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MG MGA - What is it with modern coils?

Went out with our '56 roadster on the CCMGC MG-80 weekend jaunt. Sunday morning in the hotel parking lot, the car fired right up as it always does, ran for about 5 seconds, and died. By which time all the other 23 cars had left! Had fuel at the carbs, and what appeared to be a weak spark. Checked the distributor cap and the rotor arm, and refitted it. Then connected up a spare coil I had in the boot, and it immediately started again.
My original coil lasted about 38 years, and gave some warning (misfiring when hot) before it failed completely. This one gave no warning and is, I believe, now the third or fourth coil we've fitted to the car since the mid 90's.
Along with "exploding" coils, this seems to be a major source of component failure breakdowns, and maybe it is time for MOSS and others to question the manufacturing source of these coils?
What do you all think?
Peter.
P.S. This led to an interesting phone converstion on Monday morning when a lady friend of ours called me to enquire how the weekend went. I told her "well it was fine until we had a coil fail. But fortunately I had a spare one in my boot." She was very quiet, and then I realised I had to explain that this was not an in uterine device!
P. Tilbury

I am of the opinion that things like coils are better if purchased at your local auto parts store. The quality of "reproduction" electrical parts has been a dissapointment to me just about every time. Your local NAPA store should be able to supply a good quality coil right off of the shelf. However, if you just have to have an "original" coil for judging purposes I guess you have to keep buying the poor functional quality stuff that is offered at the usual sources.
Ed Bell

All I can offer is that the Lucas Sport coil I purchased in the early 90's weighs about three times what the current ones do. Quality has surely gone downhill since then.
Steve S

This is what happened to my 'Sport Coil', see picture.

Lindsay Sampford

Lindsay, I had one that did exactly the same thing a year or two ago. I contacted Lucas about it at the time and they seemed quite surprised.
Andy Bounsall

Anyone know if the majority of these failures are with coils mounted on top of the generator? It would seem to me that the constant vibration would eventually take a toll. My late '59 1500 has the sport coil mounted on the fender well. No coil issue in 10 years or so.
David Ahrendt

I've got a mk2 that has the coil (push fit connections) mounted lower with a bracket off the engine mount. It probably still gets engine vibration but not at the higher frequency of the dynamo. No problems after 5 years.
J H Cole

I've been running a Lucas Sport Coil, mounted on inner fender since 1996, 150,000 miles, no problem.
Barney Gaylord

After my fourth "Lucas" coil in 12K miles I switched to a Flamethrower with no more issues at 20+K
D Sjostrom

Barney, it's the new ones that are failing. I also have a mid-1990's Lucas Sports coil which still functions fine and is now the spare that I carry in my boot.
Andy Bounsall

The older Sport coils, made into the 90's, are slightly shorter and fatter than the newer ones and have gold stickers. They seem to last forever unlike their newer replacements. Mine also has a white top but I don't recall if they all did or if they came in black as well.
Steve Simmons

Lindsay, where did you buy the spark plugs caps from?
I've been looking for the correct ones for a long time.

Thanks

Andy 60 Coupe
Andy Preston

Lindsay, like Andy Preston, I too have been looking for a set of lucas caps ever since I bought the A. Would you be good enough to tell us where to get them.

Frank
F Camilleri

Andy and Frank,

There is a seller on eBay UK selling these, saying they have been remanufactured:
http://is.gd/gaPv7

None of the big suppliers seem to list them although Holden have them in their motorcycle catalogue but not on their website:

http://is.gd/gaPsK
Neil McGurk

Lucas sports coil (cost £10) mounted on dynamo for 8 years no problems.
Lucas sports coil on my Midget same time period with no problems, now replaced by wasted spark programmable ignition system. So is a spare coil :)
Bob Turbo Midget England

Does anyone have an image of the Coil/Engine Mount arrangement - wondered if I could replicate on my 1500.


Thanks Kevin
K Garner

Here is mine. It is a aftermarket tractor coil. I hope that doesn't offend anybody. Also a 3rd party coil mount. The strap around the gen is stoick. It is also missing the original saddle that sits under the coil. When I think of it, this really isn't of much use. But regardless, here it is......

Chuck Schaefer

Chuck, thanks for the image but I was after a view of the location used for the coil on later cars e.g. attached to the Engine Mounting Bracket?


Kevin
K Garner

Andy and Frank, this is where I got my spark plug caps from http://tinyurl.com/3xcqlu2
item 194.
Lindsay Sampford

Kevin

OOPS!

My bad.

Never mind.

I should have know that as Lindsay had posted a better photo earlier. Although it looks as though he is missing the "saddle bracket " too.
Chuck Schaefer

Chuck, that tractor coil just looks like it is going to sit there and do its job forever! Are there any other tractor bits we can use on our cars?
Yes I am missing my saddle bracket, never had one, but didn't someone say they were a bit of a liability, as they could, with vibration, wear a hole in the coil body?
Lindsay Sampford

Thanks Lindsay, I had recently contacted Tim Hodgekiss of Vintage motors enquiring about the spark plug caps. He informed me that they had sold them all and doesn't think they'll stock them again in future. I think I'll try ebay as Neil suggested, they are a bit expensive though at £7.50 each plus £9.50 shipping.

Frank
F Camilleri

Frank, they were £3.55p each when I bought them in July 2007. Looks like I got something right for once!
Lindsay Sampford

Good for you Lindsay. For £3.55 each I wouldn't hesitate in buying a set. See if you can find me a set for that price and I'll be your friend for life.
Thanks.

Frank
F Camilleri

You could try this Frank http://tinyurl.com/3ybx6tj
Lindsay Sampford

Thanks Lindsay,
I have forwarded an email to AHSPARES requesting an alternative method of payment. I'm not so keen paying by credit card on line. Thanks for your help.

Frank
F Camilleri

Lindsay I managed to get a set of plug caps from AH spares. They arrived today, and are exactly what I wanted. My A will look a little bit more original with them on. Thanks.

Frank
F Camilleri

http://www.gsparkplug.com/shop/
Plug caps, you could try The Green Spark Plug Company.

Very helpfull chap!

Colin
Colin Parkinson

This thread was discussed between 19/10/2010 and 13/11/2010

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