Morris Minor Owners Club

Reference the article in this months magazine about rotor arms.
Last Saturday we went to visit friends and on the way back our minor started to loose power, I was convinced it was fuel starvation. On sunday took the carb apart, found all OK. The pump was OK as well. Went through everything and in the end changed the rotor arm - problem solved even though the rotor arm had done less than 2000 miles. Took the car on a test run as my wife was using it on Monday for a 60 mile round trip. 2 miles from home it stopped just as though you had turned off the ignition. Where was the old rotor arm - on the bench at home. A 2 mile walk! Both rotor arms were CI, the first lasted less than 2000 miles, the second just over 2 miles. beware of CI arms. I have since heard from 3 other people that have had problems with CI arms, three different cars so NOT the same pattern.
I then made a test rig to see where the arm was breaking down. I think the picture (providing I can load it) tells it all.
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What a fantastic photo. What's the make up of the test rig, apart from the traditional bent coat hanger?

Just to confirm that I've also had problems with CI arms. Car uns well, suddenly stops. Swap arm, car runs OK again. Two separate cars, same symptom and same cure. Both arms less than 3000 miles. More rubbish product from a company that doesn't care about quality.

I used an old coil with condenser, the switch (contact breaker points!!) was a bit of an old hacksaw blade bent slightly, one end screwed into a block of wood, another screw to act as the other contact, I soldered a bit of old ignition lead from the coil to the rotor arm and then - you are right - a bit of a bent coathanger as an earth point. All connected to a 12v battery.
I set up the digi camera, an old S/H sony, couldn't figure how to get it into movie mode so right hand thumping the hacksaw blade and left hand firing off the camera. Amazingly on about the 15th shot this is what I got. You still cannot see any problem with the rotor arm, even under a glass. As you say another load of rubbish. Also be very careful of the modern Lucas, they are no longer Lucas. Lucas have licensed their trademark and only the box is marked Lucas, NOT the goods inside!!

Realised this should be in Electrical, how do you move it!!

I have just bought a new rotor arm as part of a service kit. There is no maker's name on it. How can I tell if it is CI?

Hi Vernon,
The CI ones are clearly marked with the CI logo

Thanks Nigel, I won't discard mine yet then.

Hi
Sorry to sound a bit dim, it must be the late hour, but what does CI stand for? Not sure I have come across these. What does the logo look like and who supplies them?
cheers

There is a CI in an impressed circle.with the I superimposed on the C. Round the edge of the circle it says 'Made in England' Now another bit of information. I was told at the weekend that some manufacturing far eastern towns (or parts of them) have been renamed England, Uk, Germany, USA etc. By doing this they can say 'made in the UK - and so on' and get away with it. How true this is I just don't know but it came from a very knowledgeable guy. As for CI I 'aint got a clue what is stands for, I got mine from an autojumble but I believe they are a common make.

Get you home cure for a dodgey rotor arm (or dizzy cap) is to rub the surface with oil from the dipstick. This fills in the tiny tracking gap o9n the surface and can 'get you home'.