From what I have read, others have done it, but not me. 

This is a good question, but on a different topic than this thread.

A suggestion: It would be better if you started a new thread with the subject in the tread title like "Larger tow ring holes?". Then people who have done it will see it and respond.

I don't know about other electronic ignition systems, but the 123 will work with a ballasted or un-ballasted ignition system. The electronic portion switches only 12V current (the same way oints do)  to send electricity to the coil. That circuit does not (as far a I know) require a specific resistance, so yes, it would handle a 3-ohm coil.

The output of the coil (e.g. 60,ooo volts) does not go throught the electronics - only through the cap and rotor, just like a points-type distributor.

Someone's earlier concern about heat and the elctronics in nothing compared to the high-voltage current passing by it within a cm or two. Don't try that with your smart phone!

and one more thing , can i possibly drill the tow ring hole in the front chassis to make it bigger? i wanna put a little larger bolt in it, i'm not too confident with the existing skinny towring bolt size. i wanna put machine bolt in it and make a modified tow bracket.  thanks any input is appreciated

Sir Dan,is the elect dizzy an advantage due to the fact that it uses 3.0 ohm Coil or 60,000v thus gives out better spark and better combustion? and i guess more hP?  i wanna figure out what advantages elect dizzy has over points dizzy

John: that would be an interesting book to read on a snowy winter day when the Mini is hibernating, but I'm sure it has excellent info. The diagram and notes you posted are particularly relevant.

Another way to think about it is the dwell angle gives the period of time the coil is being energized to build charge and the open or "gap" time isn't so critical because the spark occurs when the points break contact. Timing, including mechanical and vacuum advance determines that the instant the break occurs is optimum for the engine, whatever it ahppens to be doing at the time (idling, accellerating, decelerating, heavily loaded or not). The width of the gap ensures a clean break, hence the need for the points to be in good condition and properly aligned for a clean break. Therefore it is a bit of a compromise - building charge VS a clean break. A dwell meter mesures it from one side of the equation and the feeler guages from the other side.  Luckily, a dwell meter is a quick way of checking how much degradation of tune is occurring (especially when you're getting older and can't see into a dizzy as well as you used to!).

A few main things affect timing and its degradation:

• wear of the points contact surfaces,
• wear of the points heel that rides on the cam,
• wear of the dizzy cam itself,condition of the mechanical and vacuum advance mechanisms,
• wear of the dizzy cam
• general wear of the engine components driving the cam: from crankshaft, through timing chain and sprockets, camshaft, dizzy drive gear, dizzy shaft and bearings.

The first two can be addressed through regular inspections and tune-ups. The other three are progressively more difficult and expensive to rectify, but fortunately are usually much slower to occur.

Well John i feel better after reading what you posted as i left there around 1979 so i would say most (if not all memory fails me) my work was done on the earlier distributors which the setting does state 60 degrees.

Malcom, It would depend upon which system you had installed, but with the tolerances quoted, 60° is certainly acceptable. 

Here's the spec sheet - the 59D4 should be set at about 54°.

Monday afternoon I retarded my ignition another 1½° and while I had I the tach/dwell meter out, I checked the dwell angle with the Luminition Optronic installed, just for fun.  It was exactly 60° and the ignition timing was rock-steady to 5500 rpm and above. 

Interesting John. Back in the day when i used a Sun tachometer / dwell meter everyday of my life after setting the points on Mini's (in fact most of the BL range) to 15 thou the dwell was always 60 degrees yet the info you posted says it should be 54 degrees + - and 60%. I need to dig out a dwell meter (if i still have one) and check to see what 15 thou says.

Correct -

I've always gone by the axiom, "the smaller the point gap, the greater the dwell angle". Hence, to increase the dwell, reduce the gap. Perhaps I am wrong?

Your actual dwell angle may vary - and remember, if you open the contact breaker points gap, your dwell angle will increase, which also advances your ignition timing.

It's all here in the attached images courtesy of Hillier's Fundamentals of Automotive Electronics classic text.
 

Just points afaik.

ok, thanks, i'll post pics later.,, 

btw, does elec dizzy need dwell or just the points?

 

my mini starts ok tho, its just that it cranks maybe 1-3 before it starts then i have to hit the pedal slighty to give gas., whereas before when i first bought it, it starts in one click no revs needed.

Just connect the balck and red wires to the points side of the coil and ground (from memory), dwell should read 60 degrees plus or minus 3 degrees if i remember correctly. If you are not in those parameters adjust the points to 15 thousandths.

i have a dwell meter, it's not brand new and not the best maybe but i dunno how to use it, can someone walk me through on how to use it? i mean i'll be home in two hours, i'll set up my mini,open the hood and send you guys videos and we can go from there. thanks....

I only have one, and don't put anywhere near as many miles on as Alex would, but my 123 is just fine thanks. It is very well designed and constucted and the electronics are entirely enclosed. But you do have to set static timing ONCE if you never remove it. If you do remove it, of course you must reset the timing. It does use a conventional rotor and cap, which will wear out eventually, just like any other rotor and cap. Finding the right curve is a bit tedious - the charts don't always give the right solution, because they are based on "like new" engine specs, but typically our engines are not that perfect and we "enhance" them in so many ways.

The dodgy condensor manufacturer wasn't Chinese.

The 123 can withstand heat and cold without missing a beat - I've been running two for the last four years with no problems at all.

I believe the only elec dizzy that don't need any timing thingy is the 123 distributor, as advertized it has 16 advances, gosh, you can't go wrong with 16 advances. but the downside is that it works with electronics/too many electronics inside that distributor, constant engine heat might retard it's shelf life and effectiveness.

Thanks for the links John, not the cheapest solutions but quality never is.

hahaha, i hear yah Sir A, and honestly aside from my my mother in law, there are two things i dislike in this world,  chinese products and electric vehicles(any). i can't stand them.,

i bought a 59d condenser form a reputable dealer for 11bucks, guess what, it lasted for about 27 days...seeesh! i wish i can make my own condenser., i'll make it solid

dimitris was nice enough to send me a pdf copy of the Haynes manual.