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Aftermarket ignition

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1977MGMidget

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I was going over my 77 Midget today and I think it has an aftermarket ignition. I am hoping someone can tell me what it is. All it says on the ignition box is Lumenition. It has 6 wires, 2 red, 2 black, 1 blue, and 1 brown. Red, black, and blue go to the dizzy, the other black is a ground to the chassis, the brown is coil ground and the other red goes to the solid white wire off the resistor (the resistor is no longer used). If this helps the engine is out of a 74 spitfire.
Thanks
Ron Garant
 
1977MGMidget:
HI That is an electronic ignition made in the UK for LBC.---Keoke
 
I have Lumenition on my Midget too! Check out https://www.lumenition.com/. It has all the installation info.

So far, mine has been very relieable. I would knock on wood, but I have an MG not a Triumph.

Morris
 
I had never heard of that company. I'm glad someone else has one. Thanks for the website that will help IF something goes wrong.
Thanks again
Ron Garant
 
I was looking at the Lumenition website and it shows that they are using the resistor. Should I be using it? I've had the car two years and it hasn't been hooked up.
 
Hmmmmm. The only resistor I am aware of is the one that is, I believe, between the coil and the tach. I think having this disconnected will have no affect on your ignition, but it will definitely affect your tach.
 
There are basically two types of igntion coils. One with an internal ballast and one that requires an external ballast. If the car's original coil required a ballast and was replaced with one that had an internal ballast, the external ballast would have been bypassed.
 
That makes sense now, when they changed ignitions they also changed coils so there is no need for an external resistor. Is that correct?
 
I am guessing that they had trouble in the original ignition system and tried fixing it by the guess and replace method. Basically, if the car runs, leave it be.
 
Ron, you can easily find out if the coil needs an external resistor with an Ohmmeter. Internally ballasted coils, which do <u>not</u> require a resistor typically measure 3.2 Ohms or so across the two small terminals.
The coils needing a ballast resistor measure roughly half that.
Make sure the igniton is off when using the meter, or you'll let the smoke out. I generally just disconnect the battery when using the Ohmmeter.
Jeff
 
Actually, you need to disconnect one of the coil primary wires to measure its resistance. If you leave them on, you will be measuring the resistance of other devices switched by the ignition in parallel with that of the coil, like the ignition warning light, the seatbelt beeper, and any accessories that might be on. No need to disconnect the battery, just make sure the ignition is off.
-Dave
 
Doh!!!!!!!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
The reason I mentioned disconnecting the battery is in case of inadvertent contact with a hot wire with the meter set on Ohms.
Jeff
 
Bugeye I tested the coil and it measured 3.0 ohms. The car has always run great, I just wanted to know about the ignition and why they didn't use the resistor. Thanks for everyones help.
Ron Garant
 
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