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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Lucas Sports Coil , Any good?

Need a replacement coil . Are the current Lucas sports coils any good. Bit worried that most new Lucas items are not as reliable as the old stuff. Been told if its in a green box then avoid.
So what coil should I go for? Even Bosch Blue coils don't seem available anymore and in there day these had a good reputation.
What are you using?
R Mcknight

My MGB is using a Lucas coil from the 1960s.

If you can't find NOS, it might be worth looking out for a good secondhand one. In fact, I've probably got a few.
Dave O'Neill 2

I have been using a Lucas sports coil for the last 5-6 years without any issues. Can't remember what colour box though.
I got it from David Manners, M5 Junction 2.

Thanks
Mark
Mark Whitmore

I bought one of these from this source last year: http://www.simonbbc.com/ignition-coils/lucas-gold-sports-ignition-coil

It was when I was trying to track down a problem that turned out to be fuel related.

It was to replace a newly bought Intermotor one that I had my suspicions about - and I had bought that one to replace the original Lucas DLB 105 that I thought had been causing cutting out when hot (it was the rotor arm at fault that time). The Intermotor one cost £30 and had been ordered in specially by a local motor factor.

I've lost track of which one of the DLB 105s is on at the moment but all three of them have actually performed perfectly well, though I can't comment on the longevity as I've only had the car a couple of years. Though I do have a good stock of spares now!

Colin
Colin Mee

Fitted a Lucas sports coil during the rebuild - 9 years and (I'm ashamed to say) 16k miles later, no problems.
Steve Clark

the simonbbc stuff is OK, running one of his coils on the V8. Had a gold coil on the A which now runs dad's car and is still good.
Rob Armstrong

The standard coil is capable of putting out about 20K volts, more than sufficient for the majority of engine operations. My tests show that, with an engine in good tune, about 11K volts are present at idle and constant speed operations. When accelerating, the coil output may rise as high as 18K volts, well within the capability of the standard coil. The "high output" coils offer a potential, up to 40K volts, which is seldom, if ever, seen on any normally operated vehicle and seldom seen on a race/rally car. Coil voltage only rises until there is sufficient voltage to cause a spark. If you need more than 20K volts to cause a spark, the rest of the system would need upgrading also, including a better than average quality set of spark plug wires, distributor cap, and rotor to handle the increased voltage. The sides of the plugs and the boots of the wires also need to be kept perfectly clean because, at voltages above 20K volts, grounding along the outside of the plug, rather than firing through the plug central electrodes, becomes a significant problem.

Les
Les Bengtson

I have had one fitted for 3 years or so. It works and pretty sure it came in a green box from MGOC...
Mark O

Hey les,

Your forgetting one element... the 5th spark plug in the tail pipe

Flame on !!!

®¿®

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

R-
The Original Equipment ignition coil has an output of 18 Kilovolts. 30 Kilovolt Lucas Sports Ignition coils are available for ignition systems both with and without the ballast resistor. The original Lucas Sports Ignition coil (Lucas Part # DLB 105) is the 12 Volt sports ignition coil for ignition systems without a ballast resistor. The alternative Lucas Sports Ignition coil (Lucas Part # DLB 110) is for ignition systems with an external ballast resistor. These Sport ignition coils have lower resistance, typically 1.5 Ohm for a 12 Volt ignition coil as opposed to 3 Ohm for the Original Equipment 12 Volt ignition coil (Lucas Part # DLB 101), thus giving about 17% more current through the contact breaker points. Because the High Tension spark energy is increased in sport ignition coils, arcing across the contact breaker points also increases. Most Sports Ignition coils are usually 6 Volts and have a resistor in the circuit between the ignition live wire and the ignition coil live wire (often called a “ballast” resistor).
Stephen Strange

This thread was discussed between 28/10/2014 and 31/10/2014

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