Tips on Fitting Petronix

[Phil R]

Similar to a few on here recently I have been having problems with the old girl cutting out randomly then re-starting after a couple of mins.

General consensus was Lumenition issues but after my second replacement eye failed toevencreate a sparkI have opted for a Petronix set up.

I hope to have it for the weekendbut want to make sure I have all the parts needed for the job so my questions are:

- any tips on how to fit (Stagwiki makes it look easy) but will the timing need revisting before she'll fire?

- I have a standard 6v coil - will I need to put a ballast resistor on it or can I wire it straight to the coil? If I do need a ballast resistor are they easy to pick up?

Cheers

Phil

[Stagdad]

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Phil R wrote:

Similar to a few on here recently I have been having problems with the old girl cutting out randomly then re-starting after a couple of mins.

General consensus was Lumenition issues but after my second replacement eye failed toevencreate a sparkI have opted for a Petronix set up.

I hope to have it for the weekendbut want to make sure I have all the parts needed for the job so my questions are:

- any tips on how to fit (Stagwiki makes it look easy) but will the timing need revisting before she'll fire?

- I have a standard 6v coil - will I need to put a ballast resistor on it or can I wire it straight to the coil? If I do need a ballast resistor are they easy to pick up?

Cheers

Phil

Hi Phil ,unit needs 12v sored wire goes to switched 12v (couldpull it of pump inertia switch or from the fuse board)black wire goes to neg on coil .Make sure you have the 2 parts of the base plate connected with an earth lead.make sure your top plate rotates with vacuum applied to the advance /retard tube.Make sure the magnet is pushed fully home .Recheck timing.Thats it IIRC,enjoy.

Cheers Steve

[peter f]

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Hi Phil,

Also get some loctite threadlock for the two small screws that fit into the baseplate. There are only a couple of threads in the baseplate to fasten to and they are VERY easily stripped. Apply the loctite and tighten very carefully, and if you overtighten, the WILL strip.

Good luck,

Peter f

[mattsay]

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Hi Phil,

Is your car a MK1 or MK2?

[StagnJag]

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Phil R wrote:

Similar to a few on here recently I have been having problems with the old girl cutting out randomly then re-starting after a couple of mins.

General consensus was Lumenition issues but after my second replacement eye failed toevencreate a sparkI have opted for a Petronix set up.

I hope to have it for the weekendbut want to make sure I have all the parts needed for the job so my questions are:

- any tips on how to fit (Stagwiki makes it look easy) but will the timing need revisting before she'll fire?

- I have a standard 6v coil - will I need to put a ballast resistor on it or can I wire it straight to the coil? If I do need a ballast resistor are they easy to pick up?

Cheers

Phil

My car started after I fitted my Pertronix, but ran really badly. I checked the timing and it was about 12 degrees out so I would say it definitely needs checking.

Rgds

Dave

[Phil R]

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Thanks all, I am running a MkII if that makes any difference.

Sounds easy ish but always nervous re electornics. Thing is when playing round with the Lumenition I put the old eye in and forgot to secure wires - chopper copped hold and minced the base plate so pretty knackered at mo and going nowhere fast - even if 12 degrees out it will run better than it currently does

Cheers

Phil

[StagnJag]

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LD Part now stock re-manufactured baseplates if yours is knackered.

Rgds

Dave

[Phil R]

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Thanks Dave, already on that one.

Called them yesterday and it arrived today. I have nothing but good to say about the service I have had from LD Part on this and in the past.

Got a fuse box cover I'd been after for 3 years as well

[StagnJag]

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great stuff.

I had some great service from EJ Wards recently. I bought a Supergill read from them and the couriers completely mangled it, managing to completely collapse one of the water tanks. I called Wards up at 2pm and the replacement was sent out straight away and had arrived by 9.30 am the morning after!

Rgds

Dave

[mattsay]

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Hi Phil,

The reason for asking if you have a MK1 or MK2 is because you asked if you would need to fit a ballast resistor with the pertronix.

MK2's have a resistor wire (white and pink wire going to the coil) whereas the MK1's had a physical resistor mounted on or near the coil.

My understanding is that you can continue with your 6 volt coil as is, you just need to make sure that the red wire to the pertronix is connected to a switched 12v supply. Mine and many others are fed from the switched supply of the fuel inertia switch. a) because it is 12v switched supply and b) because if you have a bump (heaven forbid) and the fuel supply is cut off the ignition is also cut off immediately.

Another option is to fit a 12v coil (alot of people go for a Flamethrower coil). If you do this on a MK1 set up you need to bypass the ballast resistor and on a MK2 you can just disconnect the ballast wire and tape it up. You will need a seperate wire froma 12v switched supply to feed the coil since you will have removed the constant supply voltage (only 6v however) supplied via the ballast resistor/wire.

You are now allowing the full 12v to get to the coil, not just when you are cranking - when 12v is supplied directly from the starter motor in order to oversupply the coil to give a bigger spark for starting. If you don't remove the ballast resistor wire you will supply the 12v coil with only 6v.

If you haven't already bought a new 12v coil it might be worth leaving the coil set up as it is and trying the Pertronix (just remember that it should be fed with 12v - not 6v from the coil).

I think I've got the above right. I am sure someone will jump in if not.

Cheers,

Matt.

[singapore stag]

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Alternatively you can get a 3 ohm flamethrower coil for non ballasted ignition or the 1.5 ohm f/thrower coil to use with ballasted ignition which I am using.

Sukh.

[StagnJag]

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I should really check mine. It has a ballast resistor wire, but I have wired my Pertronix as if it were a 12V coil so theoretically it shouldn't work. It does though .

[Phil R]

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Sounds pretty straightforward, as its MkII.

Been tempted with a flamethrower for a while but first thing is to get her back up and running - Saturdays job with any luck. Other bits for the job should be here tomorrow with any luck.

[Stagdad]

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singapore stag wrote:

Alternatively you can get a 3 ohm flamethrower coil for non ballasted ignition or the 1.5 ohm f/thrower coil to use with ballasted ignition which I am using.

Sukh.

Sukh , the instructionsfor the flame thrower say:-

1.5 ohm coils 8 cylinder all applications remove resistor

3.0 ohm coils 8 cylinder all applications coil not recommended.

Cheers Steve