pertronix issues

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Jp5

Jp5

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happy new year folks,
question for anyone running an ignitor 2. i installed my kit per instructions, gapped it, etc, but now my car feels sedated. its starts and runs but just a little worse. with points my cold start was sharp within a few cranks. with the pertronix it's a harder start, little grumpy, and my performance has dulled. at high revs the thing sputters. i'm temped to go back to points, but i thought id check in here for anything y'all might be able to point out. going to try jumping the ballast today to see if thats it. if not i may have this thing for sale.
225 slant 6
 
Jp5 said:
happy new year folks,
question for anyone running an ignitor 2. i installed my kit per instructions, gapped it, etc, but now my car feels sedated. its starts and runs but just a little worse. with points my cold start was sharp within a few cranks with the pertronix it's a harder start, little grumpy, and my performance has dulled. at high revs the thing sputters. i'm temped to go back to points, but i thought id check in here for anything y'all might be able to point out. going to try jumping the ballast today to see if thats it. if not i may have this thing for sale.
225 slant 6
Click to expand...
 
forgot to mention, when i put the pedal to the floor and let off it also feels like it gets stuck at wot for a second. anyone ever experience that?
 
If you jumper the ballast don't do it for very long or you risk burning up the coil unless you have an aftermarket with the correct ohm rating for the full 12v.
If the Pertronics unit is running off the ballast that may very well be the problem, as those are supposed to be 12v supplied if I remember correctly.
You could still use the ballasted coil but run the Pertronics unit off the input side of the ballast.
That way the coil could be ballasted, but the Pertronics unit not.
Or you could use a coil made for the full 12v ohm rating and eliminate the ballast completely.

Check your throttle linkage for anything interfering, as I have NEVER seen any ignition system cause the stuck open feeling.
 
TrailBeast said:
If you jumper the ballast don't do it for very long or you risk burning up the coil unless you have an aftermarket with the correct ohm rating for the full 12v.
If the Pertronics unit is running off the ballast that may very well be the problem, as those are supposed to be 12v supplied if I remember correctly.
You could still use the ballasted coil but run the Pertronics unit off the input side of the ballast.
That way the coil could be ballasted, but the Pertronics unit not.
Or you could use a coil made for the full 12v ohm rating and eliminate the ballast completely.

Check your throttle linkage for anything interfering, as I have NEVER seen any ignition system cause the stuck open feeling.
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thanks, trail beast.
i do have the flame thrower coil that came with the ignitor so i think i'm good there? after i jumped the ballast it did seem to wake it up a little which is nice, but now at wot the thing goes limp on me. feels ok up to about 3k revs then it reaches a consistent sputter/loss of power/humming noise. almost feels like it's out of gas then if i back off the throttle it comes back to life. this didn't happen with my points.
 
Jp5 said:
thanks, trail beast.
i do have the flame thrower coil that came with the ignitor so i think i'm good there? after i jumped the ballast it did seem to wake it up a little which is nice, but now at wot the thing goes limp on me. feels ok up to about 3k revs then it reaches a consistent sputter/loss of power/humming noise. almost feels like it's out of gas then if i back off the throttle it comes back to life. this didn't happen with my points.
Click to expand...

is it at all possible that the electronic ignition improved vacuum just enough to introduce me to a carb problem i didn't know i had?
 
Jp5 said:
is it at all possible that the electronic ignition improved vacuum just enough to introduce me to a carb problem i didn't know i had?
Click to expand...

I doubt that.
But is possible to have a fuel filter plugging up, and it would probably be on my list of next thing to check.
Of course it's also possible that there is a problem with the Pertronics unit.
Maybe give them a call and let them know what it is doing.

Pertronics support
440 East Arrow Highway
San Dimas, CA 91773
Phone: (909) 547-9058
Fax: (909) 599-6424
 
When I called them they were very helpful and didn't have to wait for an hour on hold unlike some other companies.
 
