Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Farrant
My experience of electronic conversions are not failures of the unit or module, but the higher voltage HT destroying the rotor arms or centre carbon area of the distributor cap.
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Yes that's true Richard, it's uncommon for the pick up module to fail, and extreme longevity can be expected from genuine parts. My Jag was '78 model and failed circa 2006, and the auto elec told me it was the original part (optical pick up module). My Ford is '91 model and the original part failed in 2010 (magnetic pick up module). As is typical these days you can't buy the module alone, you have to replace the entire distributor! At $600 for a genuine Ford distributor I opted for the aftermarket job at $300, and a year or so later the module blew again! I chanced my arm again with the aftermarket job and so far so good, but I live in constant fear of it dying on me - which will no doubt happen on a country backroad somewhere interstate with a fully loaded tandem trailer in tow! The ramifications for a blitz breakdown are even worse, so I'd be crazy not to carry a spare dizzy. It's worth it for peace of mind alone.
As you say Richard it's high voltage that does the most damage. Personally I've never understood the obsession with 40,000 volt coils and big fat sparks if the motor is already starting easily and firing on all cylinders. Does a flamethrower light your BBQ any better than a match? Same goes for any air/fuel charge - it either lights or it doesn't, there's no in-between range. As far as I can make out these high voltage systems are all just marketing hype for rev heads, with no basis in combustion theory and no empirical evidence of improved performance. Call me a skeptic but until it can be demonstrated otherwise I'll stick with the 6V system that got these vehicles through WWII in all sorts of climates on all sorts of crappy fuel!