Lucas Sport ignition coil

[sp53]

Yep poolboy that is exactly right and it cost 8.00 to send it back. It really is a kinda false advertisement/fraud.

 

[sp53]

Yep poolboy that is exactly right and it cost 8.00 to send it back. It really is a kinda false advertisement/fraud.

 

[AEW]

The Bud and Coors type pictured are surely the two types Randall mentioned... one requires more resistance than the other.

 

[angelfj1]

Does the actual size of a Lucas Sport ignition coil matter? I purchase one about 10 years ago. It stated to be 40,000 volts and one last week is considerably smaller and does not make the 40,000volt claim.
steve

During the era in which our TR's were built Lucas never produced an ignition coil able to produce 40kV, at least not installed in a car. Any reference to 40kV was most likely the product of some marketeer's wet dream. Actual values, based on rated battery voltage were between 10 - 15kV. Spark plugs, coils and HT (solid core copper)wires were very limited at that time. In the 1970's with the advent of the capacitive discharge ignition system, cyclo-aliphatic resins, and graphite-fibre HV wires, coil voltage increased to very high levels required to fire the big high compression machines.

Also, unless you use specialized instruments it is very difficult to accurately measure coil output voltage. OTOH, the plugs seldom see the coil output voltage but actually a reducced level due to losses in the wires and cap insulation.

 

[regularman]

Or the proper version

At least for my midget. I need a ballast resistor for my other midget the 1500 with the spit engine, and I am not sure what resistance it needs to be. The previous owner had put a 10 ohm one in there and that is not it.

 

[TR3driver]

Normal ballast resistor is 1.3 to 1.5 ohms, with a positive temperature coefficient (so the resistance goes up somewhat as it gets hot). Should be available from any of the usual suspects or your FLAPS (though they might have to order it).

 

[Geo Hahn]

...I need a ballast resistor for my other midget the 1500 with the spit engine, and I am not sure what resistance it needs to be...

I've got this one which you can have for the cost of shipping (though it may be cheaper to just buy local):

 

[DNK]

Don't forget ,If you want that extra bling for your sports coil, I,ve been trying to give this away

 

[regularman]

...I need a ballast resistor for my other midget the 1500 with the spit engine, and I am not sure what resistance it needs to be...

I've got this one which you can have for the cost of shipping (though it may be cheaper to just buy local):

Thank you for the offer. I was able to take some time and dig in there today and figure things out. It turns out that the car never had a ballast resistor but a ballast wire. They ran a pink/white stripe wire out in the harness near the headlights then attached it to the wire going to the coil and then ran that wire back near the firewall and attached it to the white(run +12v from ignition). I got it sorted out and have 12v at the coil when starting and 6.5v when running.
It would have been nice if they had mentioned this in the wiring diagram. :wink: I appreciate all the input. This 77 midget is a new adventure. It has the spit engine and its all new to me. I usually hang out in the spridget forum, but I will have more questions here with regards to power train.

 

[6969ronin6969]

I'll second the Petronix coil. I've only had it on for about a year or so I can't speak to the longevity, but I did notice an improvement as I have a short hill I have to drive up shortly after firing up the car and when she is still cold. With the "normal" coil I got at Advance Auto because I needed one at the time immediately, I would have to downshift down to 1st to smoothly get up, but after the change to the Petronix I could take the hill in second pretty easily.

Just to double check, what spark plug gap are you running with the hotter coil?

Eric