Pertronix Ignition

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cycledog

A really rusty biker
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
4,438
Location
Unwet side of Washington
A couple of years ago I put a Holley 500 and Pertronix ignition on my 64 GMC 305 V6. Never did run that well but I don't put too many miles on it. Just to the dump, maybe one show a year, a trip to Home Depot, you know the routine. So I lived with it.

I always blamed the problem on the carb being jetted to rich. So I tried various size jets without much change. So I thought just for the heck of it I would put the point ignition back in just to see what would happen.

The result is what amounts to having a brand new truck. Runs better than ever.[cl I'm done with Pertronix ignition for life.
 
I have had one go bad on me and a friend has had a couple go out on him. I will stay with points. No trouble and a lot cheaper. If points go bad, file and adjust them.
Tim
 
I ran a dual point dist in my 27 and everyone in my car club told me I was nuts, they all had Pertronix and loved them. My Son Don has two in his boat, one on each 350 engine, and they work great for him.

Don
 
I also run pertronix, but I carry the (origonal points in a box just in case).
The Pertronix module runs like a bandit and never misses a beat as long as I stand on it! At the same time, I work on computers and I realize that one day it may stop. Like Timbo, I agree those points can be filed, adjusted and will never leave you stranded.
 
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I love my Pertronix unit, but I have a really bad back and just leaning over my car to work on a rear mounted distributor kills me. My car does run better with the electronic but I also carry points with me in case. Points are alot easier to setup and a pocket knife can clean them to get home. Did you run a full 12 volts to the Pertronix unit? I also think they require a coil with a certain internal resistance and the older ones would fry if you left the key on for more than 30 seconds. Glad your truck runs good now.
 
electronic conversions

I have been running a Crane XR700 Electronic conversion on my SBC since '99 without a single problem. Here is a link to what it looks like http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CRN-700-0300. A lot of folks don't like it because it has an external box that has to be mounted somewhere but mine has always run trouble free. This is the third car I have used it on, the first two were on MGBs to replace the Lucas setup.
 
Cycledog, hey buddy, I talk occasionally to one of the guy's at Pertronix, and he say's it's usually alway's a " they work or they dont work at all " scenario. Sorry you had less than stellar performance with yours. Correct resistance to the coil, and the right coil can make all the diffrence in the world. Good set of plug wires too. If I wasn't 3000 miles away, I would help you get her sorted out.
 
I run pertronix in my 455 pontiac and a small block chevy. Pontiac didn't run that good untill I went to a hotter coil now it runs fine. I'm satisfied with pertronix but thats just based on my experince. I'd use the setup again.
 
Cycledog, hey buddy, I talk occasionally to one of the guy's at Pertronix, and he say's it's usually alway's a " they work or they dont work at all " scenario. Sorry you had less than stellar performance with yours. Correct resistance to the coil, and the right coil can make all the diffrence in the world. Good set of plug wires too. If I wasn't 3000 miles away, I would help you get her sorted out.

Thanks,
I installed exactly as directed, got one of their coils and used Taylor wires. Idled wonderfully. I had to feather the throttle from a stop or it would stumble, it would at times run great on the highway but motor would die without notice, most of the time would start up right away sometimes not. I only drive the truck in the summer so I thought I had a vapor lock issue or carb was not quite right. The final straw is when it stranded me for a couple of hours.

Wouldn't start or would fire and then act as if it wasn't getting fuel. So after it cooled down fired up and got me home. Quit again just as I turned into my drive, after 30miles on the highway. Once again I thought it was vapor lock. Re-jetted the carb not much differnce. Finally got fed up and put the points back in. Runs perfect no problems at all. Don't know what to say.[S
 
cycledog i had a buddy had the same problems with his. He found a ground wire that was broke on the plate in the distributor he changed the wire and fixed his problem.

He guess when it cooled down the wire would make connection again . It was a small really soft wire that was either broke inside or weak
 
Got Pertronix in my '65 352 for about 3yrs now, no issues....but I do have the points in my tool box just in case.
Also ran Pertronix in my '69 Galaxie and I'm debating on putting it in my 429. May go HEI in it.
 

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