The 'E' Type Forum

Hi all. I have a normal (black) distributor cap, and the distributor has a normal rotor arm. However, in place of a contact breaker set there is a small red plastic looking module. It just screws onto the plate, and I understand I could just replace it with a normal contact breaker. I can't post a photo as I'm away, but can someone tell me what system it is, and where I can buy a replacement? Help would be much appreciated

Malcom,

There are a couple of manufacturers. Looking at google, "Hotspark" and "powerspark" both appear to be red.

As far as I know they all also include a (star) wheel which slips over the lobed shaft, so if you're stuck somewhere and you have a set of points and a condenser, take the bit off the lobed shaft, install your points and condenser, set your static, and be on your way.

Hi Malcom could even be Pertronix...some models are red....does it not have a label or printing on...
Edti..basically they all come a two parts..the unit with wires and an actuating ring that slipes over the cam lobe....so if your stuck anyone you can get..or put the points back on

Accuspark are red...

Thanks for the replies guys. I need to get the magnifying glass out and see if there's a name on it as suggested. I looked up Petronyx and there is a red one that looks like mine. Guess I need to be sure? When these things screw on the plate, do you need to be careful with positioning/setting, or is it just bolt them down and away you go?

It's not just a put it on and forget it situation. The critical adjustment in nearly all the electronic systems is the air gap between the reluctor ( the rotating bit assuming that it has one) and the sensor , and this varies with the type of system i.e. whether magnetic or optical . Sorry I cannot be more helpful, but identifying the system is the first essential

Thanks Christopher. Just getting back from the trip now, so will be able to have another look and try to identify better.

I'm home now! So, I've looked carefully and there is no writing to identify the ignition part. I've got some pics now:



I've taken the rotor arm out, and you can see it sits on a plate which bolts straight onto where the points would go. Few more pics:



There are 2 wires. One goes to the positive side of the coil, the other to the inlet manifold balance tube?, as in pic:



So, any idea what make/manufacturer it is?

No....looks like mine...has to be said that the modules are essentially all the same. They are hall effect. The collar that pops over the rotor arm spigot has magnets in that trigger the module. Hence very important to get the gap between module and collar as little as poss for reliable triggering. It will contain a hall effect (magnetic) sensor, bit of electronics and a (probably) MOSFET transistor that switches the coil current on and off. Bet that what ever brand you buy they are made in China and most likely in the same factory and production line. Pertonix, Accuspsrk,Powerspark, hot spark what ever....just a brand name. They all need a live supply - red wire (from the ign ) with the second black wire going to the CB terminal on the coil.
Lumenition is different as it has an optical sensor in the distributor and the electronics are housed outside in a separate module.

Could be one of these: http://www.simonbbc.com/index.php?main_ ... a21eb9fcf8

It just replaces the points, no electronics beyond the module.

Thanks David and Julian! That powerspark module looks like the one! I've checked the site, and they do a negative earth one for my car too. I'll give them a ring tomorrow.
Question: Why does one of the two leads go to the inlet manifold (as in my picture)
Only one (red) lead goes to the positive of the coil. Whats with the manifold wire?

The pictured wire on the manifold is for the temperature gauge, nothing to do with the ignition. That is the temp sensor on the manifold. The red wire from the module goes to the coil, the black wire goes to earth.

Hi Malcom...what is that white connector in your photos above...is it part of a ballast resistor cct... Steve

Got it! When tracing the wire, I got crossed up half way and ended up following the wrong wire! You are (of course, as usual!) correct, and now I'm feeling ready to order and fit. Thanks again everyone.

Heuer wrote:The red wire from the module goes to the coil, the black wire goes to earth.

Er, no, the convention for these modules is that the red wire goes to an ignition switched supply. The often used way is to connect the red wire to the +ve feed to the coil but if you do that then you're likely to find the rev counter stops working reliably. It is best to take the red wire back to the fuseboard behind the instrument panel and connect to one of the spare lucars that is connected to an ignition supply who's wires are traditionally coloured white.

The black wire from the module (sometimes blue) goes to the connection on the coil where the points used to connect to (CB or -ve). Usually this is achieved by connecting it to the black wire that went to the side of the distributor before the module was fitted and allows for easiest reversion to points if ever needed at the roadside.

The module itself is earthed via the distributor baseplate and as you can see in the pictures above a white coloured wire has been added to the distributor connecting the baseplate to the distributor body. This is a good thing that improves reliability by ensuring a good earth.

This is the link to the Powerspark -ve earth module which is a bit cheaper than the +ve earth one David linked above. Powerspark also sell on eBay as Simonbbc:

http://www.simonbbc.com/electronic-igni ... n-kit-25d6

Hard to tell from the pictures but I'd suggest your red module is spaced further away from the black rotor than it should be or needs to be. The red module should be adjusted (it uses the same spacing mechanism as the points it replaces) so it's just not touching the black rotor at any point as the black rotor rotates. You haven't said why you need a replacement but if you suspect the module of intermittent working, this may be why.

John

Hi John...on Neg earth cars.....if your running a ballast resistor system then you want the red going to the ignition side of the resistor and not on the coil....but if your not running ballast then you can connect to the red to the pos side of the coil....i am running a Pertronix (non ballast) connected directly to the coil as there instructions specify also simonbbc specify connect red to coil https://blog.simonbbc.com/faq-helper-pa ... -cylinder/
The Pertronix and also the Simon. Modual fit straight to the distributor baseplate so no adjustment i needed

I'm a non-ballast system, and as per the instructions I fitted the red wire to the +ve coil connector. Car now running great, so thanks bundles guys.

johnetype wrote:

Heuer wrote:The red wire from the module goes to the coil, the black wire goes to earth.

The black wire from the module (sometimes blue) goes to the connection on the coil where the points used to connect to (CB or -ve).....

Correct me if I'm wrong, but on every coil I have seen that is marked SW and CB, the CB is pos. These were all (as far as I know) fitted to pos earth cars. I presume you are talking about E Types with pos earth having such a coil, but the phrase "CB or -ve" caught my eye as I think it could be misleading.

mgcjag wrote:Hi John...on Neg earth cars.....if your running a ballast resistor system then you want the red going to the ignition side of the resistor and not on the coil....but if your not running ballast then you can connect to the red to the pos side of the coil....i am running a Pertronix (non ballast) connected directly to the coil as there instructions specify also simonbbc specify connect red to coil https://blog.simonbbc.com/faq-helper-pa ... -cylinder/
The Pertronix and also the Simon. Modual fit straight to the distributor baseplate so no adjustment i needed

Steve, simonbbc's instructions ignore the peculiarities of the current triggered Smiths rev counter and to ensure you don't have problems with the rev counter continuing to work reliably, it's best to wire the red wire as I suggested.

The modules fit to the baseplate in the same way as points and adjust the same way as points do to get the correct clearance between the module and the rotor.

John

I'll take the cap off today and try and get the module as close to the black magnet as possible. Thanks for the tip.