Accuspark

[AHM]

Don't get hung up on the cheap price - That has nothing to do with it, a product may be cheap and low quality, but it must be fit for its intended purpose - From the photographs and your description they are not.

Jane need not worry herself about how to resolve poor quality issues - The law does it for her. She just has a choice between giving you your money back or replacement. That is the responsibility that comes with being in business.

I'd still hope that they are just busy, we all have bad days - Hopefully Accuspark will come to their senses and sort it out for you. Not much of a business if they don't!

[UAB807F]

In a sort of half-way defense for the company, I bought one of their "Lotus Elan kits" from what I assume was the same company trading on Ebay because the paperwork that came with the order was all "Accuspark" related.

It was very cheap service kit consisting of distributor cap/rotor arm/silicone plug leads. Not a proper cut-out rotor arm but as I've ran with non-cut out arms that didn't worry me. I wanted some new leads and I reckoned you couldn't go far wrong with plain wire, so I took a chance.

When it arrived I must admit it didn't look good; the carbon brush was missing from the dizzy cap and not even the longest lead would fit the shortest run to the plugs. The plastic molding on the cap looked poor even compared with the battered 20+ year old Lucas one and I concluded it was just a cheap/low quality kit meant for an A series engined car.

In fairness I sent it all back with measurements for what the leads should be and I did get a replacement cap & correct length leads, so they can do customer service if they want to. I suspect the reason you're not getting a good response Greg is that you're in another country and they think you'll just go away and give up. Which is a very poor indictment on a business if that is the case.

Brian

[alan]

i have just, this morning fitted an Accuspark to replace the points and condenser.
I have also fitted a normal rotor arm but NOT the RED one supplied with kit which fitted badly.
My Sprint seems to run well with it and i just need to drive a few miles to test it out
Time will tell but surely better than the last condenser that only lasted one day and about 60 miles

[elangtv2000]

I have just received an email from Tony Ibbotson, who continues to disagree with any of my comments or concerns about the distributors. He did not believe my measurements of the 43D gap, so wants me to re-measure before he sends a shim to correct the problem. He went into great detail about why all of my "comments and criticisms are complete nonsense".

Other than being bored with this topic, does anyone have an objection or concern to me posting Tony's email and my response to this forum?

[UAB807F]

Personally I don't have any objections, it's more in Jeff's field I think. I'd ask him first and show him your intended post to see if it's potential legal trouble for him as the owner.

However in your position I'd certainly mention that you've discussed the problems with your friends on this forum, I'd even go as far as to post a link so they can see what's being said and the reaction from UK owners. Any business can't really afford to upset a potential market segment even if the Lotus market isn't as large as, say, the MG one.

I'm surprised about the debate over shims because it's arguing pennies against the bad PR of an unhappy customer. In their position I'd just have sent out some in an envelope as soon as you asked, regardless of whether I thought them needed or not.

Brian

[AHM]

It might be more constructive to post good quality pictures of your concerns first.

I'm not sure why anyone would need justification for the thickness of some shims, particularly as Accuspark have already agreed that 25 thou is the max that they accept. From the picture already posted (scaled up) it is clearly 2 or 3 times that at the most conservative estimate - I can see .050" on the surface of the shaft and that is without allowing for the angle of the photo! Why quibble over a few pence worth of shims?

I'm more interested in the cross drilled holes - Do they overlap?

[Chancer]

There is an implied assumption here that the company, who probably doesnt manufacture or even modify any of the mechanical bits would actually have some correct sized shims to send.

However looking at the photo it would seem to be a wise for them to invest in some.

[oldchieft]

Hi all
Just to point out an exit to the 'expense of spirt' involved here.

http://www.h-h-ignitionsolutions.co.uk

This is a firm near me, I have not had any distributors from them but the have supplied me with some salvaged parts like clips an screws.

They are two old guys and a couple of youngsters working out of a unit with some test benches and a few machine tools in the best tradition of black country.

You could try them with you tale of woe and ask them for a new shaft an some spacers, or send it to them and ask them to send it back fixed.

Jon the Chief

[Chancer]

This is another small specialised company that I used to recurve a X/flow distributor to my exact specification some 20 years ago, how time flies, I am delighted that the guy is still in business.

They sell everything from dizzies, electronic conversions, rebuilds to just one spare part

[elangtv2000]

Thank you all, for your comments and input.

Brian, they are aware I have posted to the forum. I've wasted so much time arguing with them, when I really don't understand why I must do so. More to the point, they have stated to me many times that their products cost only as much as the market in the UK will bear, yet they are in no way compromised or marginal in quality as a result. They have told me that I am only concerned with aesthetics, and that any non-concentricity of the Ford gear to the hand-filed shaft on the 23D is "totally irrelevant", as "the fit between the drive and shaft is of no consequence".

AHM; I will post some more photos. When this all began, I was truly interested in sharing user feedback with them about the things explained in the photo captions. They have taken the stand that none of my concerns are of value to the product or themselves, and that "whether you like the look of the product or not, they do the job every bit as well as far more expensive alternatives." Whether each and every one of my concerns is actually a problem or not, they were initially offered as one business owner to another, but with genuine concern about the quality, serviceability, and appropriateness for a new part. The tone of the exchanges and the resistance they have offered to every single concern, without every providing any compensation or resolution, is what really ticks me off, and I think is very poor business practice.

[elangtv2000]

More photos. As it came to me, after gear removal to wire advance plate closed to accommodate Black Box connection to control advance.

[elangtv2000]

43D, showing end play gap and shaft about 1/4" shorter than Lucas, Pertronix, etc. Accuspark advise "shaft length is perfectly adequate. There is no need for the shaft to extend any further". Maybe that is of no practical concern?

Accuspark also said end play of a couple on the shelf was 0.013", and these should be no more than 0.25". I supplied them photos of excessive end play several times.

[rgh0]

The fit of the driven gear on the end of the shaft is unacceptable and more than just aesthetics to any mechanical engineer. The shorter shaft will only make it worse and accelerate the inevitable failure when the gear works loose, breaks the retaining pin or the double drilled shaft and drops into the engine. I would not risk using it.

I would return it and request a full refund as it is unfortunately a major fault and not fit for purpose.

cheers
Rohan

[UAB807F]

Ditto what Rohan's said. I would be more anglo saxon in my description but this is a family forum.

Those photos show clearly a hand finished shaft, and not particularly well done one at that. I have no problem with hand finishing items but I usually try to get it a bit neater than that with at least a polished emery cloth finish. That's not just to make it look pretty, it's simple engineering and the recognizance of potential fatigue failure.

Hmm, now that cross drilled shaft ? I really don't like the closeness of those holes even though the loading isn't particularly great and I have no doubt it will work adequately. But it wasn't designed like that, they've just reduced the load bearing area by half and I wouldn't fit it. In fact even if I only had a 40bhp Mini engine I reckon I'd still throw it away, it doesn't look a neat job at all.

I'm sure the reason there's so much resistance to your feedback is down to embarrassment at being caught out. Most people would buy a new item and fit it without second thought but here's a case where someone has checked before fitting, and it's found wanting.

Accuspark have just lost a potential customer for their Stealth ignition module. I love the concept and price, but after seeing that workmanship I'm not going to bother.

Brian

[oldchieft]

Has the local trading standards department been dealt in on this, they should be keenly interested in matters like these.

It might get a result be for you have to take them to the small claim court.

"Lay on MacDuff and dammed be he who cries enough"

This need taking all the way.

Jon the Chief