Pete,
I agree wholeheartedly with you. However, there is one other argument
against electronic ignition which you didn't mention.
Have you ever been on a road trip and had your ignition fail? Well, I
have, and I have had it happen on both points systems and electronic
systems.
With the points ignition car, all it took was either adjusting,
cleaning,
or replacing the points. I always carry a spare. Back on the road in 10
minutes.
On the electronic ignition car, all I had to carry was a quarter - for
the
phone call to the AAA. So much for the road trip.
Regards,
Lew Palmer
> -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-mg-t@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-mg-t@autox.team.net]
On
> > Behalf Of Peter Thiel
> > Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2002 10:27 AM
> > To: Bob D.; mg-t@autox.team.net
> > Subject: Points/electronic ign.
> >
> > Hi Bob and List,
> > I'm glad to hear of your success with the electronic ignition on
> your
> > TD, and I enjoy reading the activities of the list even though most
of
> it
> > does not require my direct response, but I had to put in my 2 cents
> worth
> > (with a smile) regarding points! This is with the understanding that
I
> am
> > talking about road cars, not race cars or those seeking extra
> performance.
> > There is a certain trade-off of switching to electronic ignition
and
> > abandoning our dear old points, and I hope to stimulate some
discussion
> on
> > the list with my thoughts here. After working on points ignition
cars
> and
> > motorcycles for some 35 years, I feel that points have gotten a bad
rap
> in
> > today's electronic world, and in general are a very reliable way to
> > stimulate a spark. I might add that so far, with all the British
cars
> and
> > bikes that I have owned, I have yet to install an electronic unit to
any
> > of
> > my own vehicles, and I do some mileage. So, I'm biased! Maybe
someone
> will
> > remind me that I wrote this when I convert and wax in adoration of
an
> > electronic unit!
> > The problems that "standard" ignition systems experience,
especially
> > on
> > these old cars, fall into three categories. First, mechanical
problems
> in
> > the distributor: worn bushings, sticky advance weights, weak or
missing
> > springs, and points plates.
> > **Worn bushings cause jumping around of the timing mark while
setting
> > timing
> > with a strobe (and by inference of course, that the spark itself is
not
> > getting there "on time"). There is play in the distributor shaft, so
how
> > do
> > you set the points... with the shaft pushed, or pulled, or maybe
halfway
> > in
> > the center? Setting of the points by dwell angle rather than just
> gapping
> > helps in this situation but does not fix the problem.
> > **Sticky advance weights can usually be fixed with dismantling,
> > lubrication,
> > and reassembly.
> > **Weak or missing springs cause the engine to hit full advance too
soon,
> > causing excess pinging and scratching of the head. The timing will
> appear
> > to
> > be at specs at idle, but advances too quickly.
> > **Points plates may have wobbly pivot pins or may slip due to bodged
> hold
> > down screws from a prehistoric mechanic (we all started there!)
> > Fix the mechanical stuff no matter what kind of ignition you are
> > using,
> > and a long and useful life of the ignition system will result. When
the
> > distributor is in good shape, and the points are gapped properly,
timing
> > is
> > not difficult. I have always done a "seat of the pants timing" after
> > setting
> > to specs anyway, and could usually advance timing a bit more than
specs.
> > If
> > it doesn't ping, advance to where it does, then back it off a tad.
On
> > later
> > BMC cars like Bs, Spridgets, Healeys, or Triumphs the "micrometer"
> > adjustment on the outside of the distributor makes this a snap. If
the
> car
> > does not spin easily by the starter motor after advancing the
timing, it
> > is
> > too far advanced, but should ping pretty badly too.
> > Secondly, the points themselves, which are intricately linked to
the
> > third, the condensor. As a mechanical device the points just need a
> little
> > lubrication on the pin and the cam block and they last a long time.
As
> an
> > electrical device the surfaces of the points need to be relatively
> clean,
> > flat, and parallel. I say relatively because they will tolerate wide
> > ranging
> > conditions of dirtiness, pits/pips, and off angle operation, before
they
> > fail. The car may not run the best in these ugly conditions, but it
will
> > run. They also will operate at lower than normal voltage (in the
event
> of
> > generator or battery failure) allowing someone to limp home even
when
> the
> > lights won't work. With electronic, when voltage falls below a
critical
> > threshold, the car quits - this to me is the main drawback of
electronic
> > ignition. Have you seen charging systems fail?
> > The pits on points are indicative of the match of the condensor
to
> the
> > system. If points get pits on their surfaces it means that the
condensor
> > (also called a capacitor) is absorbing either too much or not enough
> > electrical current. Not a big deal but it shortens the life of the
> points
> > and makes them hard to gap. In this case, change the condensor when
you
> > change your points! If there are no pits, I have left condensors in
> place
> > for YEARS, even on customer's cars, and they have been entirely
> reliable.
> > I
> > can think of only two cases in my lifetime of condensors actually
> failing.
> > Yes, there were probably more, but I can't remember them now! On a
twin
> > cylinder bike, it just runs on one cylinder because there are two
> > condensors. In a car, of course, its a different story.
> > A set of points should last 12,000 miles or so, which for a
typical
> > hobbyist (with a running car) could easily be 12 years of reliable
> > running.
> > If not running, maybe 50 years!
> > I'm sure this will start more email than we care to read, and
may
> beat
> > a
> > dead horse, but in the microwave "I haven't got all minute!"
mentality
> > that
> > many car owners have, points, condensors, dual carbs, and other
> > eccentricities about our old cars are vanishing along with the
people
> who
> > understand them.
> > I'm thankful to be able to offer my opinion (that's all it is)
and
> > look
> > forward to hearing the discussion that follows.
> > Best regards to all, Pete Thiel
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