It would be keen if someone developed an electronic distributor with an
'optimized' curve. I'm sure the original curves were compromises. There's
only so much you can do with springs and diaphragms. But in the mean time,
I'm happy with my Pertronix that at least keeps the old curve from slipping
around.
(And eliminates the condenser, and dwell.)
BTW: Had an interesting ignition problem recently. The wire that keeps the
rotating Points/Pertronix plate grounded in the distributor became
intermittent. (After only 150K miles, imagine that.) The engine would randomly
die, but
always started right up again. Drove my crazy tracking that down. Also made
me buy a new Pertronix that I didn't need.
Bob Donahue (Still Stuck in the '50s)
Email - bobmgtd@insightbb.com
Cars: 52 MGTD - #17639
71 MGB - #GHN5UB254361
Member: NEMGTR #11470
NAMGBR # 7-3336
Hoosier MGB Club
Olde Octagons of Indiana
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Hunt" <paul.hunt1@blueyonder.co.uk>
To: "Frenken, Eric" <efrenken@lctax.de>; "MG Mail List" <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 9:39 AM
Subject: Re: Distributor/Ignition Question
> No I don't, and obviously the electronic system will keep *its* curve
> indefinitely (or until the electronics fail). My point was that the
> *original* curves are pretty irrelevant unless one is running on the
> original fuels they were designed for, and even then the North American
> curves are more aimed at meeting emissions levels than performance.
> Define
> a 'good curve'.
>
> The 123 is fine (at a cost) for someone who wants the original curves, not
> for someone who wants the best curve for their engine today. If you
> aren't
> going to spend the time and money determining the best curve for your
> engine
> with today's fuels, and tweak springs and weights to match, you might just
> as well stick with a mechanically good distributor with the original curve
> from springs and weights (which *are* available) and save both time and
> money.
>
> PaulH.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> I fully agree with what you are saying, BUT do you really think that the
> 'man on the Clapham omnibus' goes to that extent and disassembles and
> assembles several times his/her dizzy to tweak the springs (not to speak
> about the money a rolling road costs per hour as you already pointed out)?
> AND, which system do you think will keep the correct curve within the next
> years. Springs will continually change their tension.
>
> After all I think it's better to get close to a good curve and know that
> it
> stays there than knowing nothing about the curve in one's dizzy. This
> applies to the average LBC driver, racers may have another opinion on
> that.
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