Best electronic Ignition for £££££

[Steveg1974]

Have a mk4 1970 1296cc with standard ignition and wish to transfer over to electronic. I've a Delco Remy distributor and have searched the internet for a suitable electronic system.  Have found two different ones on eeebay item # 391929087115 which is Accuspark make and item# 131765726149 which is Powerspark make. Which is the best make and reliable.   Many Thanks  

[nang]

Pertronix.

Nang.

[glang]

The Accuspark and Powerspark units look very similar and may well be the same. There have been problems reported although not so many these days and my set up has been fine. As its mounted inside the distributor It may depend on cooling which is determined by underbonnet temperatures and also good thermal contact of the unit with the distributor backplate....

[Rosbif]

I have a 13/60 with Accuspark, fitted in 2015, and no problems.

I like the fact that it is inside the distributor so the engine bay looks original 😇

[Hogie]

Hi Steve,

these are not true electronic systems but an electronic device to replace the contact breaker.

You will get no performance improvement assuming your original set up is good.

What you will benefit from is no adjustments after installation.

Instead of buying the compete unit why not buy the sensor that does all the work for about £30

(also buy a spare)

Lumention make a version that may well be better quality (mine is 15 years +) but at a price - £100+++ (don;t forget the spare).

Pertronix, Aldon etc are slitghtly different devices and may well give performance improvement.

The contact breaker system is proven to work very well and will inform of forth coming failure with built in limp home mode.  The other device die in an instant.

 

Roger

[glang]

I think we might be getting confused here. The Accuspark/Powerspark items are the complete unit and for approx 30 pounds nothing else is needed to get a spark from the coil.

The idea with electronic systems is that they break the current flow more quickly and cleanly than mechanical points and electrical theory says this will produce more energy on the high voltage side so giving a beefier spark. This should improve combustion but whether you can see better fuel consumption/engine power also depends on a lot of other factors...

[RobPearce]

Quoted from glang-

The idea with electronic systems is that they break the current flow more quickly and cleanly than mechanical points and electrical theory says this will produce more energy on the high voltage side so giving a beefier spark.

That may be the marketing blurb but it's not really supported by the science. Both systems end up using a capacitor to slow the dV/dt of the primary, because allowing it to rise too quickly tends toward wasting energy in arcing across the points or blowing up the drive transistor. In the case of electronic there's also, usually, a voltage limiter to protect that transistor. This can actually (albeit rarely) mean that you get a weaker spark than with a points system in really good condition.

The only real benefit of Accuspark / Lumenition EI is lower maintenance, which would be great if the systems were all 100% reliable and durable. Sadly that's not always the case.

[WIMPUS]

Ive got an SimonBBC (i think powerspark) fitted to my Spit 1500.

Around 190.000kms/118.000miles done, daily driver & 7 years with the same kit.

 

Never has failed me !