I've just bought an old Sparkrite SX500 points-assisted electronic ignition thingy on ebay. The listing says it was removed from a car a few years ago, and there's no wiring diagram. It's a bit of a long shot but I was just wondering whether anyone here's either got one or had one in the past and can remember what went where, or lay their hands on a diagram?

It would appear that "Sparkrite SX500" is almost a googlewhack! Apart from some dodgy spyware-infested site, it just comes up with three different links to the listing I just bought the thing off!

What leads has it got coming out of it Luke?

Im guessing 3 or 4 connections? Are they coloured?

Thought you had lumenition?

I've got one of those, had it fitted to Acadiane in early 1980's, dates from when we actually made things in England, the green wire on mine is fitted with an earth tag, the others I don't know.

Do you want a spare SX500 Luke? (free) - it sits in my office awaiting an uncertain fate - I still fit Lumenition on my own cars by preference.

PM sent, Roy! Ken's found me a copy of the instructionsfor the later SX2000 which, judging by the wire colours at least, I'm hoping will work for this one too. It doesn't make any mention of disconnecting the condensor, which I'd assumed I'd have to do, so I guess that wants to be left in place?

I believe the condenser is left in place - at least it was on the Sparkrite I fitted to my ol' kit car.

Good move, I reckon - anything that'll reduce the wear on the hard-to-get-to points is a plus!

Definitely. The condenser's main job is to control the collapse of the magnetic field produced by the primary coil windings to ensure that a high voltage is produced in the secondary coil windings. It just also happens to be handy for preventing the points from burning when they open; no longer a real issue when points assisted ignition is fitted hence the confusion regarding whether a condenser is still required or not. The engine will still run without the condenser, but the coil will not be running efficiently and will produce a weaker HT voltage.

As Ventflaps says, its originally task is made redundant once the elec ign is fitted - it just isn't needed after this point (er, pun?). All the points do for the elec ign is to provide the timing for triggering the spark - the points themselves will barely have to handle any current.

So, in theory, you could remove the condenser if you wanted to.

HOWEVER, many of these Sparkrite systems have an 'override' switch to go back to 'conventional' ignition should the electronics fail, and for that you DO needs the condenser to be there!

So, leave well alone!

The points assisted ign kits as ive supplied built up before and many have used independantly advises that when fitted to a 2 cylinder citroen the condensor should be disconnected and removed (actually the badly translated instructions say.....disconnect condensor and remove car, but close) i tend to follow their instructions but leave the condensor in place taping up the terminal so as to avoid issues. This was the way the kits fitted, if it should fail(never happened yet) then all can be re-instated to points easily enough.

That's interesting, Matt.

I can't think of any reason why the 2CV system should be different to other cars - or perhaps it's your elec ign system that works in a different way to Sparkrite's?

Either way, if the instructions say to disconnect it, then do so! But Sparkrite systems don't.

I've actually bought a Sparkrite SX2000 (or 2002) myself quite recently for fitting to my 2CV. I'll keep you posted!