one on his engine in his snowmobile!
He's in the engineering field and has something to do with designing and testing fuel injection systems for all kinds of crazy stuff...including train diesel locomotives. I hope I'm accurate in remembering this, but Tom was telling us how a locomotive these days has twelve pistons that are about 12-14 inches in diameter which are about 700 cubic inches each...that's EACH PISTON! These train engines make about 4000hp @1100rpm...the torque was the most impressive and for some reason I CANNOT remember what the figure is....dang! It's several thousand for sure....it's way over and above the horsepower figure of 4000 though!

So if I have to keep my idle at 1000 rpm to stay running in gear, (possibly a touch rich), these ignitions will really help because of the hotter, multi spark? Idle quality is what I'm really looking for.

Just put a pair for sale at a good price in the major component section.

Todd H

US1, yes it should really help the idle quality of the engine, especially when you have to manuver around docks, boat traffic, water currents and wind. It's a bad thing when you encounter these things and your engine(s) keeps dying from loading up, etc. With the Crane ignition you'll benefit from the mulitspark it gives at low rpm.

Hi Todd!

How are ya? is the boat coming along?

Good Luck with it!

Todd

"These train engines make about 4000hp @1100rpm"

Wow, that's over 19,000 ft-lbs of torque.

Re: Crane Hi6M ignition
 

Iron Man-
I am also using the Stock Merc HET distributor, removing the Thunderbolt box, and adding the Crane HI-6M.
Is the performance better?
How did th etach hook up?
Did you need the tach adapter?

Re: Crane Hi6M ignition
 

Try carshopinc.com
They have it for $294.95 They've pretty much beat any price I've got anywhere else. I've also called and spoke with Tim (1-800-603-4359), always very helpful.
http://crane.carshopinc.com/product_...6290/6000-6462

Re: Crane Hi6M ignition
 

I've got it on my 454 making 560hp 550lb.
It helps w/ timing and gives a nice rev limiter.

Re: Crane Hi6M ignition
 

This thread certainly goes back a few years! By the way, I still have the same Crane Hi-6M Marine ignition boxes, and PS-92 coils that I originally had and they still work fine. I purchased them about 5 years ago. One was even drenched with high pressure water.