Here's the text from the VB sale flyer that got me started:
"Lucas 40,000 Volt Sport Coil Gives Your Car Power & Reliability
40,000 volts - for use with electronic or point ignition. 12 volt positive
or negative ground electrical systems. Improved heat dissipation. Allows
wider plug gap for stronger spark. If your car has a ballasted ignition
system, the ballast resistor or resistive cable should be removed."
My car has the 45DM4 distributor, so it's got Lucas electronic ignition and
might be offended with a Bosch or Crane coil. I'm more interested in
easier starting than more power (not that I'd complain!), especially in
colder weather.
Thanks to everyone who replied.
--Steve
At 06:18 PM 1/24/99 -0500, you wrote:
>The difference in ballast and non-ballast resistor systems is the
>internal resistance of the coil. Most systems using a ballast resistor
>only require 6 volts at the coil to produce proper spark.
>When cranking the engine the ballast it bypassed delivering
>max power (+12v) to the coil to increase spark power.
>On a non-ballast system the coil is designed to run from +12v
>Electronic ign. is OK to use on the Gold coil as long as you remove
>the ballast wire from your ignition power path, letting the system run
>on +12v all the time. The electronic modules are getting there power
>from the coil supply lines. If the ballast is left in place the ign. module
>will not get the proper power needed (+12v) This is what kills them
>so quickly in some installations. The Gold coil has the proper
>resistance (3-6 ohms) you don't need the ballast resistor and the
>elec. ign. module will handle the power just fine.
>
>Side note:
>I've purposely tried to blow up the power switching of a module just
>to see what they could handle. (it was an old mount mechanically damaged
>unit.) It took loading it up with three coils before it smoked after 3 hours
>of sitting there under full load.
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Carl Elliott <grunt2@adelphia.net>
>Date: Sunday, January 24, 1999 5:45 PM
>Subject: Re: Lucas Sport Coil on 1980 MGB
>
>
>>As a matter of fact this was dicussed here not long ago and the it was
>>concluded that the coil was not for electronics as they required the ballast
>>resistor for proper operation, I have a crane 700 in the box right here and
>>it requires a ballest resistor in line before the coil. Carl E.
>>
>>teds wrote:
>>
>>> who told you that ? it works fine for EI's, I used it with a pertronix
>and a
>>> MSD system. just remove the ballast resistor and the ballast wire. make
>sure
>>> you get 12+- volts at the + terminal with the ignition on, not 8 or 9,
>which
>>> would indicate a resistor in there.
>>>
>>> ted stowe
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Carl Elliott <grunt2@adelphia.net>
>>> Date: Sunday, January 24, 1999 8:12 AM
>>> Subject: Re: Lucas Sport Coil on 1980 MGB
>>>
>>> >The Lucas Sport coil is for Points, Not Electronic Ignitions.
>>> >Made the mistake and now have a brand new coil I don't need,Carl E.
>>> >
>>> >Steve Shoyer wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Before buying and installing a Lucas sports coil, I want to make sure
>>> that
>>> >> I know what I need to do to get it to work. If I understand the
>>> directions
>>> >> on Skye's web page, I need to:
>>> >>
>>> >> 1) Swap the coils
>>> >> 2) Run a (white) wire to the + terminal on the new coil
>>> >> 3) Open the spark plug gap
>>> >>
>>> >> Has anyone done this conversion and have any specifics to offer? I'm
>>> >> wondering about the size (diameter) for the new white wire, where it
>>> >> connects, how wide to open the spark plugs, and anything else that
>might
>>> be
>>> >> important. Did the new coil make much of a difference?
>>> >>
>>> >> Thanks in advance.
>>> >>
>>> >> --Steve (1980 MGB)
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