• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

TR2/3/3A Plug Leads

Share this page

The usual distributor caps for TRs have that pointy screw that punctures the lead to make contact. I find those work better with copper core wires.

Of course if you have converted to an electronic ignition you should check your instructions as some do not play well with the copper cores due to EMI.
 
Of course if you have converted to an electronic ignition you should check your instructions as some do not play well with the copper cores due to EMI.
[/QUOTE]
I second the fact that do not use copper core wires with electronic ignition. It killed the electronic module on my car 200 miles from home. I now only use points
Charley
 
Thank you.
This car has conventional points and the suppressor leads being connected with the pointy screw. I was checking an ignition problem and could not get continuity through the leads. Tat was wen I spotted the carbon track leads.

The leads look old so I will get new copper core leads.

David
 
David if you have Nappa stores (and they might sell on line) they have copper core wires made up and sealed. I usually get a set for a V8 and get 2 that way. naturally you have to cut the one end off for the dizzy cap

steve
 
Late to the party here but, I have a Pertonix electronic ignition and use the Lucas side entry distributor cap (with the pointed screw terminals). I use Magnecor 8mm carbon core plug wires. I never had an issue in 20 yrs but, three years ago I inserted a ½” length of solid copper wire (gauge 14) axially into ends of the plug wires (inserting into side entry distributor cap and making a positive contact with the screw-in terminal).

At the time, I was chasing down an ignition problem - which had nothing to do with my plug wires. Ultimately turned out to be a broken low tension lead on the coil (wire broke right at the female spade connector due to years of vibration).

Bob
PS: these electronic ignitions also require resistor plugs. I am currently running Champion RL87YC (Champion #327)
 
I have always been happy with the Old Points. Easy to change if needed on the road side.

Helped a guy with a TR4 trying to get it to run. He was on his second Pertonix electronic ignition system. Not sure what had happened to the first one but he blew the second one up by wiring it up wrong. I put in my spare set of points and it started up right away. He was not too happy saying he had just blown $300.00 on ignition parts.

David
 
I have installed a Pertronix LU-149 ignition system into our 1963 TR3B (TR4 engine). Pertronix strongly suggess that I switch my ignition wires from solid core to carbon. I want to keep my side mount screw distributor cap if possible. Anyone have success with this type of installation? What brand type ignition wire have you used? Would like wires that look more like originals that the blue and yellow ones. Concerned about the electrical connection between the screw and carbon wire. Thanks!
 
Copper core wires with resistor plugs should satisfy the Pertronix EMI concern. I can't see how it would matter where the resistance is, as long as it's there. You probably shouldn't have both resistor wire and resistor plugs, as it is a lot of resistance and could reduce the spark energy.

I confess that I haven't stayed on top of this--but my understanding is that the carbon-core wires are becoming obsolete. The more modern method is to use a resistor inside the wire at some point, and metal conductors in the rest of it. That would allow you to use the side-entry cap with the pointed screws.
 
Back
Top