Maestro 1300 ignition set-up

[xbo11ox]

Hey all

does anyone have any knowledge of these? I have now got my Landcrab on the road, and although its running well at the moment, I don't trust the crummy old Points-type Lucas Ignition. I was thinking that A-series Maestros have some sort of elec ignition which presumably fits into one of the old Lucas dizzys, and maybe I could use maestro bits to build myself a cheapy breakerless ignition set up inside the existing distributor. Does anyone have any knowledge/diagrams/parts/experience of the Maestro ignition? Any useful knowledge welcome. Have a pic of the Crab for your trouble!



CHEERZ

[Gray]

I might be wrong but i think theres a real cheap electronic ignition on the maket for the A series, I'll do some digging

[Gray]

Right, for some reason I reckon the A series used the same ignition as series landrovers, Minis certainly did and if thats the case then one of these www.mm-4x4.com/britpart-electronic-conversion-kit-2721-p.asp is what you need, or at that price two of them and keep one in your glovebox as a spare

[RetroMat]

I've got the britpart kit on my Toledo, I think its pretty much the maestro electronic bits any way. Currently they have only got a 45d4 dizzy version but apparently a 25d4 is in the pipeline.

[PhilA]

I know the later 1300 MG Metros have breakerless ignition that is just a module and the dizzy- but if it'll physically fit and reach into the Crab's engine I'm not so sure. Friend adapted one to make my old Superminx run so I know they've gotta be simple to make work.

Guessing too that the advance curve they have is going to be similar, might be worth checking how they operate. Knowing anything Lucas it'll be weights/springs...

[Seth]

Dec 25, 2009 0:44:50 GMT xbo11ox said:

I don't trust the crummy old Points-type Lucas Ignition.

I don't trust cheapy electronic solutions! Whatever you do fit I'd stick a set of points/condensor etc and/or complete points dizzy in the boot if I were you.

[composimmonite]

I fitted an Ital points system to my Montego 1300 when the electronic failed and left the car stranded . Did over 100,000 trouble free miles with it in that state so would say fit an aftermarket system so you can always revert to points in an emergency. Also not many places will keep new Maestro parts in stock any more and any such secondhand distributor is probably going to be 20 years old so could fail at any time.

Paul H

[xbo11ox]

Good information, cheers chaps. The britpart thing looks like an idea but almost seems to cheap to be true! I oughta just get one and try it oughtn't I.

[Gray]

I know of a few folk running them on Landies and they seem fairly impressed with them, we were all a bit suspicious of the price but they seem to work pretty well ;D

[Seth]

Dec 25, 2009 11:49:27 GMT xbo11ox said:

Good information, cheers chaps. The britpart thing looks like an idea but almost seems to cheap to be true! I oughta just get one and try it oughtn't I.

I tried one and as soon as the car got warm on its first run it started cutting out. Just about managed to make it the mile or so home and swapped the points back in. Perhaps I was unlucky and I probably should have returned it/got my money back etc but I didn't bother.

Some new rotor arms have been known to be weak in recent years and one of my concerns with the the Britpart system was having to use their special rotor with it and so not being able to use a known good one.

[Ed]

Dec 25, 2009 0:44:50 GMT xbo11ox said:

Sweet car, love these, so many happy memories ;D