Spitfire Multi-Spark unit

Hi Alan, I suggest that you put 'spitfire multi spark ignition' into Google, there are plenty of opinions and videos etc. about it - mostly not very complimentary!

Had an attack of curiosity and found this on the Lotus owners website:

I've been doing some research (a.k.a. surfing the web) and it appears the Spitfire unit contains two ferrite washers and a gap to create a break in the HT lead. This forces the current from the coil to jump the gap and supposedly enhances the spark at the spark plug. Apparently it's an idea from the 1950s and may have a beneficial effect on cars where a component such as an HT lead is not working as it should be. This would imply that if all is well with the car then Spitfire will have no effect and this certainly squares with my own recent experience.

Wouldn't have thought it would be a good idea with a magneto.

Previously Gordon Johnston wrote:

Had an attack of curiosity and found this on the Lotus owners website:

I've been doing some research (a.k.a. surfing the web) and it appears the Spitfire unit contains two ferrite washers and a gap to create a break in the HT lead. This forces the current from the coil to jump the gap and supposedly enhances the spark at the spark plug. Apparently it's an idea from the 1950s and may have a beneficial effect on cars where a component such as an HT lead is not working as it should be. This would imply that if all is well with the car then Spitfire will have no effect and this certainly squares with my own recent experience.

Wouldn't have thought it would be a good idea with a magneto.

So what is the difference between a spark plug with an integral resistor built in and an artificially introduced resistance ie, an air gap in the HT lead Many moons ago I was given some advice my an old timer to help prevent plug whiskering , it entails the use of a non metallic button interposed in the ht lead with a gap created by using the button , ( 4holes ) again creating an artificial resistance in the HT lead. As we all know don't we magnetos do not like high resistance in the HT lead. So things haven't really moved on!