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Holy cow - the new coil is a huge improvement
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PATR8
Jedi Knight
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It has been a long time since I put a new coil in my 8(really never, had the original one in it adn I carry a spare) prehaps I will pick up one today. I guess it is one of the things I never think about as long as it is working. I will be visiting the local auto shop today to pick one up
Brosky
Great Pumpkin
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Well, there was some experimentation done with those. I tried the setting at .035" and it broke up badly above 2400RPM. I moved then down to .030" and it skipped a bit at 4000RPM. I set them back at .025" and it runs perfectly. My original Bosch Platinums were at .025" also. I know that you are supposed to be able to move up the gap to take advantage of the electronic ignition and the coils "hotter" spark, but it just didn't work well in my case.
Once again, as in this case, one size may not fit all.
Once again, as in this case, one size may not fit all.
PATR8
Jedi Knight
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On my way home yesterday I picked up a new Accel coil and replaced my Lucas which sounded like a half a can of oil when shaken. Was pretty excited until I looked at the wire running from the coil to the distributor, it was shot. So today it is a new set of plug wires. I replaced the broken wire with an old one I had sitting around. The idle is smoother, acceleration is noticably improved. I am glad I read this thread
Brosky
Great Pumpkin
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Buy the Pertronix Ignitor matching coil to go with it. If you can, get the Ignitor II setup. It has the built-in protection for the burn-out. I wish I had known about it when I did mine, even though I had a Ignitor I kit from an earlier purchase. And yes, there is an Ignitor II coil as well. They are made for either for the early or later TR's with and without the ballast resistor so you will have no changes in your harness.
Even if you did have to bypass the ballast resistor, it's a very simple process that doesn't require changing the harness at all.
Even if you did have to bypass the ballast resistor, it's a very simple process that doesn't require changing the harness at all.
davidk
Jedi Trainee
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Even if you did have to bypass the ballast resistor, it's a very simple process that doesn't require changing the harness at all.
I would like to change from my original coil. How should the wiring be changed? When does the resistor wire work anyway? Is it at start-up, or all the time? Thanks.
I would like to change from my original coil. How should the wiring be changed? When does the resistor wire work anyway? Is it at start-up, or all the time? Thanks.
bash
Jedi Trainee
Offline
Hi David
I am just looking at a new coil, and think I will go for the Lucas Sport coil, which is a full 12V coil - I have a 75 TR6 with a ballast resistor.
As I understand it, the ballast resistor is in series with the power line to the coil, and drops the voltage to something less than 12v - I think it is supposed to be 6V but I have read 9V somewhere. When you operate the starter, the ballast wire is bypassed at the relay and the coil is fed at 12V to give a hotter spark to help with cold starting an emissions engine.
The simplest way to bypass the ballast resistor I have seen is to move the white/yellow wire from the starter relay to the fusebox connection at the white wire (upstream of the fuse, if you get my gist). This means that the ballast resistor is essentially always bypassed as though the starter is turning.
I have no idea whether the sports coil will make things better for my engine - I plan to keep points but use better ignition leads since I feel this gives me scope to improve performance in other ways later without having to worry that I will be overtaxing the ignition. I could be wrong, and maybe I just like the idea of a "sports" coil and fancy red wires!
Hope that is of some use
Alistair
I am just looking at a new coil, and think I will go for the Lucas Sport coil, which is a full 12V coil - I have a 75 TR6 with a ballast resistor.
As I understand it, the ballast resistor is in series with the power line to the coil, and drops the voltage to something less than 12v - I think it is supposed to be 6V but I have read 9V somewhere. When you operate the starter, the ballast wire is bypassed at the relay and the coil is fed at 12V to give a hotter spark to help with cold starting an emissions engine.
The simplest way to bypass the ballast resistor I have seen is to move the white/yellow wire from the starter relay to the fusebox connection at the white wire (upstream of the fuse, if you get my gist). This means that the ballast resistor is essentially always bypassed as though the starter is turning.
I have no idea whether the sports coil will make things better for my engine - I plan to keep points but use better ignition leads since I feel this gives me scope to improve performance in other ways later without having to worry that I will be overtaxing the ignition. I could be wrong, and maybe I just like the idea of a "sports" coil and fancy red wires!
Hope that is of some use
Alistair
Brosky
Great Pumpkin
Offline
The bypass instructions are correct, but you can buy a coil to match your system and avoid any confusion. Either way, your preference is fine.
I want to get my cap painted red and install it, then I'll post pics on the new Magnecore wires, chromed Igniter coil and bracket and red cap on rebuilt polished distributor.
I want to get my cap painted red and install it, then I'll post pics on the new Magnecore wires, chromed Igniter coil and bracket and red cap on rebuilt polished distributor.
