pertronix failed again!! any suggestions?

the pertronix in my slant six 41 plymee died for the second time on me. first one was warrantied with a 3 week delay. went through all of their recommended checks ,, coil ohms, grounding etc. running no ballast per their recommendation (pertronix 2 )
i don't want to, but am getting frustrated with repeat failures, and going back to the points. rally fun putting a replacement (spare) dizzy in on the side of the road at night!!!

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/member.php?u=39708 Contact (no pun) this guy.

 

Mallory Unilite conversion 155.99 @ jegs

 

NOS points on evilbay - $5.00.....just sayin'.....

 

the mallory unilight is another one that has a great failure rate. we were replacing them left and right in the 80's
if anything, i'm considering a gm hei conversion

 

Cannot beat a good set of points.

 

lets see now. replace points once every 5 years, or pertronix modules twice a year. ?
hmmmmm will have to think on that.

 

Did you PM the guy? My Pertronix as been fine. I did have an aftermarket module die on an HEI.

 

May not be the case, but in this months Hot Rod there's an article about counterfeit car parts. It's a VERY interesting read. Where did you buy it?

 

going to pm him now thanks

 

Ran a pertronix on a big block Ford for many years and never had a problem Running one in the roadster since build, over one and a half years. so far so good.

 

Two Pertronix kits in two vehicles now. One for 14 yrs., and one for 3 yrs.; both great. Also have a Unilite in another, but with a MSD 6AL ahead of it, so it's protected from voltage spikes that take Unilite pickups out.

 

How about running a HEI module with the points as a trigger?
Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

you can also contact this person. hes kind of a guru with this subject

GMC BUBBA<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> vbmenu_register("postmenu_", true); </SCRIPT>
Old School HAMBer



Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Speedway, IN
Posts: 2,817

 

2 Pertronix in 5 years and 1 set of points.

I"m stickin with points

Oldmics

 

I have a Bubba point set distributer in my Victoria, it has had no problems.

 

yes, i have also had good lusk with them in the past, 8 years in my 500 hp 34 ford 34 coupe, and still running as far as i know.
the last one came direct from pertronix as a warranty replacement, so i know it is genuine..
as for the hei using a points dist. as a trigger, i don't believe that will work. it needs a magnetic impulse to trigger the moduli. they use a mopar electronic dizzt to trigger the module. that's what i am considering now

 

Any chance you left the key in ON position to long while you where building the car or for what ever other reason.

 

I do driveability at my shop.
I routinely replace points with either HEI or Pertronix.
In my opinion, going back to points is going backward.
Engines just run so much better with electronic ignition.
Pertronix has got me, too. Had to be towed once.
Since Pertronix is so easy to install, I think an extra unit in the glovebox is a good idea in case of failure.
HEI, if you can use it, is the best of all.
70s 80s electronic ignitions I believe all have capacitors somewhere under the hood to keep voltage spikes to a minimum.
I've never seen a Pertronix conversion with a capacitor to add on???
You see these capacitors on alternators, ignition coil plus side, etc, on older production vehicles.
There for a reason!
In addition every electrical winding in a computer controlled car has a " clamping device" for voltage spike management.
Every automotive device with a winding in it wants to produce a voltage spike when it is shut off.
So, wiper motors, a/c compressor clutch, ignition coil all should be " clamped"
Go look at a 90s GM a/c compressor harness and look on the connector. That little device is a resistor or diode. Both "clamping devices".
A Fluke Meter, or any good automotive voltmeter with a" min max " setting, connected to the Pertronix power wires will record those spikes.
An ignition coil can produce xx kV, these little windings produce voltage more like in the low hundreds or below.
These spikes' duration are measured in miloseconds, that's why the min-max function is needed to catch the event.
Electronic fuel injectors also have this spike. It's called a " inductive kick".

 

I started using Pertronix ignition modules back when the company name was Perlux and have never had one fail. My last application was the the high frequency arc start on my home made portable TIG welder. When in use it runs between 6000 to 8000 RPM. My experience with Pertronix is that they are very committed to their product.

Did you use silicone dielectric grease between the module and the dizzy plate when you installed the Pertronix module? If not then the module cannot sink the heat into the dizzy plate and the heat will kill the module. For every report of a Pertronix module failing there are millions of them working flawlessly.

McGurk

 

I agree with Smog Guy, but I keep hearing about or seeing my buddies rods crapping out with these "new fangled" elec ignitions. Too many of the parts are coming from China now.

There seems to be a really high failure rate with Pertronix, which I believe is fully sourced out of China now.

I've been running points in my rods forever, but against my better judgement, I'm going to try an elec Mallory dizzy in my 32 this weekend for the HR Hill Climb. If it gives me ANY problems, then it will be Points Forever!

But carry extra Condensers, because you can't find US made ones anymore.

 

Good info! Electronics do not like voltage surges or spikes. You can buy a pack of 1n4005 diodes from radio shack for cheap and will shunt a 600V spike to ground. The diode will be marked with a stripe or band on one end and this is the cathode. You want this end to be connected to the item to be shunted. The other end connects to ground. If you wire it wrong it will smoke and burn up quickly. A 1N4007 diode will shunt 1000V to ground. At least get one on your starter solenoid asap. Late model starter solenoids are labeled "diode suppressed" to indicate they have a diode inside to suppress the spike.

 

Wow.... I forgot the "Perlux" name... I bought one in mid mid 80's and it's still running ok in my 351 W.
I'd be double checking grounds, connections....

4TTRUK

 

I ran a Pertronix unit for five years before (as others had warned) it died without a whimper on a drive in the country one Sunday afternoon. Went back to points and the car has never run better. Electronic's nice, but points will always get you home. Just sayin'.

 

Bingo.

 

I'll have to double check, but I'm almost positive the Pertronix I got about a month ago said 'Made in the USA' on the side of the box...

 

as for carrying a spare, i agree, but you should not have to. have you ever tried changing a distributor or module on a slant six on the shoulder of the road, especially in the dark?
as for the heat sink grease, yes. if you don't use that on a gm module, it will have a short life, but the pertronix unit comes attatched to the heat sink, i guess i could put grease under the heat sink where it attatches to the dizzy.
i've never had a set of points leave me stranded.(well, maybe a condenser once).
the capacitor is worth thinking about.

 

No problems with my pertronix (yet). I run the pertronix coil with it.

 

I replaced all of the stock ignition components (points, condenser, rotor, and cap) in my '51 Ford when I got it in 1987 with 63,000 miles. It just turned 79,000 two weeks ago. All the same components and has never missed a beat in the intervening 26 years. I don't understand why anyone would spend extra money for anything else, unless you're doing some serious racing. And yeah, it's a Load-a-Matic too!

 

I've run Pertronix in all my cars since 2000. No problems so far.