E-Timer Performance Reviews

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 Beta Tester Dean Yoder leads the pack with over 60,000 miles logged on his E-Timer.  Here is a great photo of Dean seeking an answer to the question: What happens to the E-Timer when you drive through a low water bridge?  Answer: It performs flawlessly!  Dean wanted to be sure so he repeated the test 4 times, at speed! 
Dean also reported enduring two days of heavy wind and rain enroute to Pincher Creek without incident. 

 Dean tested his car on a Dynamometer using the E-Timer and again using a New Day Timer.  Here are the reported results:  The E-Timer produced significantly more HP at the wheels than with the New Day Timer. 

 Dean Yoder's car: aluminum pistons 40 over, Stype 280 cam, Manly race flow 1.55 valves, aluminum intake, vintage heater exhaust manifold, large drum ruckstell, Giant Power Head, ported NH crab, babbited rods bored 30 thousandths long.  Driven ~ 2200 miles from Ocala, FL to Iowa City, IA via Chickisha,OK March 2011 using the E-Timer electronic ignition.  Dean reported the ability to pull a 2 - 3% steeper grade, about 2 more MPG and average GPS speed 35MPH pulling a trailer using the E-Timer on the trip.

"Love it! My E-timer has over 60,000 miles on it now and running strong. Rain or shine."
Dean Yoder, 7/12/16 

 "I am pleased to report I completed my installation last Friday morning, took a run around the block and immediately noticed a significant improvement over the past ten years of operation with my True-Fire system.  THERE IS NO MORE BACKFIRING DURING STARTING,OR AT ALL! - which was no doubt due to the Waste Spark system employed by the True-Fire. Just this relief was worth the effort and expense.

Next to talk performance: I can accelerate smoothly from 3 miles per hour in high gear to 50 mph +! What a great feeling! This Sunday past I took in a club tour of 350 miles, running at 45 mph max most of the time. Lots of power !

At 45 mph I’m only at about 1/3 throttle! As has been reported previously by others, I experienced more power through the full range. To date I have only run in the ATA mode. I am thrilled with the results! The engine runs very smoothly through the full range of rpm, from idle at about 400 through to 2000 rpm about 55 mph.

The power is so smooth that I can ignore low gear if a wish and pull away in high gear! Quite amazing indeed. Many thanks for all your efforts over the years to produce a product that truly improves the pleasure of driving a Ford T in modern traffic.  Another point I noticed on this initial run was the remarkable lower engine temperature, certainly attributable to your more accurate timing!"

Tom Forsythe, 7/21/2016
Canada

 Jacques and Mae White recently completed a trip of over 8100 Miles in their 1914 Touring using the E-Timer from Pine Grove, PA to the National Meet in Kenab, UT then on to CA and back home by the southern route through TX ,LA and many other states including blistering heat through the Mojave desert at 116F.  Jacque chose the E-Timer because of its outstanding performance, proven reliability and maintenance free operation which saved him the trouble of cleaning and lubricating the timer about 16 times over the course of the trip.  Congratulations Jacque and Mae on completion of a trip of a lifetime!

Here is Jacque's  comments on performance:

"a maintenance free E-Timer made by Mike Kossor which performed flawlessly."

Jacque and Mae White
Pennslyvennia 

"I just completed a 100+ miles tour around the northern part of The Netherlands, called North Holland/West Friesland.  A wonderful tour organized by the illustrious "Club of 10" that led us past the flowering fields with tulips and daffodils.  The 19 participating equips with pre-war vehicles ranged from 1908 Peugeot,1912 RR, 1931 Delage and 3 Model T's, including my 1915 Touring. All completed the tour without a flaw.

I would like to testify that the E-Timer made driving through old towns and over narrow dikes much more relaxed.  With my car, equipped with a Ruckstell, I could now run at lower RPM than before and still have sufficient pulling power.  There is really a noticeable improvement in the lower RPM-range.

