Electronic ignition?

[laneriddle]

I have a 66' Austin Cooper S that I've rebuilt pretty much stock. I was considering upgrading to electronic ignition,as it's suppose to be more efficient and more reliable. the car runs good and hasn't broken down yet,would this upgrade be worth the effort and expense? If so,what type ,brand, is the best? Thank you for any input .

 

[Jerry]

I put the 123 ignition in mine. Has lots of settings to choose for your motor. Works well, starts well. I never had points in this car so I can't tell how it compares. I put electronic in all the cars I have worked on. Just like it myself. You can go Pertronix or fancier. I picked this 123 because I did not have a distributor to start with.
Jerry

https://www.123ignitionusa.com/MG.html

 

[dklawson]

As Jerry said, it is a question of what you are expecting and what your budget is.

If you generally like the way your car drives and are only looking for modest improvements in starting and steady running, the Pertronix Ignitor module is reasonably priced and reliable. Google for "retro rockets ignition" and you will find one of the most economical online vendors to buy from. The Ignitor module is easy to install. Most people who run it carry a spare set of points and a condenser in the boot so should it ever fail for any reason you can re-install the points and be on your way.

The 123 distributor is as Jerry said outfitted with several electronic advance curves. You use a switch to select the one you feel is best suited to the build of your engine. If you haven't made any major changes to your engine then it may be overkill. I have only heard a few complaints about 123. They primarily involve the cost and the availability of replacement caps and rotors.

There are some other systems out there. The Crane ignition is an optical sensor technology with a remote amplifier/switch box. They are reliable but not as stock looking as the Pertronix which all fits under the stock distributor cap. In various cars I have used the Crane system, Pertronix, and am currently running a converted Hitachi distributor from a Nissan in my Mini. I don't think you will regret switching to electronic ignition.

 

[Elva164]

I used Pertronix on my Spitfire 1500 for three years and it started every day, all year. It seems that failures occur more frequently in higher-stress situations like high temperature/racing conditions. Carrying points and a condenser is a good peace-of-mind measure though.

That is another point: I can't comment on the reliability of the other methods mentioned here, but an "advantage" of Pertronix is being able to remove it and either replace it or swap back to points/condenser without removing the distributor.

 

[dklawson]

We have run the original Pertronix Ignitor module in my father-in-law's vintage Formula-Vee for years without any problems. On street cars I anticipate the largest problem of the original Ignitor module (not Ignitor II or Ignitor III) is that they are sensitive to overheating. The overheating can be caused by an unaware owner leaving the ignition in run for about 5 minutes with the engine NOT running. If you avoid that (and knowing about the problem is all that is required to be alert and avoid it) then Ignitors are fine on a street engine which is subject to a lot less than a race engine. The Crane ignitions are also robust but require more effort to install. I did manage to destroy a Crane ignition on our GT6 when I decided to wash the engine bay. The old amplifier unit we had was either not sealed or the sealing had failed and water got inside. I doubt that is a problem for current production units.