Ignition failure

[eastona]

I fitted magnetronic (the lumenition one with the disc fitted under the rotor arm) a while ago and it's been fine for a good couple of thousand miles. However...today on the way to work it hesitated, there was an acrid, burning smell and the car died. Quite a considerable amount of smoke came from under the bonnet and I freewheeled into a convenient petrol station (I know, quite a daft thing to do when you think you've got an electrical fire ). The smoke subsided, fortunately.

Fortunately I had the bits I'd taken off when fitting it, so could refit the points and condensor etc. It fired up and I got to work. I didn't set the points very well (it was dark, I only had a torch and I'm a bit ham-fisted!) and so it's a bit down on power through running retarded/wide points. The cable from the fuse box (ignition) to the coil was well charred, so I had to replace it, and I'll cut it out of the loom and set up the ignition at the weekend.

I'm not sure I'll replace it. I may stick with points from now on and I'm glad I had the old bits in the boot. Although the benefits are not faffing with points, maybe a smoother idle, I can do without that on the way to work!

Andrew

[alanworland]

Wow! I think you were lucky, could have been much worse.
I have often thought about 'electronic ignition' but wonder what the real benefits would be, after all I have not got a high performance vehicle! I think I might put that idea on the back burner and keep it simple!

[bmcecosse]

Yes - good old points - keep it simple. Nothing wrong with them !