I have a 1275cc engine fitted to our '57 morris minor.
However, I am not entirely happy with the electronic ignition on it.
does anyone know what electronic ignition is best suited to the A+ series engine? I believe there are 3 types
1) magnetic
2) light beam
3) relay based
Also what manufactures do people find best?
regards
Hugh
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Hugh,
The original points set-up is perfect for the A-series and a Morris Minor, properly tuned they are good starters and so easy to sort out at the roadside By fitting an aftermarket electronic ign system you introduce an extra potential for problems. Save your money and buy some air horns!
Of course I sit back waiting for the wild claims of 20% fuel consumption improvements, 100mph top speed and zero emmissions these devices will bring!
Yours slightly tongue in cheek,
David
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David,
Whilst you are right, you probably havent spent 2 years driving 20K miles in 948cc morris minor with a points ignition, if so you would grow tired of standing in the dark and the rain on the hard shoulder of the M25 trying to gap the points by the light of torch held in your mouth. Equally sunday afternoons spent replacing the pitted points every 3,000 miles, can be better spent.
Whilst I was "happy" to do this my wife, who drives the car is of the opinion that her car should be 98% reliable, without the need to coax it home with peices of kit-kat wrapper.
Hence the decision to put an A+ series engine in and do sensible updates to sustain cheap, reliable, economic motoring.
Since first installing an electronic ignition, I have never had the need to touch it, ever. These leaves so much more time for things like greasing the suspension etc.
regards
Hugh
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David/Hugh
I think you both have a 'point'. As a Minor owner, I'd agree that a well maintained car starts reliably anytime, and as I do a limited mileage each year I'd happily save the money and keep the points. As David says, these can be fixed, if necessary, at the roadside whereas electronic ignition can't - although I know of people who keep a plastic bag with the original kit in the boot to replace the points if the electronics fail!
That said, if I did a high mileage in a Minor (which although I like Minors I'd be reluctant to do!) I'd certainly consider the electronic option as points wear, timing drifts and needs regular maintenance.
Regards
John
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Hugh,
Thanks for taking my comments in good humor. This does take me back to my early motoring years which is why it made me smile to think of all the "essential" add-ons that were popular in the 60's and 70's. I don't even want to give a clue to some of the stupid bits I had hanging on my Triumph Herald! My first driving experiences were in the early 70's when Dad usually owned a new car and Mum had something from the 60's as a second car, including a mint 1968 Minor.
I remember several names then associated with aftermarket electronic ign. Boyer Bransden, Sparkright, Mobelec and Lumenition come to mind. I think the big argument in those days was to which was the best system, the one that replaced the points completely and those that used the points as a sort of relay trigger. Am I right in recalling the Sparkright unit clipped to the coil and having a changeover switch on the top so if it failed you could switch back to the points? Of the types that replaced the points I think there were two variants, one was similar to current types of electrical induction and the other the light source/detector with an interuptor rotor (Lumenition).
I think the Lumenition was the most expensive at the time and well thought of, but it did mean a fair bit of work to go back to the points at the roadside ..... especially holding that torch in your teeth!
And yes points can let you down at the most difficult times. The last two "points equipped" cars I was called to both suffered closing up of the points after recent replacement, but without lubricating the lobes hence the heel had worn down closing the gap.
I'm sure one of the mail order Minor spares dealers dealers as found in classic car magazines could help with this.
Regards,
David
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How about fitting the electronic ignition distributor from the A Series engined Maestro 1.3?
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Hooray, well done Doug, beat me to it. Just a word that if you use the distributor from a late metro be sure to use the coil that goes with it from the donor car.
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Don't know how significant it is, but using the original distributor with an after market electronic ignition would maintain the original advance curve for the engine. It may be that an electronic distibutor from, say, a late metro 998 may be rather different from the requirements of an older 1275 for example.
Going back a while, Lumenition were generally supposed to be reliable replacement units. I used one for a few years on a Stag - great fun otherwise with a double point distributor - and had no problems.
regards
john
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A bit off the wall, but - it's often struck me that if you want to run a Moggie Minor (nostalgia, reliability, simplicity etc) then the ideal plot might be to put a diesel engine in it. Forget about the ignition - it could even be quieter!
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It wouldn't be quieter, and it sure wouldn't be a Minor!
Regards
john
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I've heard of at least one diesel Roller and the brother of a previous colleague who was an American car afficado but couldn't afford 15 mpg put one in an American saloon (sorry, can't remember make).
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I've also seen a VW camper van (Type two bay window model) fitted with a diesel engine. Because the engine is at the back and the original engine was air cooled it had a huge radiator fitted on the back with a fan behind it - so big in fact that the rear hatches wouldn't open, and the engine had to be accessed through the floor. It seemed drastic, but the owner reckoned 50mpg instead of the original 25.
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Hugh,
Lumenition, available from any Lucas outlet. Easy to fit and generally relaible.
Regards, Adam
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Hugh,
Adam confirms the name I had in mind. I see they now do both the optical and induction types. Have a look at the MG owners site where these systems are shown in some detail.
www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgoc&p=emg/...m
Ask a sensible question and you are assulted with air horns to diesel conversions!
David
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Yes, Luminition every time for me. Iv'e used it in a Stag, LandRover, Volvo, Triumph 2000. They are totally reliable, keep their settings indefinitely, and work better on unleaded or inferior fuels. I usually find i can advance the timing a couple of degrees, which benefits performance and economy.
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Cliff,
Surely if you put some planks under the rear wheels, you would't need any ignition at all?
Sorry mate. Too tempting.
What happened to Bill Blydenstein anyway? He's like the guy on radio Luxembourg. "Department 1, Keynsham, spelt K. E. Y. N., S. H. A. M. , Bristol".
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