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====== Upgrading Perodua Kancil K4 660 from Contact Point Distributor to Electronic Distributor =====

===== Comparison =====

^ Parameter ^ Contact Point Distributor ^ Electronic Distributor (Transistor Controlled Ignition) ^
^ Shipped Models | Kancil 660 | Kancil 850 |
^ Coil Switching | Mechanical separation of contacts | Transistor |
^ Coil Pulse | Slow | Sharp |
^ Timing | Changes over time due to contact point wear | Consistent |
^ Spark Power | Lower | Higher (mitigated by using resistive spark plugs) |
^ RF Interference | Lower | Higher (mitigated by using resistive spark plugs) |
^ Wear and Tear Items | Contact-breaker point\\ Contact-breaker spring\\ Condenser\\ Distributor cap and rotor contacts | None (not user serviceable) |
^ Failure Mode | Gradual (knocking, loss of performance) | Sudden (electronic failure) |

Overall, an electronic distributor provides more consistent ignition, which results in a more efficient engine; it also provides optimum timing and higher performance throughout its service life with zero maintenance.

However, it comes with the tradeoff that any failure of electronics will be sudden, without developing early warning symptoms, and a failed electronic distributor can generally only be repaired with a 1:1 swap.

===== Tools Required =====

  - 10mm hex socket wrench (optional, but good to have as nearly all other bolts are 10mm)
  - 12mm hex socket wrench
  - 21mm spark plug socket wrench

===== Parts Required =====

^ Qty ^ Unit ^ Item ^ Notes ^
| 1 | each | **[[https://shopee.com.my/NJW-PERODUA-KANCIL-DISTRIBUTOR-NEW-100-HIGH-QUALITY-ELECTRONIC-NJW-i.226653087.8519073074|Electronic Distributor]]** | This is a third-party compatible part; Original Daihatsu electronic distributor P/N: 19060-87210  |
| 1 | pack of 4 | **[[https://shopee.com.my/BPR5ES-NGK-Standard-Nickel-For-Renault-Megane-2.0-(1996-1997)-i.425830401.7992768582|NGK BPR5ES Spark Plug]]** | You actually have two options:\\ **NGK BPR5ES** tip runs hotter and is better for city driving (deposits burn off)\\ **NGK BPR6ES** tip runs cooler and is better for high RPM/long distance driving (less chance of pre-ignition); heat grade 6 is standard in Kancil 850\\ \\ Only need 3pc\\ \\ Contact point distributor spark plug (NGK BP5ES) is non-resistive type\\ Electronic distributor spark plug (NGK BP**__R__**5ES) is resistive type\\ \\ Using non-resistive type spark plugs on an electronic distributor is possible but generates higher RF interference and wears down the spark plug tips faster |
| 1 | roll of 30m | **[[https://shopee.com.my/ORIGINAL-Fajar-Cables-14-0.26MM-28-0.26MM-Pure-Copper-Auto-Wire-Car-Lori-Automotive-Cable-14-28-(30M)-i.6344862.5457305407|Wire, 28/0.26MM]]** - BLACK | Only need ~1.5m |
| 1 | roll of 30m | **[[https://shopee.com.my/ORIGINAL-Fajar-Cables-14-0.26MM-28-0.26MM-Pure-Copper-Auto-Wire-Car-Lori-Automotive-Cable-14-28-(30M)-i.6344862.5457305407|Wire, 28/0.26MM]]** - RED (or color of your choice) | Only need ~1.5m |
| 1 | pack of 10pc | **Inline splice** (pick one):\\ Either **[[https://shopee.com.my/Adhesive-Heat-Shrink-Butt-Connectors-Wire-Crimp-Terminal-Tube-(10PCS)-i.6344862.557950085|Butt connectors (heat-shrink adhesive)]]** - BLUE\\ or Solder + **[[https://shopee.com.my/Dual-Wall-Waterproof-Heat-Shrink-Tubing-Adhesive-Liner-Protection-3-1-(1M)-i.6344862.567910162|waterproof heatshrink]]** | Only need 2pc of butt connectors or 10cm of heatshrink |
| 1 | pack of 10pc | **[[https://shopee.com.my/Scotch-Lock-Quick-Splice-Electrical-Wire-Connector-T-Tap-Terminal-Clip-(10SET)-i.6344862.1325821844|Quick Splice T-tap]]** - BLUE | To tap coil power; only need 2pc |
| 1 | roll of 5m | **[[https://shopee.com.my/PP-Convoluted-Conduit-Tubes-for-Automotive-Wire-Harness-(5M)-i.6344862.7433185772|Convoluted conduit]]** - 7mm | 5mm works but harder to thread; only need ~1.5m |

