Self disintegration of Moss supplied rotor

[bighly]

Uuuurrrrghhhh!!!!!

Wow. My new rotor from Moss self distructed taking with it the new distributor cap. Now my baby is again grounded.

So I turn my attention to distributors, rotors etc.

What's my point(s)? heheheheheh

I would like to hear from those who don't get the point(s) anymore but use electronic ignition instead.

Shall I stay with points and rotor, if so where is a source of bosch or another reliable maker?
The one I got from Moss came apart (little brass push rivit came loose) and grooved the cap beyond the point of no return.

I notice a small amount of play in the distributor
just a few degrees but it did run fine before the rotor

ed out.
Tracy

 

[eric@associatedprinting]

I can't speak to the ongoing use of Electronic iginition since I have only had my car 4 months. (BJ8). But the idiot PO who switched the distributor (and with it the ground from pos to neg) did not also switch the tach. Bye-bye $110 to rebuild tach.
Mine has Mallory Dist. I have heard good things about Pertronix which uses the same dist. case and looks original till you take the top off.

 

[John Loftus]

Tracy,

Was it a genuine Lucas rotor? I don't trust anything else after hearing of all sorts of problems with the aftermarket rotors.

Electronic ignitions can fail and if you go that direction keep your points set-up as a spare in the trunk. It was interesting to find out that the Hunt's completed the Round the World rally with standard points ignition ... not electronic ignition. Something like 19,000 miles. That says something for the reliability of the stock setup.

Cheers,
John

 

[coldplugs]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by bighly:
I would like to hear from those who don't get the point(s) anymore but use electronic ignition instead.
...
Shall I stay with points and rotor, if so where is a source of bosch or another reliable maker?
...
I notice a small amount of play in the distributor
just a few degrees but it did run fine ...
Tracy<hr></blockquote>

I've had good results with lumenition ignitions, especially with worn distributors. I've never worked with an aftermarket electronic unit that eliminates the need for a rotor, though, and aren't aware of any.

I don't know what Moss supplied for a rotor (Lucas?) but expect there are other manufacturers. Actually, this is the first time I've heard of a rotor coming apart (except cases where it wasn't pushed down all the way or the cap was put back on incorrectly - been there done that) so I guess I'd use whatever I could get but inpect the rivets carefully.

Re the distributor play - some radial motion is normal in most distributors in the direction of rotation but there should not be much side-to-side slop. If there is, you'll have strange things happening to your timing - the dwell will bounce all over. An electronic ignition setup should remove all but the worst wear as a problem.

[ 09-30-2002: Message edited by: coldplugs ]</p>

 

[John Turney]

I use a Crane in mine, and the rotor is still there. David Nock said (at Tahoe) that bad rotors are quite common. We saw one guy on the side of the road heading up there who had a bad rotor, and I recall he had just replaced it.

John

 

[Scott Brunkhurst]

Napa used to sell Standard ignition parts. I don't recall having any problems with those parts.

SB

 

[ThomP]

I have had Pertronix ignitors in my Mini and Big Healey for some time (> 3 years for the Mini and ~ 2 years for the BJ8). I love the reliability they provide. Here is a link to an article I wrote on how to put it in a BJ8: <https://goldcoastbritcar.org/News/dec2000/electronicign.html>

Some people say they fail.I say why isn't there a car made today that uses points? It's because electronic ignition requires little or no maintenance and is more reliable.

I know both of my cars idle better, rev cleanly and I don't have to fiddle with the points every 3000 miles. If you are one of those people that continualy like to "tweak" your car, then don't get electronic ignition. You'll be disappointed.

 

[John Loftus]

Hi Thom,

Not trying to get in an argument here ... I would just like to get your opinion ... Why does Pertronix recommend that you keep the old points and condenser as a backup as you mention in your article?

Cheers,
John

[ 09-30-2002: Message edited by: John Loftus ]</p>

 

[coldplugs]

Several people have mentioned that rotors are often bad or that they fail. Does anyone know specifically what problems occur? Does the tip fly off, or the wiper break or ???

