Originally posted by morrag ;
Y'know there's a lot to be said for the simple spring actuated points set!!!!! along with the very cheap and cheerfull spare set you keep in your top pocket, just in case! cost, very little, availability, excellent, "get you home" context, priceless......
Totally agree
I had fitted a complete new electronic distributor a couple of years ago and used it for a couple of weeks then took it out and stuck the original points coil setup back in .
I just had no feeling of security with it fitted { Irrational , I know as most are maintenance free }
I also missed doing the couple of minutes job of resetting the points and setting the timing by ear { Got horribly chewed up ears now , but worth it }.
I do a lot of travelling through the Scottish highlands and then go off the beaten track where there is no mobile phone signal and , as I have my disabled wife with me I carry a complete spare distributor set up ready to drop in complete with new cap / leads , new coil , lengths of wire , spare carb , length of petrol hose , length of water hose and spare antifreeze as well as tools .
I know that all I need is a spare set of points but , with my arthritic fingers at the side of a mountain on a bitter cold winters day , I find it easier to just remove the one bolt , one wire , one vacuum pipe and drop the replacement distributor in .
Most work I do on other Reliants is fitting new points , setting the gap and re-timing .
For the folk with no mechanical knowledge whose motors I work on I would always recommend fitting the electronic ignition .
I can see the HUGE advantage of fitting the electronic system BUT
For me points rule .
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