V8 ignition problems

[No 1]

I've got an old Landy with a 3.5V8, twin Stromberg carbs and mechanical ignition. I am having terrible problems with burning out condensors and points and having been running badly for a few thousand miles, it has now given up completely.

I'm thinking of putting a Lumenition conversion kit on it, any comments, good or bad?

Also, does anyone know what the correct timing/dwell angles are. I think it's an old Range Rover engine, 8.13:1CR.

Hope to get some good feedback so thanks all in advance

[deltaf]

Sounds very much like a ballast resistor ignition problem to me.
Id change the points out for a lumenition and a new coil.

[danny hoffman]

I would have thought it would be worth diagnosing the fault first - otherwise you may end up making it more difficult to sort in the long term

As it a conversion (I assume) there is plenty of potential for basic errors or mismatched parts. As Deltf suggested you may have the wrong coil, maybe a ballast resistor one - but no ballast resistor. A meter would quickly confirm this.

However I think it more likely the the polarity is reversed at the coil - i.e. the plus (+) is conected to the minus (-) on the coil and vice versa. Again one for the meter.

Danny

[eliotmansfield]

if the coil is getting hot, then balast resistor or eureka wire is shot. Assuming this is a conversion, you may find 12v direct to the coil, which is wrong.