Hi Jeremy - soz to hear that Mt ToAd is misbehaving !!
I am not familiar with +ve earth systems but the only time I have had a coil fail is when Rocket was rewired and an 'auto electrician', would have been better suited to rangling cows, thought it a good idea to omit the ballast resistor - thus overdriving the 6volt coil, frying that and the electronic ignition module.
Are you perhaps fitting a 6volt coil and no resistor ?
On the subject of electronic ignition: Rocket has a Mallory unit which works fine but is US made and parts sre only available from one or two outlets in the UK - if those go out of business then I will then have to make a change.
I would probably opt for Lumenition
They do a conversion for +ve earth - I will email you a link to their Tech bulletin
You will need to get this thoroughly sorted if you are going to do Italy with any worries
regards - Chris

Hi Jeremy,
I have converted my dizzy with the Accu Spark conversion (under £30 )
on my last 2 NG`s & have had 30000 miles trouble free motoring.The kit is easy to fit with an explanatory video available on line. Can highly recomend it.
Good Luck John

Hi Jeremy,
I have converted my dizzy with the Accu Spark conversion (under £30 )
on my last 2 NG`s & have had 30000 miles trouble free motoring.The kit is easy to fit with an explanatory video available on line. Can highly recomend it.
Good Luck John
PS My car is neg earth so should check with Accu Spark that they have a suitable kit.

Thanks every one for your helpful comments, I have got Mr ToAd running again with "old fashioned" ignition whilst I look into the electronic options.

I have invested in some "good quality" condensers from Brown and Gammons in the hope that this solves the problem, and I will also carry more ignition spares in the car in future. There remains some doubt as to the voltage of the ignition coil - I think it is 12v but there are no markings on it - having a ballast resistor coil running at 12v when it should be at 6 or 9 volts could be the issue - it does get rather hot! I have a new spare sports coil ready to fit.

thinking about electronic options - The hall effect triggers don't seem to get terribly good reviews, the optical much better. But there is a price difference of course. I'll let you know what I decide.

Many thanks again
Jeremy

Hi Jeremy,

I to had problems with electronic ign system ie it required the almost '12v' to operate but when the 'B' engine is starting (cranking) the volts dropped down to 10.2v and the unit would function ie no spark. That was from a company called 'BBC' which advertised on Ebay.
The seller didn't have much of a clue although he thought I was the twit, he suggested I take the supply from another 12v source! then I realised he wasn't up to being an electrical person!
In My car now I have a 'hall effect' sensor which can from him and it works fine but the complete electronic distributor (different system) wouldn't work as described above.

Anyway 'Italy'; you may have a buddy, when are you thinking of going.

give me a call 01795 870505 Mick