I just bought a Pertronix ignitor for my 62 Buick wagon with a 401 from a 66 wildcat. I’m having trouble finding a straight answer. If I’m keeping my stock style coil, do I keep the resistor wire or get rid of it and run a regular wire? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
What do the instructions say? Some say leave the resistor wire where later ones have you do 12 volts direct. I know we're guys and don't need no damn instructions, but with Pertronics they are critical! KK
Use the Pertronics coil, people who have used other coils have had problems. I have installed 2 of them with their coil, never had a problem.
Maybe they have problems because they didn't read the instructions? Sometimes ya hafta read between the lines. Pertronix Ignitor instructions for 1181 sez to leave the existing (if any) ballast resistor installed when using a stock original coil. When installing their coil, Pertronix sez remove or bypass the resistor. The idea here is to avoid roasting either the coil, the ignitor itself, or both. Typically in the 60s they had about a 1.5 ohm coil primary. And about a 1.5 ohm ballast or resistor on top of that. This kept the points from burning up. That's 3 ohms in the primary circuit, plus a little bit associated with all the wiring. Pertronix sez no more than 8 amps running through their Ignitor 1 you do the math. If the coil you want to use can handle straight battery 14+ volts and is at least 1.5 ohms you're OK. Bubba talks about the Bosch blue ignition coil, these are 3.0 ohms. This would be a safe choice and could both be used without a ballast and also if for some reason the points and condenser had to be re-installed while on the road.
I’m not automotive electronics guru so bear with me. I’m gathering if I’m running my stock resistor wire and stock coil I have less voltage going to the ignitor unit? So the chance of it burning up are less? My main concern is not burning up a $70 part every few months Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Less voltage yes but the real reason is to reduce the current. But back up a sec, we don't know what coil is in there now after 50+ years right? Different coils have different number of primary windings, so the internal resistance is different. Ever notice some coils have a warning on the side "Use With External Resistor" or "For Electronic Ignition Only"? Now you know why. Measure the coil across the terminals to determine the coil's primary resistance. You want to see (minimum) around 1.5 ohms, otherwise you will have to retain or install a resistor wire, or a different coil. In my opinion. This is Pertronix recommendation. Now on the other hand it seems like the Ignitor itself doesn't like to get shortchanged on voltage either. If you can feed it straight battery voltage that's best in my opinion. 14 or 15 volts doesn't faze it. Too high current will though. Keep the total current flowing through the primary below 8 amps and everything stays happy. Make sure the distributor has a clean solid ground connection to block and the short uninsulated ground wire on the points plate is still there. Going on 20 years myself with 1181 using a Generator so I know they will work with just about anything.
In all honesty I was just trying to get by as cheap as possible. But if I’m at risk of ruining the module I’ll just save $50 and get a flame thrower coil. If I remove the resistor wire, will I need 3 ohm coil right? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Basically need a minimum of 1.5 ohms resistance in the primary circuit to run Pertronix Ignitor I. No ballast required for the Ignitor. Not at risk of ruining anything unless you don't know what you've got installed. You won't save any money buying another coil? I don't want to badmouth their coils but it's getting more difficult to find good coils these days, manufacturers change suppliers let's put it that way. I've had good luck with their Epoxy filled coil. For redundancy to me a 3.0 ohm Bosch blue coil makes more sense, but I'm getting a headache. Maybe Jim (Bubba) will weigh in.
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