|
|
Post by chrislinford on Oct 1, 2013 9:34:21 GMT
I like those Simonbbc sets for hard to reach distributors or hard to find points. I found with some care they even fit certain older cars who use slightly different distributors. My Wolseley is still on points though as they work fine if I use proper old parts and I don't want to change over to negative earth or buy the more expensive sets for positive earth. I still don't like aftermarket full electronic distributors as they don't seem to have the quality of oem setups, but the little sets are cheap enough to buy and easy to fit, while I can keep a spare set of points in the car. The only one I have seen fail was when a friend didn't realise his coil wires were was fitted the wrong way. That killed the unit immediately. The only regular trouble I have is bad rotors and caps. I had two red rotors(in different cars) that were too long and filled the cap with copper filings, with interesting effects, loose rivets, holes in the side of the cap as the cap was too thin and the clip just went through. These were new parts bought at reputable firms. So now I don't change the ignition parts at regular intervals like I used to, but when I can see wear. I think quite a few people change to electronic parts because they get bad parts to start with. It could be that way the industry unintentionally creates the market for electronic parts and a bad reputation for old fashioned points.  |
|
|
|
Post by dave1800 on Oct 1, 2013 9:45:10 GMT
Now you've sorted out the top end of your distributor you may wish to look at what goes on under the base plate if you haven't already done so. The Australian website has lots of useful downloadable data for members and an interesting article this month on distributors I posted earlier today distributorsregards David I like those Simonbbc sets for hard to reach distributors or hard to find points. I found with some care they even fit certain older cars who use slightly different distributors. My Wolseley is still on points though as they work fine if I use proper old parts and I don't want to change over to negative earth or buy the more expensive sets for positive earth. I still don't like aftermarket full electronic distributors as they don't seem to have the quality of oem setups, but the little sets are cheap enough to buy and easy to fit, while I can keep a spare set of points in the car. The only one I have seen fail was when a friend didn't realise his coil wires were was fitted the wrong way. That killed the unit immediately. The only regular trouble I have is bad rotors and caps. I had two red rotors(in different cars) that were too long and filled the cap with copper filings, with interesting effects, loose rivets, holes in the side of the cap as the cap was too thin and the clip just went through. These were new parts bought at reputable firms. So now I don't change the ignition parts at regular intervals like I used to, but when I can see wear. I think quite a few people change to electronic parts because they get bad parts to start with. It could be that way the industry unintentionally creates the market for electronic parts and a bad reputation for old fashioned points. |
|
|
|
Post by Penguin45 on Oct 1, 2013 20:18:41 GMT
I gave up on them in the end and went a different way - HERE.Chris. |
|
|
|
Post by threelitre on Oct 2, 2013 13:29:00 GMT
Update on mine btw: I had to remove it from the 3litre, as the heat in the engine bay building up with town driving in the summer heat was too much for the unit - once cool it was fine again (it was about 30 deg. and after a photo session everything under the bonnet including the bonnet catch was too hot to touch!). Now I am back to points and it works as fine as ever. The VP 1300 still has the electronic unit and we did not have any trouble with it, but it sits in the full stream of air (and rain of course), just shielded by the cap, so heat problems should not occur. In the end I bought them when they've been much cheaper as they are now (I think 12 and 17 pounds each) and it has been worth the try!
Regards,
Alexander
|
|
|
|
Post by chrislinford on Oct 2, 2013 14:52:43 GMT
as I said, contact breakers are fine. And when the great Alien EMP from the sky hits us, we'll still be driving our crabs while all the newfangled gizmo's fail. Though I just remembered I do have a Metro OEM electronic system somewhere.....  |
|
|
|
Post by dave1800 on Oct 3, 2013 3:15:51 GMT
Shame the petrol pump computers won't work  as I said, contact breakers are fine. And when the great Alien EMP from the sky hits us, we'll still be driving our crabs while all the newfangled gizmo's fail. Though I just remembered I do have a Metro OEM electronic system somewhere..... View Attachment |
|
|
|
Post by tripplescrew on Dec 23, 2013 20:20:45 GMT
Just becareful putting this electronic ignition kit in your existing distributor they stop working without warning! Make sure you have your old points & condensor with you. This happened to me on a wolseley 6, when I rang Simon at best british classics & told him what had happened, he said "It,s cos your putting a new part in an old dizzy" So I said "Well why are you selling them" Any way I purchased a brand new electronic dizzy & uprated coil.Worked at treat. Fitted them to both my landcrabs. Hope this helps |
|
|
|
Post by dave1800 on Dec 24, 2013 2:38:16 GMT
