Old school ignition?

[Lukens]

I think I'd like a radio in my TR3A. It'll require switching to neg ground. Can do, however I hear a lot about Pertonixs electronic ignition. I have no problem with maintaining a set of points. I look at my current distributor as proper "old school", much like tuning carbs vs injection. What am I missing here?
Russ

 

[sail]

Old school. Why complicate a simple thing that works.

 

[luke44]

Couldn't agree with Richard more.

I go back to my TR6 days. I once bought a really nice TR6 with webers but it sputtered and misfired. Of course I focused on the webers - jets float levels blah blah blah....

I finally swapped out the electronic ignition for the good old points/condenser and volia! Problem solved. It ran like a wrist watch after that.

Never again for me. Points/condensers combo works juuuust fine imo.

I just see no upside whatsoever to the electronic ignition. I just don't think they work all that well with our lbc's. Not like most people are racing and looking to squeeze out that last 1/10 of 1%. Having said that, going back to my Spitfire racing days, I used points/condensers as did most racers. Never a single issue then either.

 

[fad64b]

I installed a Pertronix Idnitor and Flame-Thrower coil in my TR3 over 2 years ago works great, have not had the distributor cap off since.

 

[waltesefalcon]

I am with the points guys, no reason to go with electronic ignition. I had the same problem Luke had with his TR6 in my old 1500 Spitfire, went through everything then finally replaced the dizzy with an old mechanical one and never had another problem.

 

[TR3driver]

As I see it, the main advantages of electronic are reduced maintenance, and better timing accuracy when the distributor bushings are worn. But as others have pointed out, they also have their downsides.

This morning the TR3's battery was down pretty badly, even with a gear-drive starter the engine would just barely turn over. Not sure why, maybe I have a small electrical leak, or perhaps I just left the lights on too long while working on the car. But I know from experience that with a Pertronix module installed, it never would have started. The Pertronix (at least the one I have) requires more voltage to operate than the starter does.

I wasn't sure it was going to make it with the points either, but it did.

 

[MDCanaday]

My oldschool compromise was to take out the points, plate and all ,together,put it in a ziplock and save it for the day the petronix dies of the adverse reaction to Lucas electrons flowing through it .I mounted the petronix to a spare plate,and now am ready to live in what ever century I need to be in.....
MD

 

[dklawson]

I have Pertronix in the GT6 and like MDCanaday, I have the points and condenser with me in the boot should anything ever go wrong with the electronic ignition.

That said, I have points in the Spitfire and plan on leaving it that way. My son drives that car and points are simple enough to work on that I know I could talk him through the process if he's ever stranded and calls me at home. Points will almost always get you home.

 

[Roger]

The only way to clean / adjust points in a TC Europa is to take the distributor out, or at least, I don't have hands on wires and eyes on antennae to do it any other way.
Under these circumstances, the Pertronix pays real dividends, since you pretty much can fit and forget.

 

[Andrew Mace]

This morning the TR3's battery was down pretty badly, even with a gear-drive starter the engine would just barely turn over. Not sure why, maybe I have a small electrical leak, or perhaps I just left the lights on too long while working on the car. But I know from experience that with a Pertronix module installed, it never would have started. The Pertronix (at least the one I have) requires more voltage to operate than the starter does.

I wasn't sure it was going to make it with the points either, but it did.

Randall, are you suggesting that crank-starting a TR3 with a Pertronix would be an exercise in futility?

 

[TR3driver]

Randall, are you suggesting that crank-starting a TR3 with a Pertronix would be an exercise in futility?

Only if the battery was too tired to deliver at least 8 volts or so to the Pertronix. Usually, without the load of the starter, it will deliver that much even if it is badly run down (but still not totally flat of course).

 

[RonR]

Russ,
I didn't switch to negative ground when I installed newer accessories. I just wired them backwards and carefully isolated the gound components of the installed item.

 

[coz69]

MDCanaday, I did the very same thing you did...and after five years my old points are still in a plastic bag in the glovebox...just in case!

 

[TR3driver]

Russ,
I didn't switch to negative ground when I installed newer accessories. I just wired them backwards and carefully isolated the gound components of the installed item.

You have to watch out though, for sneak ground paths. Many years ago, a buddy of mine temporarily installed a CB radio in his MGA using that approach, but didn't think about the antenna mount being grounded back to the radio through the antenna cable. The mount was clamped on a rear bumper overrider, which apparently was not making good electrical contact with the rest of the car. We were some 500 miles from home when the bumper vibrated enough to make contact through the rust, and the cockpit suddenly filled with smoke. (He also had neglected to add a fuse for the radio). Made a royal mess out of the wiring harness!

An option that avoids this possibility, without having to change the ground polarity, is to use a polarity converter to power the new device. They aren't particularly cheap, but they are available. Basically the polarity converter supplies +12v (relative to the car body), which is what negative ground devices want. Here is a more detailed discussion (with diagrams)
https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/et207.htm

 

[PAUL161]

Not TR but points verses electronic. When I restored our 72 MGB, I had Jeff at Advanced Distributors rebuild the dizzy and keep it with points. They've been in there since 2005 and we have never had a problem. I have had problems with electronic ignitions though. Changing points is easy and cheap! JMHO. PJ

 

[glemon]

I have had pertronix on the last three cars I owned and never had an issue with ignition on any of them. When I used to drive LBCs daily, and there was no such thing as pertronix I did have occasional ignition issues, but they generally related to distritbutor cap or plug wire arcing, so a Pertronix wouldn't probably have made any difference.

I do notice steadier timing when I install them, but the cars haven't really run much different. It is a nice gadget in my opinion, but then again the points work pretty well as long as you keep them in adjustment (very simple unless you have a europa I guess). I think Grassroots Motorsports tested them a few years ago and did get a couple extra HP. Kind of a matter of personal preference.

Like the many of the rest of you, I take the old points bits needed to go back to stock and throw them in a plastic bag in the trunk, never have needed them though.