Yes you can generally install a 123 yourself. Most people do so, however you do need to follow the precise instructions in the installation manual that comes with the 123 you order. If you are unsure then any mechanic can generally do this for you.

There are many factory options for you outlined in the installation manual for Switch models. And the TUNE and TUNE+ model 123’s will come installed with a set up advance curve(s) that can be further modified by yourself. Ultimately the choice is for you to make.

This depends on your engine:

On a Citroen 2cv: DON’T use other coils than the standard. Best advise : buy a new black 2CV-coil, and new (silicone) ignition leads. The Brown VISA coil will ruin your ignition because these coils have a very low primary resistance.

For 2 cylinder DAF or FIAT engines you could use the stock coil or an other standard coil ( about 3 Ohm primary resistance )

For 4 cylinder engines you could use the original coil or other coils with a primary resistance of at least 1.0 Ohm. For standard street engines we advise a “Bosch Blue” or “Beru ZS106” coil. For high rpm engines a “Bosch red (0 221 119 030)” or “Beru ZS109” is much better.

For 6 cylinder engines we advise to change your coil to a high performance coil because of the short load time in the higher rpm range. Make sure you use coils with a primary resistance of at least 1.0 Ohm. ( 1,0 Ohm or more ) For standard street engines we advise a “Bosch Blue” or “Beru ZS106” coil. For high rpm engines a “Bosch red (0 221 119 030)” or “Beru ZS109” is much better.

For 8 cylinder engines we advise to chance yor coil to a high performance coil because of the very short load time in the higher rpm range. Make sure you use coils with a primary resistance of at least 0.6 Ohm. ( 0,6 Ohm or more ) For low rpm engines a “Bosch red (0 221 119 030)” or “Beru ZS109” will be a good choice, for higher rpm engines we advise a Pertronix Flame Thrower II 0.6 Ohm.

Note: We hear a lot of complains from our customers about the fake “Lucas Sport” or “Lucas gold” coils, better don’t use these coils.

Of course it is always possible to use your original HT-leads for the original look. Even when your engine has solid copper core cables it would work with a 123ignition. For the best performance we advise “carbon tension leads”. These cables have a little resistance and very good isolation.

Always use the spark plugs for your engine specified by the manufacturer of the car!

In some cases a very unstable boardnet voltage can cause misfires. The 123ignition is protected against high voltage peaks and goes in protection mode for a split second when a spike is detected. Most of the time this error occurs when the car battery is charged full again and the voltage regulator starts to work.

This problem can be caused by a broken alternator / dynamo or bad voltage regulator. Unfortunately this is impossible to measure with just a standard voltage meter because we talk about high voltage spikes of micro seconds.

You could easily test this to drive a while without working alternator / dynamo. Use a fully charged car battery and make sure no other important systems are driven by the dynamo belt, like the coolant pump!!!

The car battery has to put enough energy into the coil for a powerful spark. In the higher rpm range the time to do this is very short, so all conditions have to be perfect for good performance.

Make sure you are using the right coil for your engine, see: “What kind of coil do you recommend?”

Resistance somewhere in the primary circuit can cause a lot of ignition problems as well, think about the following:

– Coil and ignition wiring: Use good connectors and cables of good quality
– Ignition key: Make sure the dashboard ignition key is in good condition ( test to power the ignition/coil direct from the battery )
– Ground connection of the distributor: Make sure the distributor makes a good electrical connection with the engine.

The app for the programmable 123\TUNE+ is available for iOS and Android. Please make sure your device offers Bluetooth 4.0 low energy and an up-to-date operating system (Android 4.4 or newer)

The 123\TUNE runs on Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista & Windows XP (Service Pack 2). Unfortunately there is no iOS or Linux version available.

Note: USB A —> USB mini cable not included.

Yes, by far most of the tachometers work in combination with a 123ignition. RVI type tachometers manufactured by the Smiths Company, will not work properly though. We have found two companies that offer solutions to this problem. They use the existing rev.counter to replace the electronics with another printed circuit board. In the UK this is done by JDO-instruments ( www.jdo1.com ), and from the Netherlands this is done by CASU-Utrecht ( www.casu.nl )

Note: USB A —> USB mini cable not included.