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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Ignition coil and Distributor

I have a 3.9 with the original electronic ignition with the amp mounted on the outside of the dist. What coil works best with this system or should I replace the dist with a unilite and upgrade the entire system.
JEP Pelletterie

You can mess around with ballast resistors and a 6 volt coils, but it's not quite strait forward because as you must be useing a SD1 starter (because solinoid is on the bottom) , you almost certainly don't have the ballast resistor terminal (check ,I could be wrong, you're looking for a second small terminal in addition to the usual two large and one small). But since it's EFI you'll never have trouble starting so use a 12v coil as I did. This coil was scavanged out of my old '85 subaru so it's a nothing special generic 12V coil. I've mounted it RHS forward in the cooler part of the engine compartment away from the exhaust manifolds and it works perfectly.
Peter

http://www.msdignition.com/

I went with a MSD pro billet distributor (Buick Billet Dist. , 215, 300, 340, 350 PN 8548*) and 6AL box with a MSD Blaster 2 coil as well.
Michael S. Domanowski

stock Buick Delco with Pertronics and almost any coil. With the Rover front cover, you will have to change to either a Buick front cover or the oil pump shaft from a Buick to mate with the GM dizzy. Towery or D & D should be able to fix you up. The very early Rover pump shaft may work, not sure.

No more points & condensor to fool with, cheap Chevy cap.

Jim Stuart
Jim Stuart

Changing the front cover at this point is impossible as I just had custom pullys machined and I've got everything lined up. I am interested in replacing the Lucas electronic system with the pertronix and using a MSD coil. Does anyone have experience replacing one electronic system with an aftermarket unit. I also checked into the MSD dist and ignition but there has to be a less expensive alternative.
JEP

JEP
I got my MSD setup from JEGS, I had to wait cause they don't stock the Pro billet distributor but it was half price compared to a local speed shop. I got everything in about 3 week. I believe I paid less than $500 for everything, distributor, and 6 AL Box and Blaster 2 coil in chrome.

http://www.jegs.com/

If you are in NY you are welcome to come by and check out my setup. I'm in Rockland County. e-mail me for details.
Michael S. Domanowski

Why would JEP need to change the front cover? It sounds like he has a pre 95 motor. Wasn't the 4.2 the only one with the crank driven oil pump and a disti/amp configuration?
Regards
Tony
Tony Bates

All the Rovers prior to the serpentine front cover have basically the same cover as the Buick/Olds, & are interchangable. The difference is in the oil pump drive chaft. The Buick shaft has a notch (female) & the Buick dizzy has a tang (male) that engages the pump shaft to drive the pump.

I think some/all of the Rover setups are the reverse with the dizzy being female & the pump shaft being male.

As I posted earlier, I think you can replace the Rover gear & shaft with a Buick part, but hoped that Glann Towery or others would chime in with confirmation.

Jim Stuart
Jim Stuart

Buick stock delco with pertronix ignitor, pertronix coil, no ballast resistor, swap the Rover oil pump drive gear to the Buick ditributor shaft, no front cover change needed.
Romney
Romney

Thanks for all the help. I have a 1991 3.9 that is brand new. I retained the original front cover and water pump but changed the flange on the pump to accept a standard pully. the dist is original rover with the amplifier on the outside. The pertronix seems like the way to go for now. I need to get the engine to run before I make any changes.
JEP

This thread was discussed between 10/01/2004 and 17/01/2004

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

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