Eric Hysteric wrote:
A short question. I need a tip for an ignition coil. Want the old as a spare part and a new for the engine.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/dodge,1979,b300,5.9l+360cid+v8,1075283,ignition,ignition+coil,7060
That's okay ... but definitely keep the old one.
Working ignition coils rarely, if ever, go bad. If a working ignition coil does go bad, it usually means you have other more significant problems. They usually only go bad due to being subjected to long periods of excessive heat. (From engine heat due to tightly enclosed engine compartment, engine constantly running over-temp, or coil being subjected to extended periods of too high voltage.)
Note: I'm talking about the can-type coil used in our older motorhomes and many other vehicles. Some aftermarket performance coils can go bad over time and there's been some issues with coil-on-plug types. (Excess heat tends to be the cause with for coil-on-plug types, usually due to being too close to exhaust manifold.)
A new coil will usually fail within 3-6 months, usually due to manufacturing defect. (Basis for warranty replacement but cost of different coil is usually less than effort of pursuing a warranty claim.) If a new coil lasts more than 3-6 months, you can assume it's going to last forever.
I know a guy who's using a coil out of an early-50s Dodge, pulled out of a junkyard, in his early-80s Ford pickup. Doing so was initially an act of desperation and he intended to replace it with a new "Ford" coil. The 'antique Dodge' coil worked just fine and has continued to work for more than a decade of daily use. So, he decided to leave well enough alone and pursue other (real) issues. (He's a diehard Ford fan so I regularly tease him about a 'Dodge' coil getting his Ford to work.)
Regarding your Vespa -- you have two options:
1. Bite the bullet and upgrade to newer wiring and components.
2. Use the right size (in ohms and wattage) resistor in series to bring the system voltage in line with what the Vespa needs.
You're going to have to do one or the other at some point in the future. Automotive incandescent bulbs will probably be phased out within the next decade or so. Specifically, major manufacturers will cease producing them as people shift to LED bulbs and fixtures. The few that remain available will increase significantly in cost due to economic supply and demand.
You'll probably be among the first affected by this. EU is leading the vanguard banning less energy efficient light bulbs so you could, in the near future, be unable to buy incandescent bulbs. (Unless you import them from backwards countries -- like the U.S.)