I know I keep repeating this but it is important if you are fitting any type of electronic ignition that the plug gaps, distributor cap, ignition leads and rotor arm are in good condition. If not the units are subjected to additional stresses that cause them to fail often without warning. The technical explanation (yawn) is that when the trigger (points, magnetic, hall effect, reluctor, optical) open this induces a back EMF (voltage) in the primary of the ignition coil. This is in the order of 300-400 volts. If a plug gap is excessive or the plug /king lead become high resistance or open circuit this back EMF can reach 500+ volts. The electronic units typically use a transistor (known as an IGBT) to switch the coil on and off. These are protected up to 350-430 volts. Voltages much above this will cause gradual breakdown of the IGBT protection leading to (often) sudden failure. The other primary cause of failure is mechanical breakdown of the board/components through thermal cycling. Many OEM units that used distributor triggers, eg Bosch hall effect distributors, used external amplifiers or switching units that were mounted to the body to keep the temperature changes to a minimum. So the answer you got that the failure was because you are putting the unit in an old distributor is only partly correct in my view. It is the electrical side, ie rotor, cap and leads and plugs that are important from the reliability of the unit perspective. I found the best insurance was to carry a spare distributor plate carrying a pre-adjusted contact breaker and condensor. If the ignition unit failed then it could be replaced fairly easily at the side of the road. regards David Just becareful putting this electronic ignition kit in your existing distributor they stop working without warning! Make sure you have your old points & condensor with you. This happened to me on a wolseley 6, when I rang Simon at best british classics & told him what had happened, he said "It,s cos your putting a new part in an old dizzy" So I said "Well why are you selling them" Any way I purchased a brand new electronic dizzy & uprated coil.Worked at treat. Fitted them to both my landcrabs. Hope this helps |
|
|
|
Post by charlypm on Dec 25, 2013 3:34:25 GMT
What do you recommend for a spark plug gap? I have my TR6 racecar gapped at .050" and use the Pertronix in it. I also have a Lucas Sport coil and Magnacore wires. Ignition side |
|
|
|
Post by dave1800 on Dec 25, 2013 4:23:13 GMT
A very good question! The answer is that the correct gap depends on your specific engine, its fuelling regime as well as the ignition components. I see people seem to settle on around 0.035" when using the Lucas sport coil DLB105. But I guess as you are using this on your race car which I imagine runs with a richer mixture this reduces the voltage required to jump the gap. A higher voltage is required to jump the spark plug gap as the compression is increased and as the mixture is weakened. The coil may be being stretched close to its limit at 0.050"; do you get any hesitation on other than WOT or signs of misfiring? If so, the options are to reduce the plug gap until this improves but if you then get fouling with the rich mixture and smaller plug gaps you need to find a higher power coil. I believe Pertronix sell a "Flamethrower Coil" that is compatible with their ignition igniter unit. Other high power coils may have too low a primary resistance and burn out the Pertronix igniter. Note the later igniters are required to drive the Flamethrower 2 (higher power) coils. regards David What do you recommend for a spark plug gap? I have my TR6 racecar gapped at .050" and use the Pertronix in it. I also have a Lucas Sport coil and Magnacore wires. Ignition side |
|
|
|
Post by dave1800 on Mar 19, 2014 12:58:16 GMT
It's a while since electronic ignition has been mentioned, sorry Chris so I thought you may like to see this relatively recent posting by John Twist demonstrating an extreme phasing issue. Maybe this could provide answers to some of the odd symptoms you may have experienced. John Twist David I gave up on them in the end and went a different way - HERE.Chris. |
|
|
|
Post by dave1800 on Apr 4, 2014 7:58:31 GMT
If anyone has a distributor (25D4) 41234 OR (45D4) 41415 apart could you please tell me what number is stamped on the cam. This represents the maximum mechanical advance (camshaft degrees). I would expect it to be somewhere between 16-19 degrees.
Many thanks
David
|
|
|
|
Post by tommydp on Apr 5, 2014 7:51:15 GMT
If anyone has a distributor (25D4) 41234 OR (45D4) 41415 apart could you please tell me what number is stamped on the cam. This represents the maximum mechanical advance (camshaft degrees). I would expect it to be somewhere between 16-19 degrees. Many thanks David Hi Dave! 15 degrees. Tommy |
|
|
|
Post by dave1800 on Apr 5, 2014 9:26:11 GMT
Hi Tommy Many thanks that's interesting and would appear to confirm the tuning data for the Mk111 car which suggests 24-28 degrees at 4400 rpm which I thought was excessive when compared with the lower compression and smaller valved Mk1 engine figures. Then I discovered this comparison of MGB ignition advance curves - MGB ignition confused? I am, perhaps Chris as our new ignition expert can explain it all to me? David If anyone has a distributor (25D4) 41234 OR (45D4) 41415 apart could you please tell me what number is stamped on the cam. This represents the maximum mechanical advance (camshaft degrees). I would expect it to be somewhere between 16-19 degrees. Many thanks David Hi Dave! 15 degrees. Tommy |
|
|
|
Post by Penguin45 on Apr 5, 2014 16:39:59 GMT
15° in the 41415 (45D). The advance is controlled by the weights, not the cam.
Chris.
|
|
