MG Car Repair: Electronic ignition, electronic ignition systems, deep pockets

Question
Hello Howard, I have a 73 B and thinking about switching to electronic ignition. A few club  MG club members have told me it is the way to go. Could you please explain to me benefits of the change.

      Thanks Andre.

Answer
Hi Andre,

There are "Pros" and "Cons" to electronic ignition over the pointed ignition. Here is my two cents on the subject.

Pros =  Most electronic ignition systems supply a hotter and some cases a longer spark thus ensuring a combustion when conditions are not too good.

You no longer need to adjust contact points or lube a contact runner or worry about them getting pitted and causing a miss.

Cons = Most electronic ignition systems are more expensive then a pointed system so unless you have deep pockets to keep a extra system in the glove box you will be in trouble if out on a lonely road late at night when it dies. (And even if you have the man who designed the system with you, neither of you can fix it) (many times when a pointed system fails it just takes a tool and a piece of wire or such to fix a pointed ignition system.

Points and condensers are so inexpensive you can always keep a new replacement in the glove box.

As far as reliability, from my experience working in dealerships on both systems I can not say the either is more reliable then the other.

Howard