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You Warned Me - Pertronix Bites The Dust

J

jeffnick

Regular Contributor
VP 260A. I wanted to get rid of the points. Bought the Pertronix Igniter and Flamethrower coil. About a year after installing it I began having trouble starting, especially when cold. Rebuilt the carb thinking it was fuel. Last week it wouldn't light up no matter what I did. Put the points back in and she lit right up. Then it got rough after running about an hour (at 1600 rpm). Then started really stumbling. Found the Flamethrower extremely hot. Put the old coil back in and problem solved.

So, if I still wanted to go pointless, what would be the recommendation today.
 
In this engine, and carbureted, my personal choice (based on years of experience), would be the magnetic reluctor triggering and with mechanical advance.
Mallory's YLM 624 AV fits this bill!

If you want an EST system, look into one if Delco's units!
These use Photo-eye triggering.
EST = electronic spark timing.

With either, your engine build will greatly influence the ignition curve and TA.
(I.E., quench -vs- no quench)


BTW and FWIW, Chrysler pioneered the VR system in the 70's, and it has proven to be a very good system in the years that followed.


.
 
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kimcrwbr1 said:
Were you running the igniter and flame thrower coil off of the resistor wire from the ignition switch. Confirm you are getting the proper voltage to the new ignition you may have fried the pertronix if you were running ballast voltage to the igniter. I believe the flame thrower coil also requires battery voltage not ballast voltage. Just somthing to look at before running the new ignition. The reason for the ballast resistor/wire is to keep from burning up points. Low voltage will fry most any electronic ignition system.
Click to expand...
I took out the ballast resistor as instructed by Pertronics. But thanks for the tip on voltage...I'll check to make sure I'm feeding the new one 12.
 
There are many thousands of Pertronix and alike electronic ignition systems working worldwide in cars, boats and other vehicles with no problems whatsoever. I don't say they are indestructible (they are not!!!) but I suggest that either there was something wrong with your unit or there is something wrong with your wiring or with another component. Generally, those units either work or they don't. kimcrwbr1 gave you some great advice.
 
I checked - there is full voltage at the coil wire starting and running. There was no resistor when using the Flamethrower coil.

I now have an oil pressure alarm so it won't happen again, but I may have left the key on while the motor was not running -- could that have contributed to the failure?
 
el_pescador said:
There are many thousands of Pertronix and alike electronic ignition systems working worldwide in cars, boats and other vehicles with no problems whatsoever. I don't say they are indestructible (they are not!!!) but I suggest that either there was something wrong with your unit or there is something wrong with your wiring or with another component. Generally, those units either work or they don't. kimcrwbr1 gave you some great advice.
Click to expand...

I have been running Pertronix for 7 years without any issues. You do have to shut off the ignition when the engine is not running or you can cook the unit.
 
I've been an electronics design engineer almost all of my career. Started with a few years in military/aerospace and then went to the commercial, mission critical, communications world. What I've found, is that consumer products are designed to sell "for a price" and then often redesigned for "cost reduction". This often results in products that work well in an "ideal" world. Testing and design criteria for commercial products are often "limited". What I learned in my military world time is that the operational reliability of any electronics device is greatly impacted by its environment. Second only to guided missiles in severity of environment, is "shipboard". For all practical purposes, there is little difference between one's 25 ft center console and a destroyer. Many consumer producers think that just coating the product in goop or potting it in epoxy is all you have to do. IMHO, the fact that a Petronix ignition module will die if left on and not running is a design flaw. Being left on while the engine is not running is a predictable operational situation that one should design for. The fact that being left on is also an issue for some point style systems does not relieve the designer of an electronics system from taking precautions against this failure mode in their product.
There is a concept of robustness of design, i.e., that a product works and works well over the full temperature, humidity, vibration and component accuracy/drift range.
 
So I wonder now if the EST is subject to the same self destruction as the Pertronix if the key is on with the motor not running?
 
Back to the thread title...... "You Warned Me - Pertronix Bites The Dust"

Take heed, my friends..... steer clear of Pertronix, and you'll be OK!
 
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