svda hot spark distributor

[starrider1946]

Any opinions on the svda hot spark distributor. I have one in my trike and my 72 beetle. Weekend before last the module in my beetle went out on the way home. I ordered a spare module to carry on my trike. I took the svda distributor out of my car and put my points and condenser in distributor back in. Has anyone had trouble with the modules going bad. The distributor in my car is a little over a year old. I run the ballast resistor like it says and I am pretty sure my electrical system is good. Just wondering.

[peteg59]

Beginning of this season I replaced the orig. points type dist. with an electronic unit, & the rig now starts up much faster and the timing seems to be holding better than the original type.

Not sure what brand/model you're referring to on yours John, but I'm just starting to enjoy the bennies of a Pertronix "Flame-Thrower" SVDA on my trike. Best $139. I've spent on it in quite awhile!

Not sure about the addition of a ballast resistor, as the stock style blue Bosch coil is working ok for now...

[Jack Klarich]

Beginning of this season I replaced the orig. points type dist. with an electronic unit, & the rig now starts up much faster and the timing seems to be holding better than the original type.

Not sure what brand/model you're referring to on yours John, but I'm just starting to enjoy the bennies of a Pertronix "Flame-Thrower" SVDA on my trike. Best $139. I've spent on it in quite awhile!

Not sure about the addition of a ballast resistor, as the stock style blue Bosch coil is working ok for now...

Pete, #1 advantage IMO is no point bounce messing with timing

That said HEAT is the biggest bad JU JU to ALL electronic ignitions

a lot of modules can use the help of some die-lectric grease under them when installing the modules

This helps dissipate heat and keep moisture out

Ballast resistors are some times needed to cut down the voltage going into the modules

Chrysler had many problems here in the past

[peteg59]

^...Great points, (no pun intended), Jack.

The dist. I purchased/installed was fully assembled when I bought it & I didn't open it up beyond popping off the cap & simply eyeballing the innards briefly, and then popped it right back together.

The dielectric grease was hopefully applied in the appropriate places at the factory, but now you've got me to thinkin'...

[starrider1946]

The one I have is sold by Hot Spark. I think it was 110.00 shipped. Don't know how good it is compared to other brands. They say to use a ballast resistor so I do. I changed the module and I think it may have had some grease under it. I will check both my trike and bug to morrow. That's easy enough to do. I may have just had bad luck with the module going bad.

[grandpanystrom61]

I have this SVDA Pentronix from 4 years ago, not a lot of run time on it, but it works and holding up so far.

Now I have the Solex 40/44 dual carbs, and for the upper RPM range to run right I had to step up to the SVDA.

Now the blue Bosch coil, is the 3.0 ohm coil, and they do work well in low/mid RPM range, but with time they do break down some at the higher end and the engine is not running at optimum condition.

Flame Thrower is the new coil I just bought last week, why, because further testing did prove that my old blue bosch coil was breaking down. The newer coils are suppose to deliver a more consistent voltage and spark with the demands of the engines RPM's along with the SVDA dist.

One can just replace the old blue Bosch coil with a new one and be fine, the SVDA dist. does not need the aftermarket one, but they do claim it will work better with their Flame Thrower dist, why, because they claim it delivers a more stronger consistent spark and meets the load demand of the engine when in the higher RPM range.

Could it cause your module to fry, yes it can, just like old blue can go bad and give a surge and cause this issue, just another reason why they say change the dist. and upgrade the coil at the same time, as in most all cases we still have old blue setting under the hood keeping the spark going.