Electric ignition

[HQentity]

Hello all!

Without opening too many cans of worms, what are the thoughts on electronic ignition? Any recommendations for an 1850 AC Delco?

[cliftyhanger]

Been using one of these since I fitted the TR7 engine in my Toledo. No problems at all is the only thing I can say.
I do still carry a set of points/condenser in the boot as a backup
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AccuSpark-St ... SwonBaFbIC

[MIG Wielder]

I've had the Lumenition Optronic in my 1850 for many years now.
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-RB7133

... together with a Bosch Blue 12V coil wired directly to the +12V switched IGN ON terminal...
One of these ...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12-Volt-Genu ... 0651813520

O.K. it is an expensive solution but it just works.
And you do need to take the distributor out and dismantle it to fit the electronic chopper.

HTH,
Tony.

[Carledo]

With the price of the accuspark kits being so low, you can afford to carry a spare kit!

I've now fitted 3 of them to customer cars, no reported problems.

Any EI system going into the Delco dizzy means removal and stripdown of the dizzy, it's a bit of a pain, but it's not rocket science!

Steve

[HQentity]

Ok, so is there any benefits to spending much more on the Lumenition?! Electric ignition is electric ignition, surely?!

[Carledo]

I've used both, in fact I was using Lumenition Optronic back in the late 70s when it was just about the ONLY aftermarket contactless ignition system available. The contemporary offerings from Sparkrite, Piranha and the like were all points assisted, a system known then as "capacitive discharge"

There is no doubt that the Optronic system is the real deal, it really is "fit and forget"! And probably the best you can get outside of a 123 programmable distributor. It was never cheap, I worked at a Lucas agent at the time I first used them and even with my trade price, a system was over £60 (more than a week's take home pay) Today they are around £175 for a kit, so comparatively cheaper, but still not exactly cheap! Forget it's cheaper cousin the Lumenition Magnetronic, at £60+, it's no better and possibly slightly worse than the cheap as chips Accuspark (kits from around £30,the Britpart version can be had even cheaper!)

Fitted correctly, the Accuspark seems pretty good to me, I know a few folk have had problems, I personally have only had one, a malfitting magnet ring on a Triumph 2000 kit (too loose on dizzy cam) I phoned up and had 2 correct size ones in my hand (gratis) inside 24 hours! This is why I choose Accuspark from Simon BBC on ebay. I first chose them because they are fairly local to me in Bromsgrove Worcs, I have kept using them because the service and aftermarket backup is second to none! (NO, I don't have shares!) And i've had no problems whatever once fitted, I'm probably heading for 20 kits fitted now, to all sorts of cars.

Steve

[dursley92]

The contemporary offerings from Sparkrite, Piranha and the like were all points assisted, a system known then as "capacitive discharge"

Steve

Just a correction Steve, the Piranha is optical, now rebranded as Newtronic, I use one on my Sprint engine.

[MIG Wielder]

Ok, so is there any benefits to spending much more on the Lumenition?! Electric ignition is electric ignition, surely?!

Electronic systems do not like getting hot. Heat degrades their reliability, especially repeated heating / cooling cycles.
The Optronic system has the electronics all potted inside a nice finned aluminium heatsink which can be remote mounted from the engine, say on a ( relatively ) cool bulkhead
Any system mounted inside the distributor will be cycled from cold up to about 80 deg C as it is in thermal contact with the engine block only cooled by the coolant. Plus the extra heat generated by the switching electronics which will be on top of this 80 deg C.

http://www.apiste-global.com/enc/techno ... il/id=1262

And then there is the vibration problem inside the distributor all mounted on the cylinder block which also decreases reliability.

Are you going to notice this on a daily driver doing 15,000 miles a year ?
Well, at 40 mph average speed that equates to about 375 hours use per year. About 1 hour per day.
It only has to fail once.
Tony.

[yorkshire_spam]

Fitted correctly, the Accuspark seems pretty good to me, I know a few folk have had problems, I personally have only had one, a malfitting magnet ring on a Triumph 2000 kit (too loose on dizzy cam) I phoned up and had 2 correct size ones in my hand (gratis) inside 24 hours! This is why I choose Accuspark from Simon BBC on ebay. I first chose them because they are fairly local to me in Bromsgrove Worcs, I have kept using them because the service and aftermarket backup is second to none! (NO, I don't have shares!) And i've had no problems whatever once fitted, I'm probably heading for 20 kits fitted now, to all sorts of cars.

I fitted the simonbbc kit in 2013 to the Spitfire (1500), since then it's done the CT Round Britain Run and 2x10 Countries runs as well as a lot of miles on UK roads. Never missed a beat. I still carry a points and condensor set in the boot "just in case"

When fitting I found it was possible to push the magnetic ring too far down the dizzy spindle, but a small o-ring on the spindle means it always stays in the right spot.
I don't care how cheap it is, I wouldn't fit a Britpart. I've had too many premature failures with their parts on Land Rovers over the years (although I'm prepared to accept in this case it's probably an identical Chinese part)

[cleverusername]

Fitted correctly, the Accuspark seems pretty good to me, I know a few folk have had problems, I personally have only had one, a malfitting magnet ring on a Triumph 2000 kit (too loose on dizzy cam) I phoned up and had 2 correct size ones in my hand (gratis) inside 24 hours! This is why I choose Accuspark from Simon BBC on ebay. I first chose them because they are fairly local to me in Bromsgrove Worcs, I have kept using them because the service and aftermarket backup is second to none! (NO, I don't have shares!) And i've had no problems whatever once fitted, I'm probably heading for 20 kits fitted now, to all sorts of cars.

I fitted the simonbbc kit in 2013 to the Spitfire (1500), since then it's done the CT Round Britain Run and 2x10 Countries runs as well as a lot of miles on UK roads. Never missed a beat. I still carry a points and condensor set in the boot "just in case"

When fitting I found it was possible to push the magnetic ring too far down the dizzy spindle, but a small o-ring on the spindle means it always stays in the right spot.
I don't care how cheap it is, I wouldn't fit a Britpart. I've had too many premature failures with their parts on Land Rovers over the years (although I'm prepared to accept in this case it's probably an identical Chinese part)

I'm 99% certain it is exactly the same part, I bought a couple from them and they have been fine.

However I agree with you about the number of parts made of cheese that are being sold by suppliers. It is good to be wary.