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Re: Points/electronic ign./Failure

To: <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Points/electronic ign./Failure
From: "Bob D." <bobmgtd@insightbb.com>
Date: Sun, 26 May 2002 15:31:20 -0500
Dave:

    I too carry the old parts in the trunk, just in case. But there's
another way of looking at part failure here. When the electronic ignition
fails, it will most likely just plain quit. Points can go way out of
alignment before they quit. (Been there!) Would you rather have your engine
just stop, or hole a piston because the timing was way off?

    I don't have a lot of experience with the Ignitor (yet), But if it was
well designed (and I stress "if"), it should out last a thousand sets of
points. Solid state devices, if operated within specifications, just don't
wear out. Of course they fail sometimes due to manufacturing defects, hence
keep a spare set of points in the tool box.

Bob Donahue (Still stuck in the '50s)
Email - bobmgtd@insightbb.com
52 MGTD - NEMGTR #11470
71 MGB - NAMGBR #7-3336
.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave and Liz DuBois" <ddubois@sinclair.net>
To: "Peter Thiel" <pthiel@QuixNet.net>
Cc: "Bob D." <bobmgtd@insightbb.com>; <mg-t@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2002 1:10 PM
Subject: Re: Points/electronic ign.


> Pete,
>
> Yes, you have probably sparked a good discussion here.  I, too, stuck
> with points for a long time before converting to electronics.  Even then
> the electronics that I converted to was the very simple Pertronix Hall
> effect unit.  I am just the opposite of you in that I spent my working
> life in the world of electronics and I like to say that I worked with it
> too much to ever trust it.  Even though I have converted to the
> Pertronix unit, I carry a backing plate all set up with points and
> condenser that have been set up in the car, so all I have to do on the
> road In case of failure of the "trons", is to swap out the plate and
> twist the distributor a bit to get home.  I switched to the Pertronix
> unit simply as a case of laziness on my part so I didn't have to
> periodically replace the points, since our MGs (in particular our MGB)
> are our everyday driver - we simply don't own any non MGs.
>
> You hinted at, but never directly stated, what I believe is the best
> argument for the old points ignition system.  (Here I am talking from
> personal experience) If (when) an electronic ignition system quits
> working, you are going to sit where you are until the bloody thing is
> replaced.  If your system is the old points, you can always kluge it
> together enough to get you home.  The all electronic systems in today's
> cars are probably the single biggest selling point for services like
> AAA.  Years ago, I read an article of the coming electronics revolution
> in the automotive world.  Among other things, the author waxed
> eloquently about "active" suspension systems that would be
> electro/hydraulic wonders that sensed every imperfection in the road
> surface and correct for them in microseconds.  The only thing that I
> could envision, was driving down the highway at speed and having this
> wonder system glitch (as electronics are prone to do - witness the
> marvels we are sending these messages on), and having all four wheels
> tuck themselves tightly into the wheel wells, leaving the car skidding
> down the highway in a shower of sparks on it's undercarriage.
>
> Yes, I will make use of newer technology, but only after careful thought
> and only when I feel that it will truly serve me, not the other way
around.
>
> Cheers,
> Dave

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