**Optional:**

^ Qty ^ Unit ^ Item ^ Note ^
| 1 | roll/pack | **[[https://shopee.com.my/Tesa-Germany-Adhesive-Cloth-Fabric-Tape-Electrical-Cable-Wiring-Racing-Automotive-i.6344862.173594035|Tesa tape]]** //or// heatshrink slightly larger than conduit diameter | To seal conduit ends against insects/water and provide strain relief |
| 1 | each | **[[https://shopee.com.my/MKR-Waterproof-Permanent-White-Ink-Marker-Paint-Pen-%E7%99%BD%E8%89%B2%E8%AE%B0%E5%8F%B7%E7%AC%94-Putih-Pen-Penanda-long-head-pen-deep-A226-A241-A242-A319-%E9%A9%AC%E5%85%8B%E7%AC%94-i.863937.13038157859|Paint marker A226]]** | To mark distributor angle, highly recommended to make installation and adjustment easier |


===== Wiring =====

==== Prepare the Power Cable ====

  - Prepare ≥1.5m of Black and ≥1.5m of Red wire
  - Splice onto the distributor's pigtail wires (butt connector or solder + heatshrink):
    * Black ↔ Black
    * Red ↔ Red
  - Route the conduit through the engine bay and cut to length, leaving ~5cm slack at the coil end
    * Secure to battery positive cable or A/C piping
  - Thread both wires through the conduit. Seal the distributor-end of the conduit (tape/heatshrink)
  - Crimp T-tap spade terminals onto the coil-end of both wires
    * Heatshrink over spades for strain relief
  - ✅ **Continuity check:** Probe distributor-end plug pins → coil-end spades

==== Tap Into the Coil ====

  - Unplug the coil's right-side connector
    * Optionally trim back 2cm of sleeve for easier access — do not nick wires
  - Clamp T-taps onto these 2 wires, pointing toward the distributor to reduce cable stress:
    * Black wire
    * Black wire with red stripe
  - Connect spades per the table below

^ Distributor wire ^ Coil wire ^
| Black (−) | Black with red stripe (primary negative) |
| Red (+) | Black wire (primary positive) //or// white wire (coil resistor input) |

  - ✅ **Continuity check:** Probe coil-end plug → distributor-end plug
  - Finish all heatshrinking/taping

===== Remove the Old Distributor =====

  - Mark the distributor angle: draw a line across engine block → distributor body with the paint marker
    * Makes it easy to restore the contact point distributor if needed
    * Gives a starting reference when installing the new distributor
  - Unplug the spade cable below the distributor — tie it off, it will not be reused
  - Remove the 12mm bolt
  - Remove the distributor by gently wiggling and pulling in a straight line
    * Minimise wiggling to preserve the shaft angle for reference when installing the new distributor

===== Install the New Distributor =====

  - Place old and new distributors side by side
  - Transfer the angle mark to the new body as a dot (//not// a full line — final timing will differ from the contact-point setting)
  - Rotate the new shaft to match the old shaft angle
    * ⚠️ **The shaft is asymmetric (one side has a notch) — do not install 180° off**
  - Install the distributor — it should slide in with little resistance if the shaft angle is well matched
    * ⚠️ **If you hit a hard stop, do not force it** — remove, look into the block, and realign the shaft
  - Install the 12mm bolt slightly loose (distributor should rotate with medium hand strength)
  - Connect the power cable plug

===== Change Spark Plugs =====

Change all 3 spark plugs to the newly purchased resistive plugs so we have all our new ignition components installed before timing adjustment. If you had purchased a pack of 4, it is expected to have one left over; keep it as a spare.

