This is the most strangest question regarding ignition coils.

I intend to install mine on the front panel in the area over the steering rack.

It sits right up against the bar that i have the headlights mounted on.

So my question is how hot does the coil get in normal use?

If it's used normally - slightly warm to the touch.

If you leave the ignition on when the points are closed - it'll boil!

Just make sure that if it goes bang....the boiling oil wont dribble onto your legs... I am reliably informed that its NASTY stuff!

They're not normally placed with cooling in mind so I'd just chuck it where it fits and be carefull not to leave the ignition on.

Mines in the same place. had car runing for ages sat still and its hardly even warm. wouldn't worry about it they used to put them al over the place on production cars

I'd recommend a Megajolt ignition system for your x-flow - it made a world of difference to mine. Easier starting, rock-steady tick-over, and allows you to remove the dizzy completely.

And you don't need to worry about cooking your coil!

Autosport Labs

Michael, Wherabouts in Kent are you?

do the sums and power dissipated is approx same as 40 W light bulb - so quite hot to hold.

ideally it should sit in a cooling air stream and I think it deal position is for it to sit vertically with the lead uppermost.

My coil is also on the headlamp bar,

more importantley is not were you put it, but what type of coil you use. as i from bitter experiance of breaking down 4 times from sussex to donnington
(2 there and 2 back)

Found out that my coil was soooo hot it had fried the wireing around it, reason ?
When i made the wireing loom, i discarded the ford pink (ballast wire) as i did not know what it was, but i did fit the ballasted coil
hence running 12v plus thru a 9 volt coil
and after a 100 miles or so the coil fried itself

once cool it was fine

regards

steve

Thanks for the replies.

So it appears i can leave it where i originaly planned. I had thought of moving it closer to the engine on the diagonal brace, but it then appered to be extremely close to the outlet on the water pump.

Im in North Kent/London Borders.

As im now without the beetle (it was the last contact breaker ignotion system car we had) I am not able to get close to a coil any more.

I have left the escort donor loom as was, but i removed unwanted wiring, like internal heater, interior light circuit etc, so im leaving the pink ballast wire as Ford left it.

The beetle once died on me 4 doors down the road. I found that as the coil was upside down, if i upturned it and fitted a longer king lead out of my many spares, then it fired up ok and ran.

One thing to remember is to make sure that all the HT leads are well away from anything at chassis potential - fix them together with those plastic lead spacers, or whatever. Definitely make sure that they can't rub against anything.

They may not arc over in the beginning, but one drizzly day you'll get caught out!