• Hi Guest!
    If you appreciate British Car Forum and our 25 years of supporting British car enthusiasts with technical and anicdotal information, collected from our thousands of great members, please support us with a low-cost subscription. You can become a supporting member for less than the dues of most car clubs.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Installing Sport Coil - Help Please

Share this page

HI Derek, Sorry about your troubles with the coil. Here is what I know about the coil terminals and potentially why they can break. The terminal posts on the coil have a small degree of freedom in the plastic at their base.If undue stress in a rotary manner is put on the terminals it is possible that the hexigon base of the terminal will break out the plastic insulator.To aleviate this possibility I generally remove the Lucar Connectors and put "Super Glue" in the small void around the terminal base. JB Weld can also be used if the excess is removed after it self levels. It will not show when the Lucar Connector is replaced.---Fwiw---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/patriot.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
IF IT AINT BROKE. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif.......UPDATE
Secondly, they are a ridiculous colour like a cheap christmas tree ornament, it has no place in a Healey engine bay.
Time for a beer /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thirsty.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
I think it is a bit heavy for the average Christmas tree. Maybe one or two more to balance things?
D
 
Dave,

A Christmas tree would be too good for them.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

BTW re my previous post.. were the cracked 'towers' on the coil the likely cause of the problem???
 
[ QUOTE ]
Dave,
A Christmas tree would be too good for them.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif
BTW re my previous post.. were the cracked 'towers' on the coil the likely cause of the problem???

[/ QUOTE ]
Hi Derek,
Not sure what to think about the problems. They are seemingly not related to any one thing.

Points can make a small mechanical noise as the cam/rubbing block open & close them. You can hear it when spinning a distributor on an old fashioned distributor machine. This noise is so slight that you would likely not hear it with the cap on & the engine running. A rubbing block that is not lubed makes the noise a bit louder.

Points can also make a noise if there is a large arc across them. This would normally be caused by a failed condenser or one that is not connected or one that is seriously mismatched to the coil, which in this case is not likely. Crank the engine over with the cap removed & see how much the points are arcing. It should be minimal. Don't know how to describe minimal.

The previous arcing at #6 could be caused by either a very wide plug gap or bad insulation on the wires.

The cracks in the coil top may or may not be causing a problem. Obviously they were not the whole problem, since you switched coils back & still have a noise. It depends if the cracks are near or into the center tower. It's pretty hard to distinguish the sound between mechanical clicking & electric spark clicking. If it matters, the Pertronix coils are an order of magnitude higher quality than the "Christmas tree" coil that you have.

As has been mentioned, arcing inside the distributor cap due to a bad cap or rotor can make a similar noise, but it would normally cause poor running. The previous suggestion of viewing in the dark while running is a good one to check plug wires & cap exterior.

In summary, you could lube the distributor cam (special lube used very sparingly), replace plug wires, cap, rotor, condenser, plugs, & points, in that order, & maybe eliminate the problem. Wide plug gaps will increase the problems, so start with .025" gaps.

After getting things under control, patch the coil with JB weld as Keoke mentioned, & give it another try.

The 'super coil" would make insulation breakdown anywhere in the HV ignition circuit more likely. It would also increase point arcing somewhat due to it's increased coil primary current. If everything else is perfect, the new coil should work without problems except for shorter point life.

Sorry I'm not more help, the list of symptoms just don't fit any single cause that I can identify.
D
 
Dave, Which special cam lub do you use? I've heard Dilectric to Vasaline. Use to be that cam lube came in the pack with new points. They always gave too much so I'm still using those little things, what ever it is.
 
Thanks Dave

Ill work through the list. As mentioned ..If it aint broke!!!I'm still cursing.

Maybe the new coil exposed some weaknesses although it shouldn't be the HT leads as I just fitted the bumble bee ones and ran them for a couple of weeks without problem.
 
I used to use a very small dab of "SIL-GLYDE" by NAPA. Not sure if it is good or not, it was just handy. I do know that Silicone can supposedly break down under the influence of an electric arc & form an abrasive compound. Dielectric compounds may contain Silicone. I haven't had anything with points for quite a while, so just don't know. I'll bet many folks have a favorite lube. Hang on to those little capsules. You can probably still get something similar at an auto parts store.
D
 
[ QUOTE ]
Thanks Dave

Ill work through the list. As mentioned ..If it aint broke!!!I'm still cursing.

Maybe the new coil exposed some weaknesses although it shouldn't be the HT leads as I just fitted the bumble bee ones and ran them for a couple of weeks without problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well Derek, here is my last 2 cents worth on the noise problem.It is possible that when you installed the new B/B wires that you failed to open up the contact screws wide enough to allow the wires to go all the way home.Conseqently, that wire or those wires are arching to the contact screw inside the wire guides of the distributor cap. This error could also account for the variation in the observed noise level between the stock coil and the Higher output Sport coil.Additionally, It just may be the famous #6 lead you mentioned which sparked up a storm. So go check each wire and see that the contact screw penetrated the wire at least 1/4" back from its end. The bad ones will probably be black from arching---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif
 
Keoke

I checked the BB's and the installation seems fine, no black from arcing. I replaced the carbon peg and re-gapped the points.

The obvious loud noise appears to have disappeared. If you put your ear close to the distributor you can hear a very regular, but quiet fast ticking or mechanical noise which I think is normal. This is a mechanical device so I assume it can't be totally silent.

Im going to take it out for a test blast tomorrow. I will have the fire extingiusher ready on the passenger seat! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
 
Back
Top