SAVVA Technical Tip - no 48 Electronic Ignitions for early cars
If you see an elderly car broken down it is invariably because the fan belt has broken, a water hose has burst or something in the distributor has gone amiss i.e. points not closing or the condenser has packed up.
The fan belt and hoses are visible and easily checked but the points and condenser can be a bit difficult to get to. So let’s at least eliminate one problem – the distributor.
Without question the answer is to go electronic – the better units use optical or magnetic impulses to operate the circuit – the advantage being that these eliminate the use of both the points and condenser. If you are not technically inclined we suggest you don’t try to do your own thing but rather go to a specialist who for around R1000.00 will convert your ignition for you.
For the D.I.Y types there are a few options. You can build your own unit which will cost about R150.00 for parts. These units retain the points which are used solely to switch the circuit and energise the coil. They are very reliable as the points are used only switch a minute amount of current and will last indefinitely. I have used these circuits on both Sunbeam Alpine (12 volt) and a 1935 Buick (6 volt) for years without any problems.
However, one must move on – and that’s the purpose of this months tip.
Recently I was looking for something on ebay UK when I spotted an advert from an MG parts supplier in England offering electronic ignitions called AccuSpark which fit various Lucas (and I’m sure other) distributors. The cost being UK pounds 29.00 plus postage. I calculated the total cost would be about R350.00 so ordered one.
It arrived within seven day (no custom duties). It is the simplest thing to fit. You simply take out and dispose of the points, condenser and the wire that goes from the distributor to the coil. You then drop in the solid state module in place of the points. Remove the rotor and place a square thingy underneath it and replace the rotor. There are two wires coming from the module, one goes to the “plus” side of the coil and one to the “negative” side. You don’t even have to take the distributor off the engine, it’s a five minute job.
What happens is the square thingy has a magnet in each corner and as it passes the module it activates an impulse to the coil. I fitted one to the Sunbeam and it works well. It could be my imagination, but the car seems to idle far better than it did with points.
For anyone interested in converting, the supplier is:
Watford Classic cars e-mail – www.mgbreakers.com.