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Stay with points or convert to electronic ignition?


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I have a 75 TR6, UK car running standard fuel injection.

Is the consensus to stay with points or move to electronic ignition?  I get the simplicity of points (and ease of maintenance on the roadside if needed) - but I'd like to find a simple way of getting more smooth and consistent running and a bit more performance/response.

And if the answer is electronic - which is the best setup?

 

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I run my Tr6 on Pertronix, easy starting and no issues after 5 years, also have a 1960 Triumph 500 which was fitted with Lucas Rita 25 years ago and it’s been fantastic, start on one or two kicks and has never failed. Still can see the benefit of the more simple points even if it is less reliable, less consistent performance and more maintenance.

 

Magnus

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Hi Russell,

agree with the posts above.

If you simply want an electronic version of the contact breaker then the cheapo BBC items on Ebay work well and cheap enough to have a spare without wincing.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electronic-Ignition-Kit-for-Triumph-TR5-TR6-Stealth-Point-Conversion/401910732326?hash=item5d93bf1626:g:2fgAAOSwuSFdlz8j

Lumenition do their magnetronic lecy points that is very good but definitely not cheap (£100+) so a spare is an act of love.

https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/ignition-module-45d4-magnetronic-system-mtk007.html

However the above items can have the original contact breakers as a back up.

No or very little performance improvement but you do get a reliably times  spark all the time.

There are complete systems that can boost the spark (capacitor discharge etc) and may help improve performance (or not as the case may be).

 

Roger

 

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As the distributor has probably never been re-built in its life then send it to Martin Jay Distributor doctor for a proper re-build on points and it will be every bit as good as electronic. Its what I do for all restos.

Stuart.

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51 minutes ago, peejay4A said:

Electronic with points backup. I wouldn't expect more performance though. 

No, with performance I meant first of all stronger spark with easier start. Specially on my Triumph 500 Lucas Rita produce a stronger spark when starting, downside is that it draws more electricity. Not sure how that works with the Pertronix though.
 

Magnus

Edited by TRseks
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That's great advice - thanks to all of you.  I think i'll look into the distributor refurb option first - if there's not much improvement in smoothness or pickup with electronic it might be better to stick with points and just make sure they're in good nick!!

cheers, Russell

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5 hours ago, TRseks said:

No, with performance I meant first of all stronger spark with easier start. Specially on my Triumph 500 Lucas Rita produce a stronger spark when starting, downside is that it draws more electricity. Not sure how that works with the Pertronix though.
 

Magnus

The OP was looking for a bit more performance. 

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I was sick of having to clean, regap and time the points every 1000 miles or so  which led me to  instal a Pertronix  Ignitor in 2006. In about 2010 I said on this forum the Ignitor provided diesel like starting- this is still true today.

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My TR6 has Pertronix. It works fine.

I installed electronic ignition on my TR2 and it worked well for a year or so then failed. They sent me a new set free of charge, it also failed.

If your distributor is worn electronic does improve performance. The points gap and therefore spark and timing vary when the distributor spindle moves laterally. This can really reduce performance if the distributor is badly worn (as my TR2 one was). Electronic removes that issue.

As Stuart says, if the distributor is in good condition there should be very little or no performance change between the two systems.

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Two years ago the electronic ignition failed on my TR6 on the M40 coming back from Silverstone Classic. Luckily I had a set of points, condenser etc with me. In fairness the electronic ignition had been on the car for about 8 years. Even so a set of points etc is worth carrying to get you out of trouble....

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If you browse the forum there are lots of not explainable misfires and failed electronic ignition, expained with quality orvwhat ever, mostly caused by electronic ingitions in original distributors.

My friend Robert explained me why, he realized the problem correctly. It is a simple problem, I explained it at this forum but no one wanted to believe.

3 friends also had problems, swapped back to standard braker points for the moment and all problems with misfire have been gone.

Probably next year I start with braker contacts and swap back half the year to electronic - the way my friend Robert told me.

