123ignition to signal ecu?, or do I need a cranck trigger? Options

[barkamatic]

Purchased a 123 ignition for a D-Jet but due to the difficulty of finding D-Jet parts I have decided to go with an aftermarket system. Probably a silly question, but could I use the FI firing triggers from the distributor for a crank position signal? Thanks in advance.

[JeffBowlsby]

I have no predisposition about custom aftermarket FI (or carbs for that matter), they can be made to be all the things one hopes them to be, given enough time, and $.

One good thing about stock D-Jet is that it is out of the box plug N play. All parts are available still and that should continue to be the case well into the future. Replacing worn out parts is maintenance of a known system which may have challenges these days, but those are not insurmountable.

Consider that custom aftermarket FI opens up a wide variety of unknowns. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am not aware of any aftermarket FI system that is plug N play for our 914s, and that is their Achilles heel. Many of us wish that was not the current situation. They use components that are either generic, or from other vehicles, or are universal in design where they need to be adapted to the 914.

Some of the components may need custom mounts to fit the 914. Some of the electrical hardware does not use waterproof connections, and should not be exposed to our open engine bays. The harness is a major custom component that is very expensive in time and materials to develop and build, to adapt the generic FI to the 914. Once all the hardware is assembled and mounted, the task is to adjust and calibrate the ECU to the needs of the engine. Dyno time or similar efforts. Many who pursue the custom aftermarket FI path also change the engine from stock - displacement, valve timing (cam), ignition. None of this is wrong, but know that the effort and cost required to complete this successfully can be significant, much more than maintaining the stock system, especially if ones time has any value. And once it is complete, then this custom system needs maintenance from time to time, and as it is custom, who has the skills to do that other than the original builder? That can be an enormous devaluation when its time to sell the car. For the right person custom aftermarket FI is the right and maybe the only realistic solution. Just know what you are getting into.