The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Folks.

My project Sprint retains its points and condenser ignition set up. I appreciate many have moved on to electronic ignition, but does anyone know of a source of 'good' quality ignition parts for our cars?
I don't want to go into the realms of E.I just yet, but want the car set up properly.

From the number of packets of points/condensers in the boot of my car, I think failure has been quite common in the past and I know the quality of many modern components is poor.

The 'Distributor Doctor' advertise their 'quality' products, but I can't see the Lucus 44D4 listed. I may give them a call to see.

Any ideas? Or is it a case of finding NOS Lucus (orange box) as, and if, they appear?

Kind Regards

MC

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Matt Cotton

TDC Oxfordshire Area Organiser.
TDC/TSSC group meeting - 3rd Tuesday of the month


1980 1500HL - OPD
1976 Sprint - SWU

I've been having problems with the cheap condensers off eBay. So I went to the Distributor Doctor for a higher spec one - lead is longer, but still needs a male to female connector lead a few inches long.

I'm sure he will have lucas points to go with - he had the fabric covered earth strap with the two flag connectors. I spoke to him 01984 629 540. Well worth a call.

I haven't given that condenser a fair test yet, because of the hole in the tank. But it has already lasted longer than the last cheap one.

Graham

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The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).

Thanks for that Graham. Sounds promising. I will give them a call tomorrow.

Best wishes MC

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Matt Cotton

TDC Oxfordshire Area Organiser.
TDC/TSSC group meeting - 3rd Tuesday of the month


1980 1500HL - OPD
1976 Sprint - SWU

NOS orange box for points and condensor,or nos Intermotor,or Distrinutor doctor.
Points and condensor are the same as a Lucas 45d,I believe (Robin,70s Minis etc).
I bought a nos ditributor,complete,with points,and condensor,and I have gaped them once in 4 years.
The new Lucas points the plastic is too soft on the heels,I had 3 sets that needed re gaping after 100 miles!

Thanks again both. I've ordered points and condenser from the Distributor Doctor - very helpful service.

Let's hope they are reliable!

Regards
MC

_________________
Matt Cotton

TDC Oxfordshire Area Organiser.
TDC/TSSC group meeting - 3rd Tuesday of the month


1980 1500HL - OPD
1976 Sprint - SWU

You should be ok with Dizzy Doctor parts, I'd have recommended them or H&H ignition.

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Distributor Doctor is good, never heard a bad word against him. Got a recon dizzy for my Sprint from him, pricecy but worth it. Still using points in mine. Done around 500 miles since fitting - came with new points and condenser - no issues, Pulls well, revs cleanly up to the red line and a bit beyond with no hesitation or misfires. Only comment, as already mentioned somewhere, the lead is a bit short so needs extending to reach the coil terminal. I do have a "green box" cap and rotor arm (think it must be the Ambassador one as it is not the same as the old sprint one) so we will see how long they last. I have Lucarse Green Box bits on my Stag as well, been on there for a long time and never had a problem (and that has twin points!), perhaps I have been lucky.

Roger

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1975 Sprint Man O/D in Honeysuckle Yellow
1971 Stag Auto White

Too many cars, too little time!

Unipart GSC118 and GSC2118, and Lucas DCB112C (red and green packaging) are for sale on ebay often and listed as being for the Sprint, but the parts book has the condenser listed as GSC112, I'm I missing something?

The points are GCS118, is this where the confusion is?

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Triumph Dolomite Sprint,RNK 957W

Built 26/6/1980 (one of the last built), Auto, Porcelain White - Genuine Mileage 52,820 (warranted).

Only 3 previous owners, (2 within the same family).

Supplied by Lavender Hill Garage Ltd, Enfield, London, by garage owner Jimmy Metcalfe on 30th September 1980 to Geoffery Robinson, Enfield.

Club Membership No: 2017092

I buy Bosch condensors and mount them next to the coil..... A lot easier than messing about inside the dizzy, especially on the Delco and to date not had a failure plus it's easily reversable.

Tony.

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NOW A CLUB MEMBER 2017057

It's not supposed to be there though Tony

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Triumph Dolomite Sprint,RNK 957W

Built 26/6/1980 (one of the last built), Auto, Porcelain White - Genuine Mileage 52,820 (warranted).

Only 3 previous owners, (2 within the same family).

Supplied by Lavender Hill Garage Ltd, Enfield, London, by garage owner Jimmy Metcalfe on 30th September 1980 to Geoffery Robinson, Enfield.

Club Membership No: 2017092

At least you could clean it easily Murdo

Tony.

_________________
NOW A CLUB MEMBER 2017057

Yes, A good technical solution Tony. If I was running points still I'd be doing the same with the R.S, Components capacitors.
Agree about the 1850 Delco.
Tony.

Does a cap across the coil suppress arcing as well as one across the points?

I can see how a smallish cap across the points can act as a potential divider with the characteristic impedance of the lead, and so keep the voltage across the infinite impedance of the gap below that magic value if 327 volts. I might have some trouble working out the value of the cap from the back emf pulse voltage and the impedance of tha single wire lead, but I can see it's possible to do that well enough.

But wouldn't a cap across the coil need to act as a current divider with the lead impedance, and so need to be virtually zero impedance at the equivalent frequency of the back emf pulse, to prevent enough current going down the lead to cause 327 volts across the infinite impedance (until it arcs) points gap?

Graham

_________________
The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).