Hi Guys,
I have a Lumenition installed on both my TR6 and 2.5 PI Saloon. This is an
optical based system with a sensor in the distributor and replaces the
points altogether.
The saloon has covered approx 70,000 miles without missing a beat.
Originally my reason was to get around problems with a worn distributor
drive which it did beautifully.
Overall I get significantly better starting especially in the cold and a
significant improvement in performance about 3500 RPM due to a stronger
spark. The additional performance may be a function of the large intake
area of the PI system and I don't know if you would get the same on a
standard carbed setup (the carbed saloon cars seem to taper off around 4500
RPM when they start to run out of breath).
I have always kept a spare set of points and associated hardware in the car
in case of problems but have never had to use them. It would take around 10
mins with a screw driver and feeler gauge to return the car to stock.
The only problem I have had was in the installation of the TR6 Lumenition
with intermittant missing. The fault turned out to be an intermittant open
circuit in one of the sensor wires. I simply replugged and have had no
further problems.
To give an idea of the additional spark, I tested before and after fitting.
The spark at the end of the HT lead was blue up to about 5mm and could be
stretched to around 10 - 12 mm length before it failed. With the
lumenition, I can get a purple spark up to around 10mm and it could be
stretched to around 55mm before it failed.
Hope this is helpful...
Bernard Robbins
1971 2500PI
1973 TR6 PI
At 14:02 31/01/00 -0800, Sally or Dick Taylor wrote:
>Mike---I didn't receive your original request for information on the
>"Ignitor," (nor much of anything lately from the list.)
>However, if the main concern about improved performance or fuel economy
>is where your interest lies, there are some general guidelines that I
>feel are key to any new igition system.
>If the new ignition uses a separate electrical power source to fire (the
>plugs) then it can be set up to throw a more powerful spark, a spark of
>longer duration, or both. Both of these will allow firing of a leaner
>mixture without misfiring, or a richer mixture without misfiring. This
>will be determined when the fuel/air mix is being dialed in. The type of
>spark that fires it will have more lattitude if it has a more powerful
>unit to work with.
>
>The stock point system is adequate when the rest of the engine does not
>require a spark plug that can "fire under water," so to speak.
>Electronic ignitions will keep the plugs cleaner and the point life
>longer by putting out a stronger spark to the plugs,
>(enough to run "cold" plugs if need-be) and transference of metal from
>point to point is kept at a minimum with the negligible arcing from
>these modern units.
>
>They are only cost effective if the owner plans to keep his car for many
>years, or must have a spark supply to compliment the other performance
>modifications done to the engine. These modifications would include a
>very high compression ratio, a camshaft of long duration, and
>carburation that fouls out sparkplugs quickly under "street" conditions.
>
>On the subject of wear in the distributor shaft, which could potentially
>cause the point gap to vary slightly; I would think that this would be
>spotted when using a dwell meter, if the "wobble" were great enough. To
>my way of analysing, if the dwell angle doesn't change thruout the rpm
>range, the points aren't floating. This can be backed up with the info
>from the timing light. If it stays reasonably steady, there isn't a
>problem to be dealt with.
>
>All told, I'm not one who thinks everything on a TR should stay as the
>factory built it. But if the changes made to stock don't pay back the
>right dividends, I'm inclined to advise owners to leave well enough
>alone.
>
>No one has yet said what these optical or magnetic units have done to
>improve their TR. I would like to hear from some of them...
>
>DickTaylor
>'73, with MSD
>
>
>
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