Here's a tidbit of information. While trobleshooting a lighting problem on my RPU and having the ignition on for 10 minutes, I noticed an expensive smell from the engine bay. Took off the distributor cap and found the smoke escaping from my Pertronix pick-up. Made a cool little mushroom cloud. After reading the instructions it seems they suggest you don't leave the power on for extended (?) periods without running the engine. Next time I'll just unplug the power to the coil.
electronics don't work to well after you let all the smoke get out. i put an ignitor on my flathead this summer, i still never leave it keyed up out of habit.
search here for threads on Pertronix: Pertronix should I htrow it on the bonfire?; Pertronix Croak; Technical pertronix Info and others. also, go to pertronix.com and read info on their Power Relay.
Try calling their hot line,they replaced one for me,no charge,for a customers Morris Miner that he had left the key on.They asked a couple of questions about their unit. I didn`t know because he installed it. He never told me he left the key on for extended times.Pertronix II doesn`t have this problem.I recommend these guys.I have used a lot of units and never had any problems with them.
After reading the instructions I'll admit it was my fault and I'll replace the sender with the same type or an updated unit but overall have had several years of problem free operation
that is fantastic! i gotta get this picture to one of my old trade school teachers. P.S. i've been very happy with my pertronix so far. my plugs are much cleaner and i don't have to replace a condenser every 300 miles. i do miss my dual points (in theory).
^^^^^Learn it,Know It,Live It^^^^^ If you can't do a simple job like adjust Points,you're beyond help.
Good reason? I totally disagree. When I break a part, I don't blame the part, and then revert to the previous generation of technology. I have installed more of these than most people that you will find on this board, and have had a 99.99% (actual) success rate. It might have been my fault that it was not 100% too. Dude broke his stuff, had the balls to admit it as a cautionary tale for the rest of us. Good on him.
It is true that the Original Ignitor can burn up if the key is left on with the motor not running, and yes we warn you of that in the instructions as the OP pointed out. Points will also burn up and stick together if they are closed and the key is left on and I have the shrapnel remnants of a coil that blew up when the key was left on in a Mopar that was in my shop. The Ignitor II has a micro in it that shuts off the unit when it is powered up and it doesn't sense a running condition. As for sticking with points, well, the PerTronix will give you better spark energy, quicker starting, smoother running etc. We hear this from customers Every day. Also the points that are made today aren't worth a crap, mostly Chinese junk, and don't last like the old days. This is 2010, not 1968 and Delco doesn't make points anymore. Some guys will stick with points forever and that's there prerogative, but for over 3.5 million people the Ignitors have proven worthwhile,
I was taught never to leave the key on and this was a looooong time before electronic ignition. That's why they have the accessories terminal on the switch. I won't try to bull shit you into thinking I've never done it by accident. Every time it has happened I felt so stupid and embarrassed. I knew better. I guess they don't teach that anymore. My dad would have had no mercy on me.
thanks, i've been looking at Pertronix units for my inline, i'm a little forgetful so i'll buy the ingnitorII unit. @Larry, funny shit...thanks.
thanks guys i didnt know this would happen! ill just buy the Ignitor II and never have this problem right?
Correct, the Ignitor II will not burn up if you leave the power on. The micro porcessor will shut it off if the car isn't running. It also has adaptive dwell that makes the coil run cooler while making better spark energy at all rpm levels
Tommy and I must have had the same teacher as I also was taught from the get go that you don't leave the ignition on for long periods of time. I've towed in and repaired more than one car with points that someone left the key on for an extended period of time back when electronic ignitions were more dream than reality. Best bet is that no matter what kind of ignition you have, unhook the hot wire to the coil if you need to keep the key turned on for an extended period of time for some reason.
I'm as dumb as dirt. Never even knew this was a problem and fortunately never had a problem. I usually don't do it out of what little common sense I have. But honestly never even thought it would be a problem. After driving stuff for 30+ years, I must have done it at least a couple of times. Got lucky I guess. At least now I know why there is an accessory position as opposed to ignition hot. Now I am slightly less stupid after reading this. Thanks.
I "smoked" a Mallory unilight the same way a few years ago. I was working on this guys stereo,it was wired to the "ign." connection on the switch. Long story short, I got to buy him a new unit. I knew not to do that with points systems, but I thought it would be OK with an electronic system. Ouch!! Normal Norman
Last time I did a tune-up on a points-ignition car it cost me around $20 for points, condendser, and rotor. When it comes time for the next tune-up in my truck, I'm gonna go with Pertronix. I like old, low-tech mechanical stuff, but I also like to save money. I looked online and I can get an Ignitor unit and flamethrower coil for just over $100 on Amazon.com. That's only 5 tune-ups.
Remember, one "feature" of points is that, once you file them and set them, they are in proper adjustment, just that one time. The second you fire it up, the block starts to wear, and the contacts start to erode. The spark energy slowly deteriorates over time, until you adjust them again. With regular fuel over $3.00/gallon in many places, wasting fuel for no reason is about the last thing we need to do. With an electronic trigger, you can get longer, hotter sparks. In the case that you use it to trigger a multi-spark box, longer hotter sparks. I have taken "points" cars getting 12MPG and upgraded them to an electronic trigger, better coil, and multi-spark box, and now have them at 20MPG, with no other changes. Performance is cool. Waste is not.
The Jalopy Journal
