Experience Dealership line mechanic on MG, Triumph, Jaguar for 15 years, Instructor in commercial mechanics school 2 yr. Product information manager for piston and valve manufacture, Instructor & hotline answer man for import car parts importer 15 yrs.
Organizations Associate member SAE
EAA member
Publications Import Car magazine
Education/Credentials ASE Master Auto with L-1 certification up to 2000
Question I have taken the ballast resistor out of the ignition circuit on my '76 Spitfire 1500 and gone with an Accel 12V coil and the same Lucas 45D4 distributor. Since then I've gone through 2 sets of points. Are these related? Would 12V to the previously 6V points/condenser cause a problem? Thanks
Answer Hi Brian,
The points don't care what voltage coil is used but the condenser may because the job of the condenser is to bleed off the reverse surge of current in the coil after the field transfers to the secondary and to the spark plug. Since the windings in each coil are different, the serge of current is different.
If that is the cause I believe all you need to do is to get a condenser from an early MGB or A-H (they each had a different length wire because of how they were mounted in the distributor)to correct the problem.
There are two other things that can cause it and one is a leaking diode in the alternator (check your charge rate) and the other is a bad ground between the engine and body or body to battery.
