Military Lightweight Forum

Stuart often I have come across owners who had their capacitor tested by a knowledgeable friend who is a professional expert with various qualifications who clearly have no real understanding of how an ignition system works let alone the role of the capacitor.

The result is that they have tested it on an Avo or more advanced digital meter and find it satisfactory as it is not short circuited.

By now I have tested many hundreds of capacitors and never found one that is approaching a short circuit. As the back EMF in the primary coil is about 300v this sort of voltage must be used when testing the capacitor.

Automotive distributor capacitors are generally rated at 500v so I use Megger type insulation tester. There is coverage in my article. Virtually all such capacitors are 0.2mfd so choose a new one that can be jiggled to fit in there. Don't buy a NOS one it will be most likely defective by now as they fail with age even if unused.

OK Clive

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Stuart
52HG64

Stuart,
My advice is get a Jolley Engineering electronic ignition kit, you will never look back, its a superb piece of kit 100% reliable and unless you know what to look for you wouldn't know its there.
Regards,
Bob

OK Bob


Have written to them to ask what is the kit to fit and will look at that potential


Stuart

BTW a Q for all, I am told that some distributors had a felt collar around the shaft, that was kept lubricated, I could see no trace of one on my vehicle? Should ther have been one?

Stuart no felt on these distributors, but they were fitted on the distributors for 'B' Series engines.

UPDATE


Drined and refilled Main Gearbox and transfer box with EP90 GL4, very low when emptied!!

52HG64 did me proud last Thursday when it did the trip RAF Cosford to Lille Barracks Aldershot, via M5 Sth, A417 Swindon,M4 then down into Aldershot, there until Monday returning via M25/M40 damm sat nav, never mind good run, at around 45-50mph


Remaining jobs to be done two Diffs to be emptied and refilled with appropriate EP90 GL4 1.75Ltrs for each, and the Brakes/Clutch to be purged and refilled with Prestone DOT 4 around 2 ltrs

Engine oil changed and refilled with 20w 50, have Halfords Classic to go in,

Question for group

Do any of you traler your Lightweight for the longer distance shows, and if so, what is the most suitable traler available for the vehicle weight etc??


Cheers

Stuart
52HG64

Glad to hear it’s running well.

Was the trip from Cosford to Aldershot part of an organised run?