Electronic Ignition

dmcsweeney

dmcsweeney

Active Member
Hi all,
I'm like to start by apologising, I know this topic has been done to death, and I have done a little searching on here, but due to work pressures (have to wrap up and move on from the project I've been on today, have a few months in London to do starting next week) I haven't made much progress. My white '72 3500S is running badly again and I've decided to convert to electronic ignition, after 2 years of problems I've given up on points, and was woundering if anyone has used this system http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rover-P6-3500-Acc ... 27b493dea0, does the tacho work with this system. I've already converted to a standard 12V coil by the way. I need to try and order a system today, as I'll have a few days before I travel over, after that I'll just have the weekends to work on it. Any one else got any suggestions?
Regards,
Dave
 
Hi Dave

I too have a '72 3500S and I converted to a Pertronix ignitor last year to cure my recurring misfire problems. As always (and I'm sure others on the forum will concur) it's best to look at the entire ignition system, not just the points and condenser. I've also gone for Magnecor HT leads, which I keep well separated with spacers, and a new coil. The HT leads cost about £80 but are well worth it. I also had my distributor reconditioned by H&H (cost about £120) so my ignition system is in tip top condition. You're obviously on a budget with your options and this kit seems quite cheap compared to other solutions. The Pertonix kit comes in at around the same price as the HT leads (but you could probably source it cheaper if you shop around) and is very reliable, the SimonBBC kit that some have used seems to work quite well also.

I have no experience of the kit shown here and it's the first time I've seen it, but it seems to use the same principle of operation that the others use. I would just question how the supplier has managed to keep the cost so low.

Good luck in your search.

Dave
 
Dave,
thanks for your reply. To be honest I just searched on ebay and thats all that came up. I don't want to spend a fortune, but am prepared to pay for reliability rather than throwing more good money after bad. To date the dizzy has been stripped, inspected and repaired as required, coil replaced twice, points annd condensor replaced several times, had good quality silicon leads and cap already fitted, fuel system rebuilt on a number of occassions (including the mechanical pump, tank removed and cleaned, backup electric pump, filter, carbs rebuilt) so it should be in good condition overall. She also had a set of SD1 heads and new gaskets. It's a beautiful car overall, but has spent the majority of the last 2 years in the workshop or on the back of a transporter, so I want the right system this time! I'm pushing to get all 3 cars right at the moment, just in case I spot anything nice while I'm in the UK and end up with another project :mrgreen: .
Regards,
Dave
 
I think any electronic ignition system is far superior to points just because you arent reliant on poor quality parts, and it's fix and forget at least for a few years!

Mine has lumenition and seems fine - looks like it's been there for many years before i bought it....

I quite like not having the extra box that you have on lumenition so i'd probably buy pertronix or simonbbc (google for his site) if i had to replace it...

Rich
 
Rich,
thanks for that. I was hoping to go down the route of a complete hidden, easily reversible system without the module as you said. Which distributer does the 3500S use? 35D? Anyone got a part number or supplier link for the pertronix or simonbbc systems as mentioned by Rich? Don't want to end up with the wrong one!! As mentioned I've already converted to 12V coil.
Regards,
Dave
 
Hi Dave,

i am using a Pertronix in my V8 as well and i am very satisfied with it. The right pertronix is the one for the 35D8 distibutor. But please beware:
Check this link: http://www.vintageperformance.com/retro ... /lucas.htm
There are two types of different pertronix kits for the 35D8 depending on the different type of plate in the distibutor. The pictures should give you the right idea.....

CU Olaf
 
Hi Dave,

I recently fitted this upgrade to mine. I tried SimonBBC's unit but it's for the later 35D8 distributor (ca. 1974 on), while mine is an earlier 35D8 distributor (1973). I suspect yours is, too, and that's the confusing part. Looking at the baseplate that the points used to sit on, if it's of a triangular shape yours is the earlier one like mine, and the mentioned unit won't fit. Nor will the AccuSpark one judging by the item description. I feel the AccuSpark and SBBC units are one and the same actually.

I got a Pertronix Ignitor from the US, part number LU-183, which is the same part number as with the Aldon Ignitor (and the Lumenition kit IIRC). I bundled it with a FlameThrower coil and fitted Magnecor leads. Once installed it fired up straight away and has lost its occasional misfire, so it really was "set and forget".

