Problems with Crane XR-I ignition system?

I second the quote. I run one in a Buick 350

 

Thanks for the replys.

I've been working way too many hours since the end of August, I got this car Labor Day weekend, and I haven't had time to really mess with it.
I may be jumping the gun placing the blame on the Crane unit(fear of the unknown?) I just have a hunch that this cars issue I'm having is ignition related. It has a crappy idle, and I'm 99.9% sure it's not carb/vacuum related.
It idle's like it has a half-dead hole, or running on 7 cylinders, but as soon as you get it up off idle, it smooths out. I know, it could be alot of things, but it just doesn't make the power down low that it should either.

Like I said, I've been super busy at work, and I haven't had 5 minutes alone to work on the thing.

But, with the posts so far, it sounds like mixed results with this unit.
I've got a brand new dwell meter, and I've never had an issue with a good set of American made points:TU:

 

Points for me too.

 

Tom
I use Crane Xri in all my cars and they all work Great!
Especially like the built in rev limiter for the stick cars.

 

I appreciate everyone's input:TU:

Still quite a bit of confusion though....half say full 12 volt's, the other half say resistor wire.HHmmm

I'm going to say that I'm almost postive if I put this back to stock with point's that it will run better than it does now. There is no bottom end, not like it should be anyway. Reminds me of a car that was converted over to HEI ignition, but run through the resistor wire. Hooked up with a full 12 volts is like a different car.

When I go back to points, I'll let everyone know the outcome.:bglasses:

 

I have had 2 sets.

My first set I let hit the limiter while doing some gear testing. When it hit the limiter ALL cylinders died. When it recovered I had 3 plugs fouled..all that fuel coming in on cold plugs I guess. For some reason I thought it would only kill a couple of cylinders...but the limiter in it seems to be very basic.

The second set I bought seems to be fine but I have yet to hit the limiter with it.

 

Bumping an old thread...

What was the verdict on this, Tom? Was it the Crane unit? Has anyone had problems *lately* with the Crane or Pertronix (1,2, or 3) units?

 

I am in the process of removing the pertronix,and going back to points. Usually the stocker ,the better they run.:TU:

 

I'm curious too. I'm still using points but have a Crane unit sitting on the shelf. I don't want to install it if it's going to cause problems.

 

I was having some weird electrical issues. I ended up removing the XR-i (before Stanton last year) and swapping to Pertronix. No more electrical issues (however I didn't keep the Pertronix in that long to determine if the XR-i was the real source of the problem). Or the engine either as I yanked the motor and put in the current engine which is running the M&H set up.

btw, the M&H setup is REAL nice. With the Pertronix (1181LSCC iirc) I have to wait for it to "warm up" I HATE it as I'm running it in my 70 F-85. Sometimes it just cranks and cranks and cranks and cranks and cranks and cranks and cranks. And yes, it's hooked up correctly. The M&H, one crank and she starts right up. warm or cold.

 

i always loved my crane unit. just run 12 volts to it and run the matching coil ran it 6 years I only changed it to try the Pertonix 3 multispark unit. Funny thing is it looks like the crane unit- even the crappy rev unit adjuster?o No:

 

You all should get a good laugh out of this......but I sold the car before I figured it outo No:

However, we ran a Crane in my brothers Chevelle, and it worked great,IMHO.

 

Pertonix bought out Crane's technology when they went out of business a few years back,so that Pertronix unit is basically a rebadged Crane Xri.

 

I find it weird all you guys ran 12v to with the crane kit... my in structions said to use the resitstance wire and if you did not have a resistance wire to wire in a resistor

 

I was having ignition problems with the Hornet, car wouldn't run. Replaced the Pertronix 3 and their coil with a set of points and a used coil and car runs fine.

Ihave the Pertronix 3 in the ScRambler for three years and haven't had any problems with that unit.

 

I ran an xr-i with the matching coil on my 72 Cutlass with a warmed over 455. I used 12 volts. I fried the unit and put in points and a Mopar ballast resistor since I cooked mine. I'll be running the M&H like junior supercar in my F85 and '72 eventually.


Matt

 

my memory is foggy but I basically wired the distributor with the stock wires like it still had points. Then the resistor wire got fried and that is why I had to run a ballast resistor with my original harness. Not pretty but is starts any time.

Matt