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Chuck...do not be mislead by compression ratios which could be had back when leaded ("manly") octanes were available . Today's unleaded "garbage" octanes require a little more thought in this di rection, assuming a cast iron head and the ignition advance curve you're probably working with, along with a "mild" cam with relatively little duration which will favor maximum "trapping" of the combustion gases in favor of the low end of the useable rpm spectrum (torque.. as in street application). With aluminum heads you can go about a point higher than with cast iron, all else being equal. Also,... MORE
Anyone remember a model # for the Isuzu trooper starter that is supposed to fit a Spridget? I seem to remember this was a bolt in substitution. I installed the pertronix night before last, but the engine wont turn over fast enough to fire. I've changed just about everything but the starter, so I guess that's next. Robert Houston Texan in New Mexico 73 Midget 63 TR4 An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the... MORE
Hello all: This Question is about my '68 Sprite "Rosa" - 1275cc Is it possible that the timing chain jumps a teeth on any of the sprockets when it gets worn? I have my engine out of the car for an unrelated issue (replaced the starter ring gear =96 different story) and noticed that the notch in the crankshaft pulley is about 15 deg past the TDC mark when the nr. 1 piston is at TDC. I checked the posiiton of the nr. 1 piston visualy through the spark hole, and by using a wire and am quite sure... MORE
Cap'n Bob m'fren.... All your input below gratefully received. What happened is - my old Lucas coil went TU. Knowing "John Feces" about this stuff, I thought, "Well, if I am buying a new coil, why not get something that's rated as being really good - like the Crane?" So I did. Now it is in and seems to work well. Then I thought (note: thinking is a dangerous thing and I do it far too often), "Why f#%t around with points...etc? Why not go with electronic ignition and not have to worry about it anymore like the system... MORE
Hi Folks, Can anyone tell me the part number for a Pertronix ignition set for a 1975 Midget (rubber bumper) and is it a "drop in" replacement for the original Lucas part. Many Thanks! Smokey "smokeyhaddock5163" 35672... MORE
Yeah... California has really gone over the top on classic car "emissions". It's all part of a political agenda in this particular respect, obviously. Has nothing to do with air polution really. I mean my Vizardized '74 1340 almost made it by CT emissions and was only "out" by 50 ppm hydrocarbons or less than .05 CO, depending upon which side of the correct ignition timing we chose to go. And this thing had a VP3 cam, 45DCOE and got 90+hp to the rear wheels. When properly tuned and maintained, most emissions non-equipped vehicles can get by the criteria... MORE
Nology Hotwires.... exactly, Spencer...without 3rd party empirical data, I don't tend to "believe" either. if Vizard hadn't tested them, I wouldn't have spent the bucks....they're not inexpensive. But they do last a long, long time. They are very well built and I can tell you from experience they will burn off oil on spark plug tips, even in engines burning a quart every in <500 miles. You'll still get crusty brown carbon deposits that will eventually fill the gap and "short", but you won't be getting wet oil fouling at all, assuming compression is reasonably decent. Cap'n Bob '60... MORE
Hey cap'n Bob, I saw the Nology guys at a M/C show and they had this great display which showed a nice bright spark. Much brighter than the spark in the carbon core setup next to it. But they had no Technical backup other than this will incrase your HP, Torque, Fuel Economy etc. I guess I'm just a Cynic. But Mr Vizzard...I'd trust his judgment. -Spence "spencer_baker" 35612... MORE
Jim... most people convert their points ign. system to electronic Crane, PerTronix (Lucas/Aldon "Ignitor") to get away from the maintenance schedule which must be followed to retain the intial efficiency of the stock points system when new points are installed and concurrently, dwell and timing are accurately set. For as you know, as the points wear, dwell and timing change. Thus, every 3k miles or so, resetting these values is the only way to maintain original efficiency of the points type system. Simply converting to the foregoing electronic systems while maintaining the otherwise stock coil does away with the... MORE
Resistance is a matter of extent. Some is good ("sparkier" spark :)...too much is no good. Remember the old Lucas resistor "caps" fitted to the spark plug end of their stock wire set-up?? Probably before "resistor" spark plugs? Ah-hah. There for a reason. No doubt a compromise between performance and radio "suppression"??? Cap'n Bob '60 Frog '''''' "Robert E. Shlafer" 35607... MORE
The "longer" spark is supposed to lead to more complete combustion of the fuel/air mix which should be better for power and/or economy along with fewer emissions. Of course, for the "longer" spark, you need more "juice" to begin with..... :) Cap'n Bob '60 Frog "Robert E. Shlafer" 35606... MORE
RBH, Did I mention that I put an electronic ignition on the car? The 1500's ran an optical distributor stock so I replaced the resistor etc with an aftermarket ignition. I think it's a Crane but it was done 5 yrs ago (early in the rejuvenation) and I forget. I should be up against some form of plug gap problem from what I'm reading (hearing?). Rob C Webfoot Leisure.com Your Local Pool Store-On the Web rob@... 866-530-9801 toll free " robbiesg@... " 35599... MORE
