Advice Please!! I'm considering upgrading my stock 6 volt ignition coil (not sure the output voltage.. I think 20,000 volts) to a 6 Volt Super Stinger Ignition Coil.... 1.5 Ohm, “Super Hot” Rated up to 60,000 Volts https://brillman.com/product/6-volt-super-stinger-ignition-coil/ Should I do this?? I've done a complete rebuild & several upgrades to the stock engine & trying to make sure everything is new or upgraded (to include new battery, starter, generator, complete rewire, new voltage regulator, solenoid,etc) and do this all right the first time.. Make sense?? If this upgrade to a "Super Hot" IC is not necessary or doesn't provide any benefit to do it please let me know!! And I am keeping the the points/condenser, if this info helps!! Thanks HAMB family!!! Mike
An ignition coil is basically just supposed to convert the low voltage energy sent into it to high voltage able to make a spark at the spark plugs. The ignition points can only handle a certain current, any more and they don't last long, so you can't really put more energy into the ignition coil without risking problems with the points. An ignition system is an orchestra of parts that has to work together. I have no experience with the engine or ignition system you are working with here, but my very basic advice is to keep it all original with parts designed to work well together, or toss the original parts in the trunk (so you have a backup if there's ever a problem) and install a full system upgrade - some version of electronic ignition most likely, because, as I said, points are a limiting factor when chasing a stronger spark.
No practical experience from me on the 6 volt, I mean I have a 49 dodge and doing some mods to the 218 flathead. So I search and read, you are the first person to bring up a high voltage 6 volt coil. I just dont know of anyone running one. And as G-son stated, points is the weak spot on this. I did run a Accel yellow jacket coil of some sorts on a 1969 mustang I had, that thing would just eat up points and spit them out. Cant remember how many times I was stranded on the side of the road swapping points in the dark .... But the coil was yellow and had all kinds of bad assery, I could not dream of going back to stock coil ...... oh to be young again
Thanks for the advice guys!! So it sounds like I better go back with a OEM stock coil and keep a few extra sets of points (& flashlight) on the car at all times. This is my first engine rebuild & I'm learning more than I ever dreamed of. A large majority of it has been from asking really dumb questions to my HAMB family & great thing is not one of you have ever made me regret asking or feel as dumb as my question may be.. So thanks!! So far all the electrical parts I've replaced are factory originals, so I will continue to do so! Thanks again guys!! Mike
I just finished installing a Winterburn electronic CDI ignition on my 6 volt Porsche. It still uses the points but greatly reduces the current through them so they last until the rubbing block wears out. Fred Winterburn is a nuclear engineer that builds these ignition systems to his father's design using upgraded modern components. He's very knowledgeable and great to work with. Most of the other 6V CDI's that were available back in the day such as Permatune are no longer manufactured and vintage units are expensive. Fred says his unit will produce a nice spark even down to 3.5 volts. http://www.capacitordischargeignition.com/ On a side note some of the new Bosch Blue coils aren't very good - do some research or try to find an older one that was made in Germany, Portugal or Brazil.
something I think I want to at least give a try, using the slant six electronic distributor. Seems to be a pretty straight forward swap, you use the shaft from your flathead 6 distributor, and the body of the slant 6. Now you have oem reliability of electronic ignition with cap, rotor electronics available at most any auto parts store if needed. Reliability of modern made china points and condensers is a problem it seems.
A problem that you can sometimes run into, is because of the design of the distributor cap and rotor. Notice when the OEM transitioned to high output electronic ignition they also went to larger diameter distributors to help prevent crossfire. You want a good hot spark ignition system, but it will also expose any weakness in the wires or cap, you might see arcing to ground with defective plug wires or between the cap terminals. Just because a coil is advertised at "60,000 volts" doesn't mean 60,000 volts is applied, the plug only draws what it needs.
Get some sort of electronic ignition and leave the points to the people that know how to set them. Hook up the clutch linkage and get the damn car out of the garage. You only have 5 months left to get it ready.
Unless you markedly increased the compression like to double figures, a spark is a spark, a flame front is a flame front. Once the combustion process starts, length of spark and brightness doesn't make much difference. More important is when the spark is delivered. I use my vacuum gauge to set real world that reflects your current engines conditions. Do a basic static timing procedure that will initially put your engine timing at #1tdc. Attach the vacuum gauge to the wiper feed on the intake manifold. Start the engine and set an idle speed of between 450 and 550 rpm. Now set your idle mix screws for a smooth idle. Loosen the distributor and rotate it to achieve the highest steady vacuum reading. Stock should be 20-21 inches, dual intake will drop that to 17/18 inches, a cam with longer duration will drop that an inch or two. When you achieve your highest reading snug down the dist. And readjust idle speed if necessary. You should be good to go, but some road adjustment might be needed when the car is road ready. Don't forget to retorque your head using the proper sequence while the engine is up to operating temp. On the road, you want to assure there is no preignition knock under load. If there is, retard the timing till its gone, then tighten the dist. Now you can synchronize your cards, and do it again for a final setting. Depending gas and cr it will likely be 4 to 6 degrees BTC. When you order tune up parts, take the dist number with you. Several styles were used and in nerds are different. The number will start with IAT, IGS, or similar followed by some numbers. Looks good, hope it gives you an easy start up.
That coil will work. Seeing how you have a 6 volt system, the ohm rating is about right for a points system. As to benefits, any coil with adequate spark will do the job, but having a higher-voltage spark will help with starting and idle quality and you may see a slight increase in fuel economy.
The voltage rises until there is a place where it can create a spark. Hopefully that place is at the spark plug, and having a high peak voltage available can help getting a spark there despite high rpm, high compression, flooded spark plugs, too big spark gap at the plugs and so on. BUT... depending on the circumstances, 60 000V can create a spark at least 1-2 inches long in free air. At that kind of voltage, you can be resonably sure there will be a spark somewhere, but there are plenty of places other than the plugs where that spark might happen, inside the distributor cap is one place Truck64 mentioned. High ignition voltage may be good, but higher is only better to a point. Ridiculusly high ignition voltages sounds good on paper, but in reality there is little use for them.
Have seen them arc or crossfire on the outside of the distributor cap too, crossfire between terminal towers if wires are getting up there in age. A dollop of Dielectric grease in the boots helps but fresh plug wires was the remedy. The old time mechanics used to carry a spray bottle of kerosene and wipe wires and everything down or flush the inside of the cap out when moisture or crud was a problem. Once arcing starts it will always cause trouble in the same spot. All I'm saying is installing a gee-whiz-bang eleventy gazillion volt coil will expose any weakness in the OEM ignition parts real quick.
why change. a stock motor doesn't need 60000 volts. stock systems have logged millions and millions of miles from the dawn of the automobile to the 12 volt switch over in the mid 50's
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