We can only draw conclusions from our own experiences but 40 year old coils
/ starters are entitled to be feeling their age. I worked on British cars
day in and day out for over twenty years and I can honestly say Lucas coils
were no worse than any others, in fact I replaced more Ford " Autolite"
coils than Lucas. We can all criticise different manufacturers and Delco
distributors as fitted to Vauxhall cars in the seventies were appalling. The
dwell variation had to be seen to be believed and I remember fitting a brand
new one which was worse than the one it was replacing , you could be
forgiven for thinking you were looking at a rev counter!!
I concede that Lucas "bullet" connectors were a major source of bad
connections (Japanese cars used a similar connector on their cars) but I
found Lucas starters, dynamos etc to be reliable and the majority of
charging faults were due to the voltage regulator but even these could be
adjusted or replaced very cheaply under the Lucas exchange scheme.
I don't know the reason for Jaguar going over to Bosch ( I suspect it was
supply problems or the choice of engine management systems) but Ford also
fitted Bosch equipment in preference to Autolite (or Motorcraft).
Paul
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jan Eyerman" <jan.eyerman@usa.net>
To: "kkj" <kkj@privat.utfors.se>; <alpines@autox.team.net>; "Jan Eyerman"
<jan.eyerman@usa.net>
Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2003 6:31 PM
Subject: Good Old Lucas
> Very interesting, I keep hearing from Europe and England about the
wonderful
> Lucas electrical systems and your "live forever" coils. For some odd
reason
> Jaguar thought that it was worth their money to place big ads in US car
> magazines about 10 years ago saying "now with Bosch electrical systems".
> Strange that they would waste their advertizing dollars telling us
Americans
> that they had dropped the absolutely wonderful, reliable and well made
Lucas
> electrical equipment and went over to Bosch.
>
> Admittedly few Lucas coils manage to fail as spectacularly as my two did,
most
> just produce less and less spark until in combination with the wonderfully
> effecient Lucas starters, the car won't start on cold days.
>
> I stand by the results of the Delco engineers- "either the people at Lucas
> don't know how to write specs or their suppliers are really ripping them
off".
>
>
> Alot of variables enter into it-where it is mounted (heat), vibration
> (Hillmans are particularly bad here) and what materials were used in teh
coil
> at teh time of manufacture.
>
> The late sixties and early seventies were definitely bad as was the early
to
> middle fifties.
>
> Jan Eyerman
> 1962 Minx Series IIIC Convertible (with VW 12 volt coil)
> 1973 Plymouth Cricket (with '69 Dodge coil & resistor)
>
>
>
>
>
>
> kkj <kkj@privat.utfors.se> wrote:
>
> If that is true, what has happened to my Lucas coils that are still
working
> after 40 years???
>
> Kristian J
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jan Eyerman <jan.eyerman@usa.net>
> To: Jarrid Gross <jgross@econolite.com>; Thomas Wiencek <wiencek@anl.gov>;
> <MRSMWB1@aol.com>; Alpine, Message <alpines@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2003 2:10 AM
> Subject: Re: [RE: engine problem?]
>
>
> > Lose connectors on a Lucas coil are probably the least of its problems.
> Many
> > years ago I worked for GM and had a Lucas coil analyzed by the engineers
at
> > Delco-Remy (as it was called way back then). They were astounded by the
> > extremely poor quality of the materials used. From their analysis it
was
> > obvious that a Lucas coil had a life expectancy of about 3 years or
36-40K
> > miles. Note that this was the standard Lucas coil, it seems the Lucas
High
> > Performance coil is quite a bit better.
> >
> > Today I replace the Lucas coils with coils for a 12 volt VW beetle
> (1967-68).
> >
> >
> > Jan Eyerman
> > 1962 Hillman Minx Series IIIC Convetible
> > 1973 Plymouth Cricket
> >
> >
> > "Jarrid Gross" <jgross@econolite.com> wrote:
> >
> > Tom and Michael,
> >
> > One problem I had early on with my car was the prince of darkness coil
> > had rivit on spade temrinals, that had shaken loose to form rather
> > intermittant contacts.
> > The car would stall for seemingly no reason, then restart later as if
> > nothing was wrong at all.
> >
> > The spade terminals were lose and moving them would let me restart it.
> >
> > the solution was to replace the coil.
> >
> > HTH
> >
> > Jarrid Gross
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-alpines@autox.team.net
> > [mailto:owner-alpines@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Thomas Wiencek
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2003 12:55 PM
> > To: MRSMWB1@aol.com; Alpine, Message
> > Subject: RE: engine problem?
> >
> >
> > Can anyone help Micheal with this problem? Please reply directly to him
> > at -
> >
> >
> >
> > MRSMWB1@aol.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: MRSMWB1@aol.com [mailto:MRSMWB1@aol.com]
> > Sent: Friday, August 08, 2003 7:33 PM
> > To: tom@sunbeamalpine.org
> > Subject: engine problem?
> >
> >
> >
> > Dear Tom,
> > This is micheal Brown from Moline Ill and Ive bought parts from you
> > before. I have some questions for you because I need help. I have a 1964
> > alpine ane the engine runs great for about five minutes and it will quit
> > running. Ive replaced all the electrical components and it still quits
> > running light I turn off the switch. There will be no electric to the
> > plugs. Could you help me with some kind of answer? Is there a ballist
> > resister on my car and where could it be? cant find one. It seems like
> > that could be my problem. Thanks Please let me know.
> > Help!!!!!
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