Robert, Would be very interested in the new plug gap you get withthe hotter coil. I switched to a 40K volt coil in my 1500 but have left the spark gap stock. I am SOOOO iggerant about this stuff. Let me know if possible. Rob C Webfoot Leisure.com Your Local Pool Store-On the Web rob@... 866-530-9801 toll free " robbiesg@... " 35589... MORE
Jeff Boatright is correctomundo on wider spark plug gaps (PerTronix) "taking out" the next weakest link in the ignition system with respect to some Lucas rotors...BTDT. As I recall, anything over .028 "zapped" the normal Lucas rotor(s) without fail. The heftier, better quality rotors I got from Peter C. solved the problem....I am holding one in my hand as we speak....i t's a wop item...."Made in Italy" it says. Far as I know, Pete carries 'em for both 23/25 or 43/45 dizzies. Cap'n Bob '60 Frog "Robert E. Shlafer" 35588... MORE
Whoa, now!!! Yer dealin' with a mechanical moron here.... Speak in short sentences and leave out the big words.... So you are saying I need to know the voltage output on my Crane coil? Then, if it's higher than around 25,000 I need to increase the plug gap and also change the rotor in the dizzy? Maybe I'll just go back to a wound up rubber band - this is all so complicated.... ;-) Cheers!! Jim - floundering in confusion in Dodge City Jim Johnson 35590... MORE
I recently had the pleasure of having dinner with Kevin and Cathy Valentine in Pennsylvania. Over dinner we of course discussed Spridgets, and I told him how I was having trouble with mine running rich and was contemplating a change of carburetors. Kevin pointed out that most carb problems are electrical and asked if I had checked the points. Well, I still haven't but I did decide to make them a moot problem by ordering a Pertronix Ignitor. The question is, I replaced the stock coil on my 73 Midget, 1275 last year. Will this coil function well with... MORE
An excellent question, Robert! And you've beaten me to the punch as well!! My old coil went TU 2 months ago and I put a new Crane unit on my 68 - 1275cc Midget. Works great, but now I am looking at electronic ignition for the Beast. Dunno if the Crane will work with something like the Pertronix or other EI systems. Any input gratefully accepted.... Cheers!! Jim - curious in Dodge City Jim Johnson 35579... MORE
Hi, Edward... I just sent you a link to a PerTronix supplier which may be helpful to you. Also, LBCarCo carries these at reasonable prices. MiniSpares/MiniMania as well. The Crane set-up uses an optical sensor rather than an HED however, I've us ed Cranes for many years in the past on both PO'd "tuned" VW Bug and '74 Spridget and have found them to be ultra dependable/reliable as well. The only reason I prefer the PerTronix today is that it has no external box , wires, etc. and is instead, totally self-contained within the dizzy. That and the fact... MORE
I'd have a look for a herald, spit or dolomite in a scrapyard and retro fit the contact breaker ignition distributor, which you will probably have to fit the lumination anyway! Stewart "Ford Prefect" 35560... MORE
any midget expert out there know how to obtain electronic or magnetronic (hall effect?)ignition for 1977 1500 midget with lucas 45d4 distributor? i.e. lumenition or similar, mgoc price =A3135.any useful websites? i"m skint after fitting u/leaded head and kingpin assy and clutch slave cylinder so any cheapo ideas would be welcome. thanks in anticipation. "edwardhinchliffe" 35558... MORE
Ah....I percieve, Jens! What they've provided is basically their road "performance" curve contained in their "Y" (yellow) commercially available dizzies. The chart they included is the actual advance curve contained within the distributor. This would be in "distributor degrees" Jens, at "distributor rpm". Double the figures in each case for engine rpm and advance available at the crank. Then add in the initial static timing recommendation (4-6 degrees) to the foregoing figures and you'll know how many degrees you are getting at the crank at any rpm, per their "static" timing recommendation. Now, the above is for academic interest... MORE
G'day Vince Were does this yellow/brown wire start and finish. That would help determine what it is for. But I think Chris might be correct - it's the oil filter warning light. Inside the oil filter housing is a spring-loaded ball bearing. When the filter gets blocked (cos you haven't changed it for 17 years) the pressure causes the ball bearing to move against the spring thus opening a by-pass passage for the oil. On the outside of the filter housing is a spade terminal. Power runs from the ignition circuit, through the light bulb behind the red light... MORE
Folks, my Dad and I are trying to trace a lone yellow/brown(YN)wire. It's remained disconnected during the restore and has not affected any other electrical system (positive ground)or function. To be clear, this is not the brown/yellow (NY) wire to the alternator. We can't seem to find reference to the YN wire in the shop manual and have no reason to believe this is nothing but stock. Does anyone know where this goes? Also, we're trying to figure out the large, red-jeweled light (which is not the ignition light on the tach) located square in the upper middle of... MORE
Jens.... Did you ask Aldon if they have a rebuild program to rebush/rebuild your existing distributor? Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 33413... MORE
Yep .. think of it pushing the jet away from the carb body for richer, just the same as the choke does when you pull the cable. I have the same pleasurable job ahead of me now after getting it to start on Saturday (first time in 8 years !) the dizzy was in a state, but soon cleaned up and setting the timing by eye was surprisingly easy ! the #2 carb choke mechanism sticks though, so have that to fix amongst other things. Cheers, Simon. "Simon Stirley" 33417... MORE