I used this thread as an install guide, which was very helpful. Took all of one hour :)

Regards

Tor
 
Lads,
thanks for your replies. Bit confused now :? . Not near the cars at the moment, but i Know that the '72 one has the points with the locating pin, which look the same as the ones on Stans car in the pictures. I don't think I've got the triangular plate. Also, from memory the red '73 car has the same points, but the locating pin is ground off. The Accuspark description says the system is suitable for cars with the later distributer, with the locating pin, from '72 on. I think what I need is the LU-181 Ignitor I or else the 9LU-181 Ignitor II?? Is it worth the extra cash for the Ignitor II? Is there a UK (not going to even ask about an Irish one) distributer or is it a case of ordering from the US? What's the typical delivery?
Regards,
Dave
 
Dave,

Someone else can confirm but I've learned the change happened in 1974 so maybe yours was once replaced? If you've the circular baseplate the £22.50 SimonBBC/AccuSpark unit's for you. Otherwise I used www.carshopinc.com which took twoish weeks and $69.95 +p/p to arrive. Ignitor II is described as a high-tune application.
 
I fitted SimonBBC's unit to my '72 V8 with no problems at all. I'm not sure when the distributors were changed but I did come across a car once that used points without the little pin on the back. Can't remember what year though but most of mine have been '71-'73 and have all been the same.
 
I fitted the ignitor II, not for its performance level but for the enhancements that it had over the standard ignitor such as it senses when the engine is not running and cuts out also that it has some supply voltage and connection protections built in, any extra dwell extension and spark voltage though is certainly a bonus.

Graeme
 
just to get my two pennorth in i have lumenition fitted and i believe that the separate box with the massive heat sink will prove ultimately more reliable , heat is the killer of electronics and i have now removed aldon/ pertronix from 2 classic cars , my p4 is now back on points after the aldon system failed after 18 months , if you ggogle failures you will see people experience failures of the systens that are contained within the dizzy , this im sure depends on use and temperature , so far the lumenition has been sound on the v8, good luck rich
 
just to get my two pennorth in i have lumenition fitted and i believe that the separate box with the massive heat sink will prove ultimately more reliable , heat is the killer of electronics and i have now removed aldon/ pertronix from 2 classic cars , my p4 is now back on points after the aldon system failed after 18 months , if you ggogle failures you will see people experience failures of the systens that are contained within the dizzy , this im sure depends on use and temperature , so far the lumenition has been sound on the v8, good luck rich
 
Gents,
thanks for all your input. Rich made an interesting point regarding the failures, must look at that. The car was actually fitted with luminition and the previous owner removed it! To be honest though I'd still like to try the distributor contained units. Just woundering now if I should go for the cheap one so I can toss it away if it fails :D .At the moment I seem to be between the accuspark/simonbbc or ignitor I/II. I'm just woundering what the difference in results will be?? Apart from price I'm also after a short delivery period, I hate spending money and the having to wait to see results :( . At the cost the cheaper units are worth a punt, but then am I always going to be missing out? Anymore thoughts?
Regards,
Dave
 
As pointed out heat does kill electronics, but i guess it depends how hot it gets... Cpus in pcs can only go up to about 75 degrees c before they start misbehaving, memory and graphics cards much hotter. i guess this is down to the parts specified for the amplifiers in these devices and whether they for instance have heatsinks... also maybe some ventilation holes in the dizzy body would help if there are problems. Also bigger spark 12v coil might have an effect depending on the actual circuit being used...

Rich
 
I installed a Lumenition system in my Rover in March 1991. The system has worked without an issue over the following 19 years and to date has covered 133,375 Miles (214,734 km). The optical switch that resides within the distributor has a safe operating temperature range from -40 degrees C to +125 degrees C, while the power module's operating temperature range is from -40 degrees C to 85 degrees C. It has proven itself to be a truly excellent system.

As Dave is now running a 12 Volt coil, this as is stands would preclude using the standard Lumenition as it requires a ballasted coil with a Primary resistance of 1.2 to 1.5 ohms.

Ron.
 
SydneyRoverP6B said:
As Dave is now running a 12 Volt coil, this as is stands would preclude using the standard Lumenition as it requires a ballasted coil with a Primary resistance of 1.2 to 1.5 ohms.

Ron.
Click to expand...

Ron,
I still have the option of reverting to the original ballasted feed very easily, all I did was unplug it at both ends, All I'd have to do is plug it in at the rear of the tacho and then at the coil. I've spoken to the original owner about the luminition kit that was in the car, which he still has, but he said it was causing running problems before removal, and immediately prior to removal the segmented wheel in the dizzy became brittle and lost too teeth. While the system sounds excellent, I'd still be faced with the external unit. Still haven't ordered anything but planning on doing it tonite. Thanks again.
Regards,
Dave
 
There are two Mallory systems for the V8. The Unilite Electronic and the Twin Point. The Unilite is an extremely expensive solution to going electronic and I would discount. However the Twin Point is the Rolls Royce of Rover V8 ignition solutions provided you use an ignition amplifier with it. Otherwise you're back to the old routine of point changing, just with twice as many! The twin point is so much better because it both eliminates point bounce and also gives a clean signal for the electronics. And it has a superior distributor cap - very important with the V8. But both are up against stiff competition compared to £30 for a SimonBBC!

Chris
 
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