Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 3,329 Threads: 372
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Car type:
Lots of threads on Accuspark on here, Richard... use the search.
I have one fitted and it definitely runs a good deal better than a manky DK, but it is (from my experience of one failure), more fragile unless you know exactly what the issues are with largely unprotected non OEM electronics. Remember how incredibly cheap these and the trigger units are in comparison to say 300 quid for a renovated DK or more for one of the Dutch programmable advance units. You need to be very careful with earths, and I found out recently that you also need to make sure you don't leave the ignition on with the engine not started... on all these type of units (Pertronix, Aldon, Powerspark and so on)
You get a lot of bang for your buck if you use the club discount code on one of the threads, if you can preserve it. Some on the forum are up into thousands of miles of use without failure.
You should carry a spare unit if the car is being used more than for DIY in the garage. The supplier also recommends carbon leads, but the chap that looked at my blown trigger unit (out of interest to see what was inside) suggested that copper leads probably wouldn't have contributed to the failure.
Joined: Aug 2018 Posts: 190 Threads: 5
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Location: Dorset seaside
21-05-2019, 04:46 PM
(This post was last modified: 21-05-2019, 04:51 PM by Nigel Ricardo.)
I think a better route to go is VW distributor with Pertronix system and it has been about 10 years with no problems, possibly more reliable than the other product.
Joined: May 2018 Posts: 2,955 Threads: 558
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Location: Peak District, Derbyshire
Car type: 1929 Chummy, 1930 Chummy, 1930 Ulster Replica, 1934 Ruby
21-05-2019, 11:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 21-05-2019, 11:40 PM by Tony Griffiths.)
I know know that it's easy to get carried away by "new is better" but, from 1964 to 1974, a group of us managed something like an average of 15,000 miles a year in our 7s (plus competitions) using nothing more elaborate that pre-auto advance distributors. I can't honestly remember a single failure, apart from occasional replacement of the points as a caution. However, I will admit that when I fitted what appeared to be a decent AK4 as an experiment, I was surprised by just how much it improved the car's performance. Why not attempt to get the original performing well, then move "upmarket" and see if it makes any difference?
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Joined: Dec 2017 Posts: 189 Threads: 8
Reputation:
1
Location: East Yorkshire
Car type: Ruby sports trial special .
One tip.I have is put some cpu heatsink
Paste under the switching unit to
Help to remove heat quicker? The
Killer is normally thermal runaway of the switching
Fet in the unit !
Ps was a trained TV engineer for 30 years ?
My problem I ask questions that other people don't like?
Like have you got that for an investment or for fun?
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,193 Threads: 71
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I cant help observing that driving in the 60s and 70s with original distributors was something perhaps many of us did. However, the most relevant thing is that those distributors are now 50 years older and have had 50 years more wear on them...
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 48 Threads: 10
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Location: Devon
Do change the drive gear to the original before fitting. The supplied one will not mesh with the dynamo gear for very long!!
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 926 Threads: 22
Reputation:
10
Location: Near Cambridge, UK
Car type: 1928 tourer (mag type), short chassis Gould Ulster
What is an 'Fet', please?
Robert Leigh
