18 replies to this topic

[Mrt88]

Hi all,

I have a bit of a problem I can't figure out the answer.

I think I have a balasted car, on one side of the coil I have a white and black wire going to a terminal.
On the other I have 2 one is white and pink and the other looks white and yellow.

Does this mean my car is balast ?
I need to replace my dizzy as the vac doesn't work on it. Also my alternator is on the blink (the lit won't go out till I rev the car). So I was going to buy a kit from accuspark they have on offer. Including new dizzy, coil, ht's, sparks and a good deal on a new alternator.

My question is do I need specific parks if indeed my car is balast ?

Thanks all
Theo

[KernowCooper]

You have a choice run the car with the ballasted ignition you have now with the 9v coil, and the electronic trigger unit, or convert to 12v ignition. Fitting instructions are here in my post http://www.theminifo...t-step-by-step/

 

But I recommend you do the simple conversion to 12v ignition as it gets rid of the White/pink ballasted wire which can overheat the ballast restistor and burn the wiring loom of which I have done many over the years. You just need a new feed wire and a 12v coil

 

Covered here http://www.theminifo...d-12v-ignition/

Its a 30min job, but due to the differences in placement of the point heal and the electronic trigger point you need to check the timing afterwards, also the one piece rotor arm/ magnetic trigger wheel seems to cure one or two peoples starting issues after fitment to ensure the correct trigger height.

[jime17]

You can replace the vac canister too. Its very simple.

The cheapest I found was from powerspark.

[Mrt88]

You have a choice run the car with the ballasted ignition you have now with the 9v coil, and the electronic trigger unit, or convert to 12v ignition. Fitting instructions are here in my post http://www.theminifo...t-step-by-step/
 
But I recommend you do the simple conversion to 12v ignition as it gets rid of the White/pink ballasted wire which can overheat the ballast restistor and burn the wiring loom of which I have done many over the years. You just need a new feed wire and a 12v coil
 
Covered here http://www.theminifo...d-12v-ignition/
Its a 30min job, but due to the differences in placement of the point heal and the electronic trigger point you need to check the timing afterwards, also the one piece rotor arm/ magnetic trigger wheel seems to cure one or two peoples starting issues after fitment to ensure the correct trigger height.

Thank you do much ! That's some great info there buddy. I think I may just convert over to 12 if I'm replacing all the components anyway.
What sort of cable am I going out shopping for ? I can do the job but I'm no electrician.

I've just seen your other wiring post in the FAQ section but I'm still not 100% sure what to buy

Edited by Mrt88, 22 May 2014 - 10:21 AM.

[KernowCooper]

Here is whats needed, plus terminal crimping pliers for the 6.3mm female terminals

 

2 metres of this  SWG 12/14 White in Colour for the new feed from the fuse box to coil + taken off fuse 1 live input side. Or the new wiring spec here in white http://www.autoelect...70/category/114 010702 number in White

 

2 6.3mm female terminals. number 040202 http://www.autoelect...o.uk/product/53

 

12v 3.5ohmn coil available from Minispares GCL 216 https://www.minispar...|Back to search

 

or sports MSC105 https://www.minispar...|Back to search

 

or the Lucas Sports Coil DLB 105 http://www.ebay.co.u...=item2328f4fefa

[Mrt88]

Thank you so much for that !
I will get ordering tonight.

I was thinking about getting this complete kit...the mini A+ kit part way down the page.

Has anyone had any experiance with them ? It would cost me nearly as much to get my current dizzy up to scratch. But with this I get the coil and accessorys too.

Thanks all !
Theo

[KernowCooper]

No Link to the kit Theo?

[Mrt88]

Hahah I'm not with it today.
Here's the link. It's about half way down the page:
The price looks ok to me for what you get. I'm not sure about the components, but I haven't heard anything bad about accuspark from my research.

http://www.accuspark...uk/DealPage.htm

Edited by Mrt88, 22 May 2014 - 03:10 PM.

[KernowCooper]

If your current distributor has no shaft wear I'd fit the kit to that one, as it has the correct advance curve if standard for your engine, where as all the copy ones have a one size fits all A series engines which we know are different. Speak to the Distributor Doctor about a vacuum unit he can help out,

 

Martin Jay
Distributor Doctor Ltd
1 Bovey Cottages, Waterrow
Wiveliscombe
TA4 2BA Phone 01398 361 678 Fax   Email [email protected]

Edited by KernowCooper, 22 May 2014 - 03:32 PM.

