CB Points or Electronic?

[ERNGOR]

What is is the general consensus on retaining conventional CB Points or going electronic. 1967 Morris Mini Super Delux

Gordon

[Allen Brzeczek]

I can appreciate the possible benefits of electronic ignition but it appears to be a bit of a minefield to know which is best or best suited.

In my opinion you cannot beat the original points/contact breakers, easy to set up and generally speaking if you carry a basic tool kit including perhaps a spare capacitor are a relatively simple roadside repair.

I run a 1380 motor using the original "S" distributor with 32 oz points revving to over 7500 without any issues, probably covered 5000 miles or so in the last 3 years and found it necessary to clean and reset them just once

[richardACS]

Points!!! - easily fixable and with a well prepared distributor (from the likes of the distributor doctor) what's to go wrong? Electronic set ups are excellent but not if and when it may fail to work...

[111Robin]

This has been discussed many times on here. This is just one of the threads.

https://mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=5 ... lit=Points

[LarryLebel]

Starts easier, runs smoother and has more HP with EI and you never have to change the points again.

[timmy201]

I’ve been using a cheap 25D kit for many years, the first set lasted 4 years until I accidentally hooked it up backwards. I’m up to 3 years on the new Accuspark set

Electronic have many advantages over points on an old distributor:
Even pulses from the magnetic pickup (the lobes can wear unevenly on points and give different timing and dwell per cylinder)
Variable dwell
No maintenance
No bounce at high rpm

If you’re worried they will suddenly die, carry some points or a spare module. I have a spare points distributor in the boot "just in case" but I've never had to use it

[gs.davies]

I started off with points in my car but soo switched over to electronic. Car has been to Italy and back and the ignition has just been 100% reliable. I carried the old point dizzy in the boot just in case.

I can’t see a good reason to stick with points on a car you intend to actually drive and enjoy.

[LarryLebel]

?????

[Spider]

The Electronic modules, even the cheap ones, are good, but if the coil fails, it'll almost certainly take out the module with it.

[111Robin]

It's purely personal choice, there is no right or wrong. Remember though that points and condenser (good quality ones) do not make the car inherently unreliable. For decades we ran these for thousands more miles than any of us now do in our hobby cars and with regular servicing they were rarely an issue. Just ensure that you don't buy poor quality parts, especially condensers. Buy these from the Distributor Doctor if you can't find decent OEM parts. I run cars with points and electronic setups and I won't condemn or praise either like some tend to do. I have had no issues with either setup. One thing I would add though, for basic diagnostic fault finding, I find points far easier to check and confirm if there is an ignition fault but that's just me, it's not a frequent occurrence.

[Peter Laidler]

If you were brought up on points, learned about them from your dad and understand the simplicity of them, then stick with them. Or, if you do change to electronic, then keep the mechanical set PLUS the all important screwdriver and pliers in your boot. If you choose not to keep an original mechanical set in the boot, then keep a prayer book on the parcel tray. Because if the electronics fail at the roadside, you can always revert to your prayer book. Been there ......, at a road side in Leeds, in the cold, getting colder, on a motorcycle.

(PS. A bloke passing on a big 650 Triumph stopped, went home, got the bits (same as a 750 Commando) came back with a flask of tea and fixed. All within an Hour. Ain't used electronic - or Boyer - since)

[ERNGOR]

Many thanks to all for he advice-something to give great thought too over Xmas.
Gordon

[AndyPen]

I used to be sponsored by a a company called Piranha who supplied electronic ignition packs for my Group 1 Dolomite Sprint. The competition ones they gave us came on a double sided mounting, with a unit on either side - so that we could swap quickly if one failed. Always made me smile did that

[Andrew1967]

I’d agree with Robin on this one.

Personally apart from one car I have run genuine old stock Lucas points and condenser with 100% reliability . Genuine points and condensers are still pretty easy to find . Just don’t by green box ‘Lucas’ stuff as it’s Chinese shite .

The only reason a changed to electronic on my pick up was due to running issues which did resolve it (and it really did run superbly upon fitting the Accuspark set up) but then sold the vehicle.

[Polarsilver]

my experiences with electronic is they do not like Copper Core HT Leads

[111Robin]

my experiences with electronic is they do not like Copper Core HT Leads

Yes that's what the manufacturers advise although probably covering themselves as plenty have run them with copper core leads with no issues. All they will say is there is a chance of damaging the unit, not a foregone conclusion. I've always used suppressed leads with EI for this reason, just incase.
I queried this with Powerspark ages ago and received this response :
"We recommend moving away from Copper core HT leads to protect any electronic ignition and to maximise the ignition capability.
This due to copper leads emitting a static discharge that can potentially shorten the life expectancy of the unit."

[LarryLebel]

EI might not be "right or wrong" but its better. I did a comparison of points and EI in my Cooper S. The EI I used was the Pertronics Ignitor which was one of the first EIs on the market. I did pull on a dyno with points and got 69.4 hp at the wheels. I installed the Ignitor making sure the total advance was the same as with points. On the dyno pull I got 73.1 hp at the wheels which is a little over a 5% increase. The Ignitor uses a trigger collar that fits over the end of distributer's advance mechanism so the only difference between the 2 dyno pulls was points versus Ignitor.