You indeed provided the hobby with a very useful piece of equipment that enables one to navigate modern traffic with greater ease."

Best regards,
Ko Rustige, 4/2012
Netherlands

"1915 T – hand cranked – mag changing system to 12 volt battery

The 15 started but the motor sounded like the ignition was retarded – tried everything I could think of –
Called Michael –Michael said to check total movement of timer – it had to move 0.91"  Well – I have fought the timer rod before –(I have a front bearing oil line that is always in the way -)

I made a new timer rod – checked clearances – adjusted the timer rod about 10 times –
Then started – WOW did it run smooth – then timer control lever, all the way down

I then took it out of the shop for a drive – Never had it run as well – More low end torque and faster –
Thank you Michael"

Ken Verdeyen, 4/2012

"During the week of August 16-21, 2011 Jacque and I drove our T's to the annual Keystone Cops Model T tour held in Bernardston, Massachusetts.

Both of the Ts were equipped with first production run E-Timers. The timers were set up in the automatic timing mode.  We drove the Ts from Pennsylvania to MA. and back and toured MA. for four days. During the week we drove the T's over potholed dirt roads, in heavy down pours and hail. We put one thousand miles on the Ts in six days.  We could not drown out or bounce apart the E-Timers.  The E-Timers provided easy starts and the perfect timing at all engine speeds made the cars perform better .  I am always trying new items for the T and most times Henry did it best but that is not the case with the E-Timer. The timers performed perfectly."

Ernie Spittler, 8/2011

 First let me discuss the instructions that accompany the E-timer. They were absolutely fantastic with incredible detail and graphics.  I am using a 1911 Heinze coilbox and coils by R.V. Anderson with point jumper wires as directed.
I turned the switch to battery and then pulled the crank up twice and it started immediately without hesitation. I then advanced the spark all the way as directed to utilize the automatic spark advance feature of the E-timer.  I have driven approximately 625 miles on days that have ranged from 80 to 99 degrees. I mention the temperature because the engine will start cold or after a very hot run in hilly terrain. I weigh 265 and my son weighs 175 so we are putting the car through its paces on the hills. The engine does pull down on steep hills but the spark advances perfectly and it has never missed a lick or hesitated even when lugging down  to a tractor chuggin' speed in high. All of this done without ever touching the spark control!!! By now you can tell that I am sold on the E-timer that I have. I plan to install them on all of my T's. I can always use a standard commutator as an emergency back-up since there is absolutely no special wiring harness or connections.  I would recommend the E-timer to anyone especially anyone who has a failed magneto on an otherwise good running engine. Why tear down a motor to rework a magneto when you have this great option. Thanks Mike!!

Mike Lesack 

 "I installed the E-Timer in my 14 touring more than 3 months ago. My main interest was performance on hills since we live up a long climb. The E-Timer out performed the Ford timer that I was previously running by increasing the speed by 15% up the climb (2:44 minutes vs. 2:21 minutes with the E-Timer).

A big advantage I didn't anticipate was the "driveability".   I spent the morning teaching my wife to drive the T in the local high school parking lot. The normal jerking of a learner never happened. The E-Timer allowed her to focus on the pedals and not worry about killing the engine or lugging. Overall, I am very happy with the performance and lack of "upkeep" with the E-Timer."

Sincerely, Stew Harvey

  "Here are my son David's 1912 Touring (Red) and my 1911 Touring (Green) which both have E-Timers installed. David's has gone some 750 miles and mine has done about 400 miles. The performance so far has been an improvement in starting, slow acceleration, hill climbing, and overall engine smoothness. Gas mileage has yet to be tracked accurately, but should yield some improvement."

Willard Revaz, Oxford, CT

The  June   11 thru 17 "Ocean-to-Ocean" Reunion Tour in Stowe, VT. went well logging another 376 miles with the E-Timer.  Hill climbing performance was reported to be impressive, making it all the way up in high gear.