[Mrt88]

I've just done a search on the forum here. From what I can find it looks like I shouldn't use electric ignition with a non ballast lucus sports coil.
I'm not sure what I should buy now. Am I correct or have I got this wrong ?

I spoke to Martin and I am going to look at sorting out my vacume.

[robminibcy]

no, a Lucas sport coil and electric ignition will be fine. I've been running this setup for 2 years now and been perfect.

[KernowCooper]

Theo everything you need is in the post with all my links

[Captain Mainwaring]

You have a choice run the car with the ballasted ignition you have now with the 9v coil, and the electronic trigger unit, or convert to 12v ignition. Fitting instructions are here in my post http://www.theminifo...gnition-kit-ste

 

You have a choice run the car with the ballasted ignition you have now with the 9v coil, and the electronic trigger unit, or convert to 12v ignition. Fitting instructions are here in my post http://www.theminifo...t-step-by-step/

 

But I recommend you do the simple conversion to 12v ignition as it gets rid of the White/pink ballasted wire which can overheat the ballast restistor and burn the wiring loom of which I have done many over the years. You just need a new feed wire and a 12v coil

 

Covered here http://www.theminifo...d-12v-ignition/

Its a 30min job, but due to the differences in placement of the point heal and the electronic trigger point you need to check the timing afterwards, also the one piece rotor arm/ magnetic trigger wheel seems to cure one or two peoples starting issues after fitment to ensure the correct trigger height.

 

p-by-step/

 

But I recommend you do the simple conversion to 12v ignition as it gets rid of the White/pink ballasted wire which can overheat the ballast restistor and burn the wiring loom of which I have done many over the years. You just need a new feed wire and a 12v coil

 

Covered here http://www.theminifo...d-12v-ignition/

Its a 30min job, but due to the differences in placement of the point heal and the electronic trigger point you need to check the timing afterwards, also the one piece rotor arm/ magnetic trigger wheel seems to cure one or two peoples starting issues after fitment to ensure the correct trigger height.

 

 

If you read your guide again, you actually end up connecting it up as non ballasted - no way a powerspark would tolerate much less than battery voltage without it going pear shaped - 

[KernowCooper]

??

 

says in the wiring guide of Fitting a Powersparks Electronic Ignition

Your now ready to connect the wiring. Negative Earth Vehicles

10.Connect the Black wire from the Module with the Male 6.3mm Spade Terminal into the wire you disconnected your points from.
11.Check the Vehicle Wiring on the Coil + (Positive) if you have one White Wire then your coil should be a 12v and connect it as per Picture 1
12. If you have a White/Pink and a White/ Yellow wire on the coil + (Positive) your car has a Ballasted Ignition System See below

Ballasted Ignition Wiring
13. Ballasted Ignition wiring is as follows. The Black wire from the Trigger Module remains the same on the Coil - (Negative) LT Wire
14. The Red Wire from the Trigger Module is Connected to a new 12v Ignition Feed from the Fuse Box.

Converting To A 12v Ignition System
15. You could if you bought a Kit convert the Ignition to a 12v System and then the White/Pink and White/Yellow wires are removed and the new 12v feed onto the + Terminal of the new coil.

Double Checking The Coil
16. How to test the Resistance of the coil, Place a Multimeter across the + and - of the Coil Terminals and a Ballasted Coil reads approx 1.5 Ohms and a standard Coil read approx 3 Ohms

I Recommend doing the conversion to a 12v Coil as the standard Ballast wiring the resistor has been known to overheat and damage the vehicles wiring loom

17. You are now ready to start the engine.

 

 

I just re-read it again twice and obviously need a proof reader to point out where the wiring error is ?

Edited by KernowCooper, 23 May 2014 - 02:30 PM.

[KernowCooper]

@Captain Mainwearing

If you read your guide again, you actually end up connecting it up as non ballasted - no way a powerspark would tolerate much less than battery voltage without it going pear shaped -

 

So non ballast is a standard 12v, so why would the module not tolerate battery voltage connected as a non ballast system?