As I mentioned earlier I've never seen a problem with rotors that weren't attributable to wear or failure due to an installation mistake.

Other than the rev-limiting type they just seem so simple, ya know?

 

[66 fhc]

I've also had good luck with Lumination and I was just talking to a LBC mechanic last week who also said Lumination is the best around and to be sure to use only a Lucas rotor.

 

[rcn491]

I have had good luck with Pertronix in 3 cars.
I also had a rotor that developed an internal short after installing the Pertronix. Maybe the higher voltage found a small crack that was there previously.

 

[bighly]

All,

I have gotten about 50/50 response on stock verses electronic setups. (from other forums)

Also to eliminate other causes, the play is slight rotational and has been described by many as normal. No side to side and very little up/down.

The cap and rotor from Moss were C-I (off-brand) and when they arrived I was suspect about quality.

The exact failure was that the rotor arm came loose from the bakelite like plastic due to the obivously under engineered undersized rivet attaching it.

I will probably stay with points (it ran great for 300 break in miles) but will seek both Lucas and Bosch parts.

Great input from all. (Can you tell I have calmed down) heheheheh

Tracy

Note to self-Can you say "carry a spare Tracy?"

 

[John Loftus]

Coldplugs,

Warning .. secondhand knowledge .. but supposedly, one problem that was showing up with the bad rotors was attributed to the I.D. of the rotor being a hair too small and after being installed would develop a stress crack that would leak the electricity. Carefully sanding the bore of the rotor to enable a good slip fit was recommended or better yet, getting a Lucas rotor.

Cheers,
John

 

[stever]

I know you have decided to stay stock, Tracy, but I thought I would just put in my two cents' worth: I am very happy with the Pertronix unit and would recommend 'going electronic' to anyone that asks. Steve

 

[coldplugs]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by John Loftus:
Coldplugs,

.. but supposedly, one problem that was showing up with the bad rotors was attributed to the I.D. of the rotor being a hair too small and after being installed would develop a stress crack that would leak the electricity. <hr></blockquote>

Thanks John. I can see where this could be a problem with non OEM stuff.

 

[spritenut]

There has been a bunch of bad rotors floating around the parts suppliers. Most were made in India. Lucas green box is a dead giveaway.

As for Petronix, I fried 2 of them.
So I am back to good old reliable points (from the old red or orange Lucas packages, not the green packs.

 

[tahoe healey]

Now I'm concerned. Are there any markings on the defective roters to tell if mine may go bad? I don't know where it came from. It seems to be fine but most parts came from Moss. Do you think they are aware?
Rich

 

[ThomP]

Hello John

I don't know why Pertronix would recommend keeping the "old" stuff. Maybe they're engineers and like the concept of "a belt AND suspenders"! I do know that the position of the distributor is significantly different for each setup and it would be difficult to perform a roadside repair without a timing light, so I keep my AAA card and Cell phone instead. Those two items cover many, many repairs (if and when necessary).

Additionaly, I know that most electronic stuff fails just after it is installed and all of the anecdotal stories I have heard of electronic units failing have been within very few miles of installation. If you read my article, you would know I had the luxury of carrying an entire dizzy unit as a spare for the "infant mortality" period. I guess I felt the danger period has passed, because I sold that Mallory unit on ebay. That dizzy is now in an Austin 90 in Illinois.

Cheers
Thom

 

[bighly]

I need to come clean. I found the original rotor box (the pack rat I am hehe) it WAS a green boxed Lucas rotor. I originally thought it was non-Lucas.

My understanding is that Lucas no longer makes anything but farms this stuff out (usually offsore) in this case probably India. I wonder how many healeys are in India?

Speaking to Moss this morning they said I was the first to come forward with this bad rotor problem.

The rotor is bakelite type material and has a brass rotor blade held on by a single rivit. The brass rotor blade has an arrow on it indicating rotational direction.

The cap was in a blue and red box marked C I. (C above I)

Moss will ship me new ones no charge.

Tracy