Are more powerful coil+wires worthwhile?

[Clive]

I fitted a petronix electronic ignition to my Turner 2.25 8:1 about a year ago and was impressed at the noticeable improvement in running (and the fact that I didn't have to set points every few months) - although I always carry the points and condenser JIC.
Can anyone advise whether a better coil and wires would provide any more power? If so what coil, and what wires?
Many thanks in advance.

[J!m]

Magnecor are the only real option for plug wires.

All the others, regardless of hype, are essentially identical.

www.magnecor.com

Read all they have to say, and become a convert like me!

I have had good luck with MSD coils on other projects; however my series has a Jacobs ignition system on it.

[83lee]

Just wanted to bump this back up to the top to get some more opinions.

My coil is leaking oil, so I'll be replacing it along with the ignition wires, points, cap, rotor and plugs.

There's lots of coils and wires out there that will provide and carry a hotter spark. I just want to know if there is any advantage to using them.

[4flattires]

When I light my bbq grill, I can use a bar room paper match or my oxy-acetylene set on the bluest flame I can muster.

The thing still goes BOOM with the same fury :-)

Jeff

[greenmeanie]

As Jeff pointed out merely putting on fancy parts does not really affect the park much. The spark will jump the gap when the volts built up on the elctrode exceed the dielectric properties of the air. It does this regardless of the parts you apply.

Now you can get some benefit by increasing the plug gap so a bigger fatter spark results as more volts are required to break down the greater dielectric. Of course, in order to build up that potential on the electrode in the same amount of time as the original so as to not affect timing you require a better coil and leads.

This is where the greater capacitance of the sport coil comes as it will build voltage faster to a greater amount than OEM. Good leads are essential to commute that graeater potential from the coil to the plug.

I totally agree about the Magnecors. I couldn't get OEM leads to last more than a year in the desert as they are of the carbon coated fiberglass strip variety and break down rather quickly. MAgnecors work well, should last the life of the truck and at least when I bought mine they were not significantly more then OEM.

The penalty is that a bigger spark will erode the electrode faster resulting in shortened plug life. If I remember it also affects the flame front formation or something like that si it is not just a simple bigger is better equation.

Having said all that all these parts will make for a better, more reliable spark with less maintenance across the entire rev range which as we all know is well worth the money.

[gudjeon]

I went this route:
- Autoparts store for electronic ignition coil (1980's spec)
- pertronix installed into my 24D distributor
- made my own wiring and put in a ballast system
- HT leads from same autostore
- Use Champion RN11YC4 plugs (already pre gapped at .040")

I have been running this combo daily for about 4 years now and never had any problems. Its cheap and effective. Works from -30c to +30c temps. beyond that, I don't know yet.

[greenmeanie]

Gudgeon,
The only thing with your set up that seems odd is that you kept a ballast resistor. It's function is to reduce the coil input to about 9V to protect the points. No points and an internally ballated coil as you have means the ballast resistor is redundant.

[gudjeon]

Its a non ballasted coil. Says so right on it.

[greenmeanie]

Its a non ballasted coil. Says so right on it.

And that is for electronic ignition you say??

You are basically running a system that is good for 12V on a 9V input. It all comes down to being able to build up the potential on one electrode in time between spark events. I don't think the 2 1/4 is enough of a performance engine for it to make a difference but on a higher revving engine you'd see performance dropping off.

I won't, however, argue with success. If ain't broke don't let me harking on make you change it.

[gudjeon]

I put my set up together as it would be based on mid 70's dodge electronic ignition. I used this spec for the coil and resistor. The coil is made to deliver full spark needed for electronic ignition with the ballast. It packs good whallop, ask me how I know.