  - If you have a feeler gauge, check and gap the new spark plugs to 0.7–0.8mm as they may differ due to manufacturing tolerances or shipping damage
  - Using a spark plug wrench, remove the original spark plugs
  - Inspect the original spark plugs, if they are in good condition (no structural damage, excessive wear or heavy deposits), keep them as a spare together with the contact point distributor
  - Install and **hand-tighten** the new spark plugs by using just the socket part of the spark plug wrench (or your fingertips); if you feel resistance, back out the spark plug up to a full circle to align the threads
    * ⚠️ The plugs should screw in with very light resistance. Do not force the new spark plugs in if you feel an increased resistance, cross-threading will destroy the aluminium threads of the engine block
  - Use a wrench to tighten the spark plugs to the final torque
    * 🔧 Torque specification: 27 Nm or 20 ft-lb
    * If you do not have a torque wrench, then use an ordinary wrench to add:
      * New plugs: 180º (½ turn) to 240º (⅔ turn)
      * Used plugs: 30º (1/12 turn)
    * ⚠️ Do not over-tighten the plugs as this will destroy the aluminium threads of the engine block

===== Timing Adjustment =====

==== Preparation ====

  - Clear all tools and debris from the engine bay
  - If using a timing light gun, remove the service hole cover from the upper side of the bell housing of the transmission
    * This is the rectangular rubber dust cover below the distributor
    * Be careful not to burn yourself if the engine is hot (the distributor and other connected housings will also be hot)
  - Start the engine without load (A/C off, lights off)
    * If it won't start, check the distributor’s power cable polarity
  - Warm up the engine thoroughly
    * The carburetor is equipped with an automatic choke function
    * If functional, the automatic choke adds up to ~1000RPM while the engine coolant is cold, until the coolant warms up to ≥60ºC
    * We need to wait for the automatic choke function to clear to achieve the actual engine idle RPM
  - Adjust engine idle to ≤900 RPM before timing adjustment
    * If the engine revolution exceeds 900 rpm or is unstable, adjust the engine idle speed to 900 RPM
    * If the idle adjustment screw is hard to reach (the air filter assembly needs to be removed to see it), you can proceed with timing adjustment at slightly higher idle RPM, but the timing may be slightly off optimum and require fine tuning after getting a feel of the engine performance with driving
  - Loosen the distributor bolt slightly so it can rotate with light friction to hold position under the engine’s idle vibration

//Reference image if you lost track of the starting angle://

{{:projects:automotive:img_9505.jpg?600|Diagram of good starting point for distributor timing angle}}

**Note regarding distributor rotation and corresponding timing adjustment:**

  * **Clockwise (away from yourself)** → Advances timing (increase in angle)
  * **Counter-clockwise (toward yourself)** → Retards timing (decrease in angle)

==== Adjustment (without Timing Light Gun) ====

  - **Advance timing** until light knocking begins (RPM may rise slightly)
  - **Retard timing** until knock is completely gone
    - Listen for about a minute to give the engine time to settle into its new timing
  - Tighten slightly so we can proceed with testing across a variety of engine loads
  - Optional: Mark an aligned pair of small dots on the engine block and distributor to note our starting angle as a baseline for when we perform initial testing and tuning later

==== Adjustment (with Timing Light Gun) ====

  - Clamp the timing light inductive trigger to the spark plug resistive cord of the No. 1 cylinder (toward the timing belt/driver’s side)
    * Pay attention to the indicated direction on the timing light trigger, it should point toward the spark plug
  - Point the timing light into the service hole of the transmission (below the distributor), at the numbered scale and flywheel
  - **Specified ignition timing**:
    * **Electronic distributor (Kancil 850 specification): B.T.D.C. 5±2° at 900 RPM**
    * Contact point distributor (Kancil 660 specification): B.T.D.C. 7±2° at 900 RPM
    - Adjust the distributor installation position, until the ignition timing mark of the flywheel is aligned with the indicator
  - Tighten slightly so we can proceed with testing across a variety of engine loads

