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Why Electronic Ignition?


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On 10/30/2019 at 9:13 PM, steamy said:

I have a Lumenition Optronic EK150 unit and coil on my 4A and no problems for 3 years.  However yesterday car 'died' then picked up then 'died' again then was fine all the way home about 4 miles. I know it may not be the problem but my suspicion is ignition unit? Any thoughts from the more knowledgeable.

Sorry if a bit off topic

 

Thanks

Ian

 

I had an Optronic setup on my TR6 quite a while back. It went faulty in the way you describe. I then went to a Pertronix hall effect without problems for years. I now have a 123 tune on the 4A and it’s pricey but excellent quality. Spare distributor in the boot like others. 

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4 hours ago, John Morrison said:

So am I the only one who thinks, servicing the TR is part of its  character,

'Doing the plugs and points' dropping the oil, changing the filter, greasing the front end, adjusting the handbrake,

topping up, gearbox and back axle, for me it all adds to having my TR,

maybe I'm in a minority?

Discuss,

John.

You're not alone...

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5 hours ago, John Morrison said:

So am I the only one who thinks, servicing the TR is part of its  character,

'Doing the plugs and points' dropping the oil, changing the filter, greasing the front end, adjusting the handbrake,

topping up, gearbox and back axle, for me it all adds to having my TR,

maybe I'm in a minority?

Discuss,

John.

I'm inclined towards John's viewpoint. There's something about fannying around with a feeler gauge that recalls lost youth when the roads were open and at every bend I dreamed of encountering that easy-on-the-eye female hitch-hiker in flared jeans just waiting on the other side for me and my vomit-yellow Spitfire. 

So I draw the line at electronic ignition. But I have gone for best obtainable (Dizzy Doctor) rotor arm, cap, comp points etc. And the TRE chaps swapped the standard condenser which as we know is usually absolute rubbish these days for a high-spec one fitted outside the distributor so less vulnerable to heat (for endurance rallying but seems a good idea anyway). So  a traditional C/B distributor, but with modernised components. I don't know how intellectually coherent that is, but I feel okay about it.

Nigel

 

Edited by Bleednipple
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5 hours ago, John Morrison said:

So am I the only one who thinks, servicing the TR is part of its  character,

'Doing the plugs and points' dropping the oil, changing the filter, greasing the front end, adjusting the handbrake,

topping up, gearbox and back axle, for me it all adds to having my TR,

maybe I'm in a minority?

Discuss,

John.

John I totally agree with your first statement, minority...i hope not!

Iain

Edited by iain
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  • 2 years later...
On 10/30/2019 at 9:19 AM, tim hunt said:

+1 for 123 Ignition. I fitted an original type, not the 'tune' version, 12 years ago selecting curve 7.  Slow speed running smoother, pick up progressive without hesitation and pinking issue from stretched advance springs in 25D4 solved at a stroke. It has literally been fit and forget but, like Pete, I keep the original distributor with adjusted points, condenser and all leads in the    boot just in case. So far not needed by me but last year I lent it to a Dutch entrant on Club Triumph's Northern Tour when he had an issue with his TR4 and it saved his weekend. It came back by courier a few days later together with some chocolates for me and beer for the wife from the only Trappist brewery in Holland (Koningshoeven for the aficionados).

If you struggle to hold a charge with lamps, wipers and heater in use don't junk the dynamo for an alternator - just fit LED bulbs all round as I did and save 6 amps or so at a stroke!

Tim

Hi Tim, old post I know, I too have a dynamo ( +ve earth ) where did you source your LEDs

Regards  john mellor

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I bought Night Eyes bulbs, as in pictures John. Now rebranded Novsight I believe. Pair cost ~£18 three years ago. I was dubious at that price but no problems to date and bulbs fitted as direct replacements in existing headlamp bowls. Beam pattern well controlled on dip and no problems of dazzle for oncoming drivers. Excellent view ahead along nearside of road.

Tim

DSC01920.JPG

Nighteye H4 LED bulbs.jpg

Dip beams.JPG

Main beams.JPG

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I fitted an Allinson Electronic ignition (US Make) in 1984 while living in California. The use of low octane fuel and contact breaker caused pinking. Electronic ignition resolved that completely and has worked perfectly ever since.

Would I have converted if I had been in UK? Probably, because I then don't have to check points gap.

The main difference is the consistent strength of the spark, and in some units multiple sparks.

I fully understand that some people think this is a retrograde step, and detracts from the car's originality, but these cars were built to a cost, and if electronic ignition had been available at the right price at the time, I'm sure Triumph would have installed it. They were early adopters of disk brakes and fuel injection and these were scary new technology at the time.

TT

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50 minutes ago, Andy Moltu said:

Not to mention the abundance of poor condensers that the electronic ignition renders irrelevant.

Buy from the right place (Distributor Doctor) and that problem doesnt arise ;)

Stuart.

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My TR4 was fitted with a Powerspark high energy distributor when I bought it 7000 miles ago. It developed a slight misfire and I thought the distributor was faulty and I was going to be in for a large bill.

After discussions with Powerspark I discovered that the Accuspark 3 ohm non ballast sports coil (red) that was fitted by the previous owner was a mismatch and they recommended fitting either a Lucas DLB198 or a Viper dry high energy coil (.8 ohm). I went for the Viper, a little bit dearer but the difference over the Accuspark is quite remarkable and the misfire has completely disappeared.

If the Powerspark high energy distributor does eventually wear out then I'll buy another. They are not dear. With any electronic ignition be sure that you have the right coil!

Andy

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7 hours ago, stuart said:

Buy from the right place (Distributor Doctor) and that problem doesnt arise ;)

Stuart.

Why buy at all?

Fitted a Piranha kit to the 6 over 30 years ago.

How many sets of points and condensers has this saved?  A few quid up on this by my reckoning.

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14 hours ago, Andy Moltu said:

Why buy at all?

Fitted a Piranha kit to the 6 over 30 years ago.

How many sets of points and condensers has this saved?  A few quid up on this by my reckoning.

Depending on your mileage your down by quite a lot on price comparison Im afraid. a couple of sets of points and no replacement condensers.;):lol:

Stuart.

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I’ve always used a points set-up and not had a problem. My distributor was overhauled by Distributor Doctor with new vacuum unit and springs and it transformed low end smoothness.
 

Tbh, the coil has been the most unreliable part, failing twice in a short space of time, and fitted whether points or electronic.
 

At a show recently I saw an MG Midget which had electronic ignition but the wiring was poor, and littered with poorly fitted blue crimp on connectors, so electronic ignition in itself will only constitute only a small percentage of overall reliability.

Kevin

Edited by boxofbits
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I fitted Newtronic/Piranha electronic ignition to 4VC in 1993 and the only adjustments have been to take account of the change from leaded to unleaded fuel, and then to the introduction of ethanol in unleaded.  Otherwise, it's just fit and forget.  A no-brainer in my estimation.

Of course, I use Martin's rotor arm, having had a "Lucas" arm fail when I was at Middlezoy for a photo-shoot for a French magazine, and Martin was still working there.  Martin explained the problem and told me what he was doing to overcome it.  Shortly after, Martin left Neil and set up as Distributor Doctor.

Ian Cornish

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