Edited by Z320
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19 hours ago, Mike C said:

I was sick of having to clean, regap and time the points every 1000 miles or so  which led me to  instal a Pertronix  Ignitor in 2006. In about 2010 I said on this forum the Ignitor provided diesel like starting- this is still true today.

If you were using cheap plastic heeled points then its not surprising this happened. The original type with a fibre heel dont do this. Also if the distributor shaft bearing is worn then this will exacerbate the problem too.

Stuart.

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1 hour ago, stuart said:

If you were using cheap plastic heeled points then its not surprising this happened. The original type with a fibre heel dont do this. Also if the distributor shaft bearing is worn then this will exacerbate the problem too.

Stuart.

I’m of the same mind as Stuart.

The original fibre heeled points last far, far longer. I believe that Lucas originally used Tufnol for the heels – a thermosetting resin based fibre composite material which is way more durable than the cheaper thermoplastic heeled points. One of the many engineering applications for Tufnol was car engine gear wheels so durability and longevity was always synonymous with the brand.

On the subject of reliability, fyi, Martin Jay, aka The Distributor Doctor manufactures high spec. condensers. When I spoke to Martin last, in the Summer, he said he no longer imports condensers, - which he found were sometimes incompletely filled with foil which caused them to fail prematurely. Martin’s condensers are now made in England with the correct length of foil and also resin filled to doubly safeguard against a broken internal connection due to the contents vibrating.

Martin 

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On 12/30/2019 at 12:52 PM, stuart said:

As the distributor has probably never been re-built in its life then send it to Martin Jay Distributor doctor for a proper re-build on points and it will be every bit as good as electronic. Its what I do for all restos.

Stuart.

+1 

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I use points, I think it makes you do maintenance as they need checking and adjusting/replacing from time to time. 

Gareth

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Just by way of balance, even points which are supposedly of superior construction and supplied by reputable sources can fail. It happened to me on a trip to Germany. Thankfully the failure occurred in a friend’s garage and not on the Autobahn. Luckily I had an electronic setup as backup :rolleyes:.

HNY. 

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Another opinion in favour.

Martin refreshed my old distributor and converted it to electronic ignition rather than points. Given he sells this option it must be as reliable.

Plus how many "modern" cars now run on points? I bet none as electronic ignition is inherently more reliable and gives a constant spark. The issue with our cars is that it still relies on a gear and shaft which wears rather than a Hall effect sensor. So its a halfway house with a chance of failure like most things. But if you crave originality and like to play in the rain then fair enough!

Time will tell if I choose wisely.

Andy

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On 12/30/2019 at 12:52 PM, stuart said:

As the distributor has probably never been re-built in its life then send it to Martin Jay Distributor doctor for a proper re-build on points and it will be every bit as good as electronic. Its what I do for all restos.

Stuart.

A worn distributor will be that whether or not it has points or an electronic module.  Timing scatter is more pronounced on a worn dizzy running on points.

A rebuilt dizzy with an electronic module will be better still. No need for adjusting or replacing at regular intervals. Even if the cheapo ones have a finite life they will probably work out cheaper than the sets of points they replace before they fail.

One and an identical spare in the boot as a reassurance that can be swapped quicker than a set of points can be fitted, gapped and timing set.

 

And - probably the biggest issue at the moment, means you don't have to risk fitting one of the garbage condensers that seem to be the ones in circulation.

 

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Are these condensors in a green box with white stripes on by any chance, because I have one of those along with two other green boxes one containing a new set of points and the other a new rotor arm in my glove box....plus of course some fag paper for setting the gap!

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15 hours ago, jogger321 said:

Are these condensors in a green box with white stripes on by any chance, because I have one of those along with two other green boxes one containing a new set of points and the other a new rotor arm in my glove box....plus of course some fag paper for setting the gap!

Yes they arent very reliable at all, the rotor arms dont last very long .

Stuart.

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On 1/1/2020 at 6:48 PM, Andy Moltu said:

And - probably the biggest issue at the moment, means you don't have to risk fitting one of the garbage condensers that seem to be the ones in circulation.

 

Another reason to use the condensers from DD. He has had those properly manufactured as well as the rotor arms and points.

 

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