• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Electronic ignition

radibob

Senior Member
Offline
The PO of my 66 spridget included an Allison electronic ignition module in the box of "spares" he gave to me. No where does it indicate whether it is pos or neg ground. I called Crane and they have no idea.
It has one number on it 25706 for what that's worth Anyone out there have one of these or know if it will work with pos ground.
 

Sarastro

Obi Wan
Silver
Country flag
Offline
I don't know about this unit--but, is it complete? Do you know for sure if it's even working? Does it use an optical or magnetic sensor, or does it trigger off the existing points? If the latter, it's probably pretty old. There has been a lot of improvement in the technology since the early days of electronic ignitions, so it might be a good idea to invest a hundred bucks and get a new, modern one. The lack of information on this old unit might be an indication that it's probably not wise to use it.
 

racingenglishcars

Darth Vader
Country flag
Offline
I've run across Allison electronic ignition back in the 80's. They were one of the many brands that came out shortly after all the TR7 and MGB ignition systems began to fail. Allison was a low cost solution and had it's own failure rate. Pirahana was another, of reasonable quality. Luminition was of much better quality and always worked. I always installed Luminition on my customer's cars. Don't get me wrong, Allison is a good enough unit. But there are better things out there.
 
OP
R

radibob

Senior Member
Offline
Good advice i think. I'm a sucker for period equipment, so I thought it would be fun to make this one work. Probably not at the cost of a breakdown though and with Moss selling Pertronix for less tham a hundred bucks, i think I'll go that way.
 

dklawson

Yoda
Offline
radibob said:
I'm a sucker for period equipment, so I thought it would be fun to make this one work.

Not picking a fight or anything but period equipment on a '66 would be points.

I ran an Alison unit on our GT6 until the day I made the mistake of getting its remote amplifier/controller wet while washing the engine. It died immediately upon power application. Until that day it had worked perfectly.

The main reason to add the electronic ignition is for improved reliability. Others would argue the reason is easier starts. Regardless, if that's what you're after, there are more modern versions of this that would probably deliver both improvements with a higher confidence level.
 

Keoke

Great Pumpkin
Country flag
Offline
radibob said:
Good advice i think. I'm a sucker for period equipment, so I thought it would be fun to make this one work. Probably not at the cost of a breakdown though and with Moss selling Pertronix for less tham a hundred bucks, i think I'll go that way.

Take a good look at "Retro Rockets" Pertronix Prices too.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
G Crane XR700 Electronic Ignition / BT7 Austin Healey 6
PAUL161 T-Series Points Triggering Electronic Ignition MG 5
TRickster6 MGB electronic ignition on '73 MGB MG 1
algot1901 Electronic Ignition for 1950 Prefect 1172cc Eng Other British Cars 10
Lin Crane or Fast XR700 Electronic Ignition Austin Healey 4
Lin Installation Notes for 1-2-3 Electronic Ignition Austin Healey 1
O Sprite Petronix Electronic Ignition Spridgets 10
S Fried electronic ignition? Austin Healey 22
F TR2/3/3A Timing with Electronic Ignition Triumph 14
S Wiring connections for electronic ignition BJ8? Austin Healey 3
T MGB Vacuum advance and Electronic ignition conversion MG 5
matmire Crane XR700 electronic ignition, now FAST XR700. Spridgets 12
L Electronic ignition? British Motor Corp 4
S TR4/4A Electronic Ignition Recommendations? Triumph 14
PAUL161 General MG Crane Electronic Ignition MG 9
S will old style distributer cap work with electronic ignition on AH Austin Healey 8
R Electronic Ignition Distributor Spridgets 14
D Electronic Ignition for 25D distributors Spridgets 15
sundown TR6 TR6 electronic ignition Triumph 10
mountainman pertronix electronic ignition hepl please Triumph 10
D TR6 TR6 Electronic Ignition Triumph 16
T Electronic Ignition Issue Austin Healey 6
B What is best electronic ignition setup MG 19
T Electronic Ignition MG 15
rosalind electronic ignition conversion - advice please? British Motor Corp 3
D Electronic ignition choice[s] Triumph 17
D Rebound straps and electronic ignition MG 2
J Midget 1500 electronic ignition? Spridgets 10
scott_74 Electronic Ignition? Spridgets 15
NardisCNC Electronic Ignition Upgrade Questions... Spridgets 17
C Electronic Ignition Tutorial please? Triumph 20
H electronic ignition systems Austin Healey 11
SCguy Wedge Best electronic ignition for my TR8 Triumph 9
H Plug wires for electronic ignition Austin Healey 18
MGTF1250Dave Pertronix Ignitor Electronic Ignition Installation Triumph 26
T static timing with electronic ignition? Triumph 10
AUSMHLY Petronix Electronic Ignition positive ground Austin Healey 10
SherpaPilot Best Electronic Ignition? Triumph 9
vette MGB MGB Electronic Ignition MG 2
T MGB Static timing a MGB w/ a Crane Electronic Ignition MG 5
Atrus Yes, another electronic ignition question Spridgets 2
Sarastro Crane electronic ignition installation Spridgets 3
Raymond electronic Ignition MG 20
Atrus Electronic Ignition Comparisons Spridgets 24
JamesWilson Electronic Ignition? Lotus 7
R Electronic ignition Austin Healey 11
tony barnhill NORTON BOYER ELECTRONIC IGNITION WITH COILS &podtr British Motorbikes 4
ChrisS Electronic Ignition Spridgets 5
C ELECTRONIC IGNITION FOR A 3000 ? Austin Healey 12
W Electronic Ignition MG 9

Similar threads

Top