1976 860 Gt ignition headache

[mike]

Hi Working on a 860 GT 1976. electronic ing.The wiring was all cut up.I have a pulse from the pickup in the engine going to the red coils but no spark out of the coils . Any help here. Can a Boyer Ing. or some other be installed . Mike K.

[Geoff]

Ducati Electronica ignition is notoriously unreliable, so your coils have probably gone. Viscious advance curve too. Boyer - as far as I know - can't be modded to fit. I have Lucas Rita fitted and I think that there is another aftermarket electronic available too DMC - I think Steve sells them. Give him a call.

[KGL]

My internal capaciters died on my GT and I fitted a Lucas Rita. It was straight forward.
Syd's Cycle in Florida can get Rita ignitions which bolt onto the rear tower and run off the cam drive, but Mick Walker (the English author and former dealer) found one for me. Syd's also sells rebuilt internal systems which bolt right in place. They fit inside the case next to the crank just like the original. These sparks are supposed to be hotter and the circuits much better engineered but are not inexpensive. You can fax the shop 727/522-3333. I had to buy new side panels from Syd since the pick-up interfered with the old L shaped ones. The 750 side panels look much better too.

[Michael Knight]

Dont lucas rita run on the wasted spark princable? would this work, as the inlet valve on one cylinder would be open when the spark plug fires up, would this light the incoming charge?

[Geoff]

Michael, Rita's a wasted spark but runs no problem on my 900SS. In fact one of the diagnostic benefits is you can switch the plug leads round with impunity!

Cheers
Geoff