7 replies to this topic

[johnnysti]

Hi all

Please could someone please tell me what the difference is between the two? Im looking to get a Lucas sports coil but am not sure which to get. My engine is a 1380 A+ if that helps.

Many thanks

Johnny

[Dan]

Well, there is no Lucas sports coil for ballasted ignition so that should make the choice easier. If your car runs ballasted ignition you must use a ballasted coil and if it doesn't then you must use a regular coil. Simple. Ballasted ignition coils operate on somewhere between 6 and 9 volts (depending on the vehicle manufacturer) rather than 12 volts. If your car is using ballasted ignition then the coil will say ballasted or 9 volt or something like that. You can also tell by the wiring, there will either be a large resistor fitted in the coil supply or the coil supply wire will be pink in colour (which indicates that it is a resistive wire).

[johnnysti]

My car isnt an injection and am not sure what coil i have as its a spare on a friend gave me after the lucas sports coil i had brand new, failed after 3 months!!

[Dan]

Don't know what injection has to do with it, ballast ignition is entirely seperate and carb Minis have both systems. Regular coils will fail when used in ballasted systems and vice versa. If you have a ballasted system then you need to use a regular ballasted coil. I think there is an aftermarket so called sports coil for the ballasted system but I don't think it's that high quality.

[johnnysti]

Thats the problem, i cant tell what system my car is running. Is there any way of telling?


Johnny

[Dan]

If your car is using ballasted ignition then the coil will say ballasted or 9 volt or something like that. You can also tell by the wiring, there will either be a large resistor fitted in the coil supply or the coil supply wire will be pink in colour (which indicates that it is a resistive wire).

You could use a meter and check how many volts the coil is getting fed, 12v is regular igntion and 9 or lower is ballasted. In thoery all Minis from '84 onwards use ballasted ignition coils, including SPi models. It's not quite that simple however as there are overlaps in the change point and some cars will have been changed over the years.

[Purtsi]

As I'm about to change coil too, I'd like get this thing right too.

1. I have an Aldon Ignitor, is there any real use for Aldon Flamethrower against Lucas Sports coil?
2. Ballast or non-ballasted? (my bet is on for non-ballasted)

Cheers

[fikus01]

if its a balasted system the positive wire for the coil will be pink with a white tracer and will run at about 9v. if its non balasted it will be plain white and will have about 12v.