Replacing a failed Villiers Coil

[Gannet]

What is the best and most cost effective solution to replacing a failed Villiers coil?

Is it:-
1. Buy a new M1634E at £65. Will this last forever?
2. Fit a shorter and cheaper new M1361 Villiers coil at £20. Is the performance and reliability the same?
3. Fit an old original one at, say £15. This might last or might not.
4. Fit another alternative coil - are there any?

Thanks
Jeremy
ps I have rejected the solution of fitting a Wipac system.

[phil]

If the motor will be depended on the for life or limb, get 1. If not get number 2 . That is my opinion for what it's worth. The time to ask yourself the question is when you are out on the water in a bad situation, money does not seem all that important at that point.

[1650bullet]

Ive often found a good used one that's still mounted on the base plate and swapped them over. Removing the grub screws from the coil cheeks to remove the coil itself can take some time a patience, Often you will need new grub screws to fit a new coil. What you could do then is swap over--keep the original base plate and fit a new coil and screws and have it ready if the other fails again (which I would think is unlikely to happen).

[Gannet]

Phil,
I think that you have made a valid point. I only plan to use it in tidal, sheltered water on a small dinghy and inflatable. Both of which always have oars on board -(not that inflatables can be rowed against a bit of wind!). Have you any experience of fitting and using the shorter M1361 coil?

Bullet. My only experience of replacing a dud coil with a 'good' old one was not a success. After the agro of removing two coils and then refitting the 'good' one; a resistance check showed that during the process it had gone open circuit! I am trying to learn from that experience. I am not too sure exactly what I conclude, but I am certainly not enthusiastic about the process.
Jeremy

[phil]

I've just used the longer one. My thinking was influenced by my attitude that the closer a replacement is to the original the better. I think the short one would probably be ok, but I'm a little leary of it due to the price difference and what that might mean in terms of manufacturing short cuts. I concede the possibility that the longer one may be no better in that respect, but the price difference makes me a little paranoid about the less expensive one.

I did try using an OMC universal style coil removed from its laminations and installed on the MK1 core. Someone else had success with this, but I found that there was not quite enough clearance between the flywheel cam and the OMC coil. I think it will still work, but will require a flat to be made on the MK1 core, to get enough clearance, plus some shims and epoxy to hold it in position.
We can get the OMC coils over here for about the equivalent of £12-15. The current number is OMC 0584477, we usually get the Sierra 18-5181 which is made by Prufex a well regarded company.

Yes, it is a pain getting them set up right after changing them.
All said and done, the seemingly expensive one might be better in the end.

[JERSEYMAN]

A wipac conversion is always an option, cheap and reliable if you are not too bothered in originality. The whole setup, backplate, coil and flywheel can be had for half the price of a villiers coil.

[Hugz]

Apparently there was two wipac failures on the Murray river run...... came as a bit of a surprise to me as I thought they were close to being failsafe.

[Charles uk]

Wipac non CDI ignitions have in my experience been the most reliable of all the ignition types that Seagull used.

What the Murry run didn't tell us was why those 2 failures occured, was it the magneto, the points, the condensor or the HT lead?

[Stelios_Rjk]

I am putting a bet on the grease about that Charles

[croweater]

Charles uk: had a look at the coils tonight results at Seagulls on the Murray.

Stelios_Rjk: Grease?? you could be right