QuestionJust thought you might like to know how everything turned out. I am presently looking for a points system, which I prefer. I have found a Pertronix system, if I have no luck with locating a points system. I installed a 77 points distributor in the 75 (I own a 77 also)and it fired after a while.... the carburetor was stuck. It runs fine and after a little tuning I believe it will be fine. The clutch does not work, so I most likely will be asking questions shortly, as soon as I solve the ignition problem permanently. Again thank you for your quick and informative responses.
Thanks
Tom.
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Thanks for your continued quick and informative responses. One last question, as I am quiet new to refirbing old cars especially British cars, what would you recommend that I replace the "Opus" system with? Electronic ignitions do not appeal to me as they are not mechanical and when they die they die and are hard to trouble shoot. I would prefer a good points system. What type and brand would you recommend?
Thanks
Tom
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The Distributor and plug wires are ok. I used an ohm meter to check and I can see a spark with a plug lodged against a ground when I pull the wire off of the Ballist Resistor.This only happens when the roater button is lined up with one of the plug leads on the distributor cap. When I crank the engine I get no spark. Could the amplifier unit on the distributor be bad? Please advise.
Thanks
Tom.
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Thanks for the quick answer to the previous question. I have preformed the experiment that you suggested and I have fire at the coil wire, however when I hook the coil wire to the distributor and take a plug wire and hold it to ground I have no spark. The distributor is not cracked or damaged in any way. I have cleaned all connections and am sure of good contact. Please advise.
Thanks
Tom
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I just purchased a 1975 Spitfire that has sat in a garage for the last 28 years. The last time it was run was in 1978. It has a federal 1500 engine with the breakerless ignition system. I cannot get any fire to the spark plugs. Can you help me trouble shoot this system. I am clueless and the Haynes Repair Manual does not help.
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Thomas,
The simple test for the "Opus" system is to take the high tension lead from the coil to the distributor cap (center electrode) from the distributor cap. Set it somewhere on the firewall where the metal end is about 1/8" from grounded metal.
Turn on the ignition and pull the wire from the ballast resistor that's mounted on the alternator bracket. If there's a spark, then the issue isn't the Lucas unit. If not, then it's either the wiring to the unit (corroded connectors) or the unit has died. If it's dead... it's better to replace it with one of the aftermarket setups like the Pertronix system, or to go back to mechanical points.
Cheers,
Jim
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Thomas,
I hope you mean you had the plug wire lodged near the grounded metal and weren't holding it. If you do hold it you'll get a bit of a shock... all 20,000+ volts worth!
What's best is to take a spare spark plug and ground it with the plug wire connected.
Well, we've eliminated the coil and the ignition unit, so what's next are the distributor cap, plug wires, and plugs.
Check the inside of the distributor cap. Are the contacts clean or corroded/dirty? If they're dirty, you can wirebrush or sand them clean again. Look at where the spark plug leads plug in. Are those contacts clean? Steel wool can clean those.
Get a good ohmeter (multimeter) and verify that the plug wires are still ok.
After that, it's a timing issue. It'd help to have a decent timing light handy. Also it helps to clean up the timing marks and scale, the scale is part of the timing chain cover. If it's rusty wire brush it clean too. And I find it helps to repaint the mark in the crank pulley, it makes using a timing light much easier.
Cheers,
Jim
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Thomas,
One last check.... crank the engine (or hand spin it via the crank pulley) with the distributor cap off... if you don't see the rotor move then it's a distributor drive issue.
Otherwise, yup, sounds like something's not right in the pickup circuit in the Lucas unit. There's no real repair for them, just replacement with either an older Mk IV/1500 distributor (mechanical points) or doing a conversion to an aftermarket electronic ignition.
Cheers,
Jim
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Thomas,
The simplest mechanical points system I can recommend it to hunt for a good condition Delco-Remy distributor from a 1970ish-1974 Spitfire Mk IV/1500. They're available in used/good condition from some of the parts vendors. There may even be reconditioned units available, you might check with Rimmer Brothers (www.rimmerbros.co.uk) to see. Or you can see if anything is available from any of the online club sites like the Vintage Triumph Register (www.vtr.org) or the North American Spitfire Squadron (www.nasshq.org).
Ordering replacement parts then would be easy, just ask for cap/rotor/points/condensor for a 1972 Mk IV and you'll get the correct bits.
Mallory does build a dual point distributor for the small english cars, you can try a racing parts house that carries Mallory and see if they can figure out the correct part number to get for you.
Those are the main 2 that I'm aware of.
Cheers,
Jim
AnswerWell, good luck with the distributor issue.
As to the clutch, let me see if I can get ahead a bit as the holidays are approaching.
On a car that has sat for a long time there will be two issues. The first is that the hydraulics will have failed over the years. The second is that it's not uncommon for the clutch disc to rust itself to either the flywheel or pressure plate, or both.
The first thing to do is to fill up the clutch master reservoir and see if there are any immediate leaks. Next step is to either bleed the hydraulics properly or to prop the clutch pedal to the firewall with a suitable piece of 2x4. Something in the 22 to 23 inch range. If you let it sit for several days to a week sometimes the clutch will "self bleed" by allowing air in the system back up into the master reservoir.
But with a car that has sat for that long you're probably looking at replacing the master and slave. It's possible they can be rebuilt, but it depends upon how badly
the cylinders have corroded.
Cheers,
Jim
