Ignition woes…
June – August 2020.
Having got the basic engine sorted (I hope), I turned my attention to the electrical side of things. Firstly the ‘biscuit tin’ cover had to come off. No problem with that, but then, well, all was not as I had hoped. I had hoped for a complete system ready for a bit of fettling, but what I got was very different…
Oh, dear. The coil was wrapped up and not connected, no contact breaker, no condenser, no gap tool and no HT/distributer spring link. I was soon to discover what hens teeth look like!
I spent some time then working out the wiring, and realised that some of it is hidden behind the back-plate, so a bit of forum hunting and I think I have it sussed. Meter readings seem to show that the wiring for the generator is ok.
This is what I’m left with:
The actual circuitry as it’s meant to be inside the ‘biscuit tin’:
I tested the coil and could just get a spark (with a 12 volt battery, not 6) about 0.5mm long. Basically, the coil is shot. It could be rewound, but is that the best thing to do while the rest is not easily available?
There are no new BTH coils or contact breakers or condensers or HT spring links to be had (at least not in the LE Club spares list), so now it’s either second-hand ones from the Club used spares collection, or a whole new modern system made by MiniMag. So, should I stick to the old ‘proper’ system, or go for the more reliable (but not ‘proper’) high tech option (which is also quite expensive, ~ £250)? Mulling that one over… As we’re in the COVID lockdown and visits to the club stores at Bullers End are not possible, I’ll put that decision on hold and concentrate on fixing all the other things.
The low-voltage cutout relay appears ok, but, again, maybe it’s time for a more modern (semiconductor-based) version. MiniMag do one of those, I just wonder (out of electronic engineer curiosity) whether it’s Schottky diode or MOSFET based? Maybe I’ll ask them.
A quick look at the ignition and lighting switches that I have, but yet to put in place. They look ok –
Next, a visit to Bullers End! More on that in Part 12…