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Builders:
At Oshkosh I will introduce a new ignition system for Corvairs. This has been a very long term project, which has now reached the product stage. We will have new units at Oshkosh, but we will also be showing the purpose built machine which sets the units up and tests them before they go into service.
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This Ignition is called a “DFI” , which stands for Dual Fixed Ignition. This has been in development for a long time. You can look at my blog and read stories of the working prototypes I built and ran more than 10 years ago. It is now a fully developed system, down to the means of production, wiring diagrams and packaging.
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A short Summary: This unit has two independent electronic ignitions. The primary has electronic 10 degree retard built into it for easy starting, and the secondary is set with a partially retarded timing so the engine will start on it without difficulty. There is no centrifugal advance, this ignition has only one moving part, the shaft. In comparison, the current E/P-X ignition has 8 moving parts. The timing is still set with a timing light, but it can be done at Idle, and doesn’t require the engine to be at elevated rpm. It utilizes a modern HEI style For V-6 Cap and a rotor from a GM V-8 points distributor. Both of these are more common than Corvair caps and rotors.
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Question: Why is the DFI being made now? I had the prototype up and running 10 years ago, but the commercial bids from aerospace machine shops to make the housings on 3 axis CNC equipment were cost prohibitive. Additionally, I could still economically make E/P-X units. Fast forward 10 years, two things change; The housings are affordable on 5 axis CNC equipment, and The cost of producing an E/P-X goes up, and critically they take a lot longer to produce because each one has to be made from a straight six housing. Thus it becomes the right time to introduce the DFI
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If I’m happy with my E/P-X, do I have to get one of the new DFI’s? No. The DFI is a new, improved idea, and some existing flyers will opt for it, but it is a choice, not a requirement. The E/P-X is still a regular airworthy ignition with a 21 year track record.
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OK, How expensive is it? It is $1,199. It is costly because the only single used piece in it is the GM drive gear. Every other part, the housing, main shaft, bearings, etc. are all brand new. Come to Oshkosh and study one, and you will understand what goes into making this unit, and you will appreciate the cost. If you are not headed to Oshkosh, we will have a detailed video on YouTube in August. For price comparison, look at the cost of one Slick or E-mag magneto, essentially twice this much, and you would need two of them. I want to make the best systems available to Corvair builders, and sometimes this costs money.
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Are you still going to make E/P-x ignitions? No. I have not made one in 2025, because I knew the DFI was coming. While the $449 E/P-X to $1199 DFI seems like a big jump, two things, If I was going to still make E/P-X’s They would have to have a substantial price increase because they take a lot of time to make, and the housing costs are 3 times what they were in 2020. More important, I have good reason to believe that dozens of builders who currently have an E/P-x are going to upgrade to a DFI, and they will be reselling their E/P-x units to other builders. This will actually actually lower the cost of an E/P-x to builders on a budget. Notice how the introduction of a new high end option actually works out for everyone because it will end up driving down the cost of standard components on the secondary market. Works out for all builders,
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Can I buy one at Oshkosh? Yes and No. At 6pm EST Monday, the first day of Oshkosh, the first batch of 25 will go on sale on my website. I will have some of these at the show, along with the very cool custom machine Ken Pavlou designed and built to set them up, but we will not be delivering them at the show. Orders placed on like will be mailed to the buyers directly by August 15th. This will allow us to put out an installation video and supply a comprehensive wring diagram. If you miss getting in on the original batch, understand that I plan on producing 25 every month until immediate demand is met, and it will become a regular stocking part thereafter.
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How much of my existing ignition has to change to use this? Very Little. E/P-x systems run on 3 wire to the distributor, the DFI runs an additional 4th wire. The Coils, and all the airframe switching stays the same. If your plug wires are in good shape, you can change the ends at the distributor to HEI style connections. Things like this will be covered in the video, but in general, very little changes, and the DFI comes with the 4 wire harness and weather pack connector already attached.
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In summary, what are the things which make this an improvement?
It is made out of brand new parts.
It can have the timing set at idle.
It has a sealed ball bearing at the top of the shaft, an oil lite bushing at the bottom.
the triggers are not imported, they are US made.
It has only one moving part
the terminals on the cap are much better than the Original Corvair style.
The rotor is much stronger and more stable than the Corvair design.
While the components are much more expensive, these take less than 20% of the time to assemble that an E/P-x did. In my one man shop, having parts available for builders to use is largely dependent on lowering the labor times. The DFI offers the improvements above, but crucially I will be able to supply them to builders who choose them, because of the greatly reduced time in each unit.
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SERIOUS NOTE: Many of you reading this are experienced hot rodders who could recognize the brand of the electronic components by sight. I am politely asking that builders DO NOT type this in the comments, nor mention it on the internet. Two engineers in the tech department of the supplier were very helpful and conveniently didn’t ask the final application, nor did the sales department question mailing them to my address on “Airpark Loop”. All identifying the supplier on the web will do is potentially cause trouble to the very people who helped us. Lets avoid that. Thanks in advance.
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Above, a complete DFI unit.
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Above, the machine which Ken Pavlou designed and built, to set up and run each DFI individually. He made this on the CNC machine….which he also designed and built. This will be running at Oshkosh and ultimately in the video. Once set in my shop, the unit will never need any internal adjustment during its lifespan.
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Above, a look inside. The two ignitions sit on adjustable plates which are set in my shop. they allow perfect rotor/cap alignment, and exact stagger in the timing. The reluctor can be seen in the picture. It is not a separate part, it is made as a part of the monolithic main shaft. Details like this make the unit more accurate and robust, at a higher cost.
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Above, side view of the housing. The housing is made on a 5 axis mill because it isn’t a body of rotation, the cap mating shape is asymmetrical. It is machined from a 6′ diameter bar of 6061-T6.
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The rotor is the same unit used on nearly all GM V-8’s from the mid 1950s through 1973. This one is a genuine Delco. it is balanced and secured with two 8-32 screws.
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Above, the distributor drive gear, the only original part we use again.
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Above, a number of units in the assembly process. In the foreground is the control panel for the set up machine.
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Thank You,
William.