==== Testing and Finalization ====

  - ✅ **Verify:**
    - Rev to 3000–4000 RPM — no knock
    - Add load (A/C, lights) — no rough idle
    - Rev to 3000–4000 RPM again — no knock
    - Remove load (A/C, lights)
    - If the engine was knocking, not smooth or otherwise unstable in any test, loosen the distributor bolt slightly, retard timing, and retest
  - Mark our final timing angle by drawing a continuous line crossing from the engine block to the distributor with the paint marker
  - Tighten the bolt to the **specified tightening torque**: **19.1±3.8 N⋅m (1.95 ±0.39 kgf⋅m)**
    * If you don’t have a torque wrench, tighten this bolt **arm-tight only** — do not lean body weight on it, the aluminium thread is easily destroyed by overtightening
    * Use blue Loctite if backing-out is a concern
    * A light dot of RTV silicone on the mating face near the screw hole will also prevent vibration from rotating the timing adjustment
  - **Finally, double-check that the distributor does not rotate freely by hand and alignment does not change under idle engine vibration**

===== Fine Tuning =====

Some additional tuning may be needed to optimize the timing across different driving scenarios, after you get a feel of the engine performance over a few days.

The factory specifications for the Kancil 660 (7° B.T.D.C.) and 850 (5° B.T.D.C.) may not be optimal because the electronic distributor’s curve is designed for the 850cc cylinder, which has a larger volume and slower combustion than the 660cc. On the smaller 660, the same curve can cause the spark to fire slightly early.

As a result, the optimum base timing may fall between the 660 and 850 specs — for example, **6° B.T.D.C. at 900 RPM**. Small variations (0.5–2.5°) are expected due to manufacturing tolerances, engine wear, or subjective preference for smoothness and throttle response. Do not fixate on achieving a specific angle by adjusting or modifying other aspects or unrelated components of the engine.

**The primary goal of timing adjustment is to eliminate knocking, which can damage the engine over time.** Improvements in fuel economy, throttle response, or smoothness at different RPMs are secondary and considered fine-tuning.

==== Signs You May Need to Retard Timing (Lower Angle) ====

^ Sign ^ RPM Range ^ Why It Happens ^ Adjustment ^
^ Metallic ping/clatter under load | 2000–4500 | Early spark → Cylinders reach peak pressure before optimal point leading to excessive compression → Detonation | Retard timing by **0.5°** |
^ Harsh or jerky acceleration under medium throttle | 2000–4000 | Early spark → Cylinders reach peak pressure before optimal point → Reduced torque | Retard timing by **0.5°** |
^ Excessive heat under sustained load (e.g. long uphill drive) | >2000 | Early spark → Increased combustion pressure and heat | Retard timing by **0.5°** |
^ Clatter at very low RPM while lugging high gear at low speed (e.g. 3rd gear at 25 km/h) | 800–1500 | Engine is under too much load for low RPM → slow, uneven combustion, piston speed too low for smooth torque | Do not adjust timing — this is not a timing issue.\\ Downshift sooner to avoid lugging, since the Kancil 660 is relatively underpowered. |

==== Signs You May Need to Advance Timing (Higher Angle) ====

^ Sign ^ RPM Range ^ Why It Happens ^ Adjustment ^
^ Sluggish acceleration under light-medium throttle | 1500–3000 | Late spark → Combustion pressure peaks too late → Reduced torque | Advance timing by **0.5°** |
^ Uneven acceleration under light throttle, from idle or low speed | 1000–2500 | Late spark → Slow initial combustion → Engine feels lazy | Advance timing by **0.5°** |
^ Low fuel efficiency (<14 km/L) during flat-road cruising with original A/C compressor | 1500–3000 | Late spark → Incomplete combustion → Higher fuel consumption | Advance timing by **0.5°** |
^ Engine feels smooth but under-powered during flat-road moderate load | 2000–3500 | Late spark → Cylinders reach peak pressure after optimal point → Reduced torque | Advance timing by **0.5°** |


===== Clean Up =====

  - Finish any remaining heatshrinking or taping
  - Dress the cable run to minimise stress and short-circuit risk; cable-tie to existing harness or pipes
  - Final check: no tools or debris left in the engine bay
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