What Coil for a standard SD1 setup - Wont start anymore ?

mattcony · Post by **mattcony** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:49 pm

Hi,

Trying to fix my non starting SD1 engine in my Landrover as far as I know it has all the standard SD1 bits, it has the Lucas Opus Dizzy and also has the large aluminium plate amplifier or resistor which everything goes through (not quite sure what it is called) and the original coil.

I have had the motor 10 years my self and never changed the coil, my Q is which do I get will any Lucas 12v V8 coil do ?

Cheers

Matt

Alley Kat · Post by **Alley Kat** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:33 pm

Opus has the amp & bits inside the dizzy. Then came 35DM8 with remote amp, where the coil's mounted in front of the amp. After that the amp was attached to the diz. But I think any coil for electronic ignition will do. I used a £20 Lucas one from a motor factor on my DM8. Seen them at shows for £14 though, posh gold ones n'all,
cheers
Bill

Pocket rocket · Post by **Pocket rocket** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 9:02 am

I think the aluminium plate unit is the ballast resistor which was standard with the Opus system. Hence you need a coil that works with a resistor.

I got mine from www.pegasusparts.co.uk (#573038 - £10).

PS Just checked their site and the price has gone up 20p! Both coils advertised have the same part number but you want the black one marked "Ballast" [573038 REP]

mattcony · Post by **mattcony** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 9:36 am

Thanks for the info Guys

Ill see what I can get my hands on today, if not will have to order one on the net.

Cheers
Matt

mattcony · Post by **mattcony** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:49 pm

No luck with a new coil locally, so come back and done a bit of messing about, I'm pritty sure the problem is on the electrical side of things.

With a battery voltage of 12.7v I'm seeing at the resistor 12.7v at the input but on the output side I'm seeing 3.8v does this seem a little low ? On cranking I was seeing 2.8v and found the starter feed wasn't in the correct position on the resistor so now its back up to 3.8v when cranking but still doesn't seem much for making a good spark ?

So far its got new HT leads, new plugs, new cap and a new rotor arm with no joy all the old bits were in a bad way but it did run "just"

The resistor unit I have is stamped a lucas 9br dated 1979 and the coil is stamped a lucas 22c12 and dated 1981. From googling I have read that the opus isn't very reliable ?.

In the grand design of things I plan to ditch all the old kit for something reliable but I don't quite know what my options are, would now be a good time to ditch it all or is there hope for what iv got at the moment ???

Cheers
Matt

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 1:45 pm

mattcony wrote:No luck with a new coil locally, so come back and done a bit of messing about, I'm pritty sure the problem is on the electrical side of things.

With a battery voltage of 12.7v I'm seeing at the resistor 12.7v at the input but on the output side I'm seeing 3.8v does this seem a little low ? On cranking I was seeing 2.8v and found the starter feed wasn't in the correct position on the resistor so now its back up to 3.8v when cranking but still doesn't seem much for making a good spark ?

So far its got new HT leads, new plugs, new cap and a new rotor arm with no joy all the old bits were in a bad way but it did run "just"

The resistor unit I have is stamped a lucas 9br dated 1979 and the coil is stamped a lucas 22c12 and dated 1981. From googling I have read that the opus isn't very reliable ?.

In the grand design of things I plan to ditch all the old kit for something reliable but I don't quite know what my options are, would now be a good time to ditch it all or is there hope for what iv got at the moment ???

Cheers
Matt

Ballast resistors have been known to go open circuit, or fry themselves. You should have much more than 3.8 volts so something is amiss there. Try bypassing it briefly and see if everything fires up as it should. Not for too long though as you may fry your coil.

You might as well take the step up and get a Pertronix system or something else more reliable.

I have standard SD1 in my Morris, the 35DM8 version, slightly modified, junk removed, and I've had no problems.

mattcony · Post by **mattcony** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 3:11 pm

Wow the Pertronix kit looks like good stuff

So if I got one of these kits + a 12v coil I could ditch everything I have now and run on a std 12v setup without the need for any resistors or ponts ?

Who is best for these kits for the Rover V8 engine, done a google but not come up with much

anyone got any page links

Final point, if I fit all this kit to the engine were would i be able to pick up a tacho feed from for the rev counter as it currently comes from one of the contacts on the resistor ?

Cheers
Matt

mattcony · Post by **mattcony** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 3:35 pm

Might have just found the answer to one of my own questions

http://www.v-8.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1622

Just need to work out which parts I need, I know I have a 35D8 Opus but I have no idea about which base plate i have or will need ?

cheers

matt

mattcony · Post by **mattcony** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 7:58 pm

Descided to pull it all out again today to check what parts I have and find out what im going to need

It turns out I have the 35DE8 version so I can now tell exactly which unit im going to need, iv been looking on the Aldon website as they seem to have a good listing for Lucas units, but when it comes to the coils they only list 1 model that being the the 12v 1.5ohm version for 8 Cylinder Applications just wanted to check that this is what ill need ?

So my plan is to gut out the dizzy and fit the new Pertronix internals then remove my old ballast resistor and old low voltage coil for a directly wired 12v coil, does this all sound ok ?

Took a few pics today as I was unsure on what parts I had got but worked it all out now - I think

Cheers
Matt