Did you recheck your timing? The process of installing the Pertronix can absolutely change the static timing on the car, and that could give you all of the problems you describe except maybe the throttle stick issue.
 
Pertronics is junk. I had one in my /6 car, and it would cut out around 4000rpm.
My suggestion, go electronic. Get yourself a 73 up elec ign distributor, and start from there.
Information on the upgrade is all over the web.
 
Johnny Dart said:
Pertronics is junk. I had one in my /6 car, and it would cut out around 4000rpm.
My suggestion, go electronic. Get yourself a 73 up elec ign distributor, and start from there.
Information on the upgrade is all over the web.
Click to expand...

If that was your issue you likely had a bad part, or weren't sending the right voltage to it. I've run them successfully on several cars without any issues like you describe, including a Pertronix billet standalone distributor in my Challenger for most of the 60k miles I put on it. All I've changed in that time is the cap and rotor. Running an orange box ECU on the stock electronic ignitions can cause very similar issues, the orange ECU's are junk over about 5k rpm and start having issues even below that. And they fail like crazy. The stock electronic ignition is decent, but I wouldn't run it with a Mopar ECU anymore. Using FBO parts with the stock electronic set up is a decent way to go. I've gone to standalone distributers in all of mine though, getting rid of the ballast and separate ECU is the better way to go IMHO.
 
I put Pertronix on two V-8 cars including my Barracuda and they exceeded all expectations. They will blow through plug wires so you have to put really good wires on when you use them. Never did a 6 though, don't know about all that.
 
I put that pertronix kit and coil on my
dart fires up nice runs smooth
now I havent drove the car yet its .up
on jack stands.
 
thesiren74 said:
Check you timing.
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X3. The Pertronix unit sets on the breaker plate in a different position than the points. Check your timing first and let us know what it is before adjusting. I'll bet it's 15° or so off.
 
Like others, my Pertronix works great. 8mm wires and a Flamethrower coil with plugs gapped at .045. Its running before the key is released!!
 
toolmanmike said:
X3. The Pertronix unit sets on the breaker plate in a different position than the points. Check your timing first and let us know what it is before adjusting. I'll bet it's 15° or so off.
Click to expand...

I wondered about that, but didn't know for sure that they did.
That's a good one for the memory banks.
I would hope the installation directions mention that.
 
Yes verify timing.

My III unit with recommended plug wires, igniter III coil and solid 12awg hidden bypass on the ballast has exceeded my expectations! My engine has never run better compared to a gold box, orange box, MSD, Mallory HYFIRE or anything else I have tried! Next to the Chrysler Gold this has been the best and so simple. Nice to hide it all for the factory 69 look!

I just wish they would have been available in the late 80's. Would have saved me lots of grief and cash!
 
Last edited:
See post #4......Read the directions...... Igniter II and flame thrower. Doesn't the instructions say to bypass the ballast? Mine did! Do NOT remove the ballast resistor or resistance wire if the primary resistance is lower than specified, or if you are using the stock coil. NOTE: REMOVE OR BYPASS EXTERNAL BALLAST RESISTOR OR RESISTANCE WIRE WHEN INSTALLING THE RECOMENDED FLAME-THROWER COIL.
 
thanks again everyone. i'll get into my timing and see what happens. will post results.
jp
 
66fyssh said:
Like others, my Pertronix works great. 8mm wires and a Flamethrower coil with plugs gapped at .045. Its running before the key is released!!
Click to expand...

66fyssh, did you run a new wire from the flamethrower to a 12v switched circuit?
 
toolmanmike said:
X3. The Pertronix unit sets on the breaker plate in a different position than the points. Check your timing first and let us know what it is before adjusting. I'll bet it's 15° or so off.
Click to expand...

toolman, yup my ignition was way out. about 25 degrees advanced actually. so now i'm trying to return to zero and the best i can get is about 15 degrees advance based on the existing dot. any thoughts on getting this thing to zero? is this where folks will pull the distributor and rotate it a notch?
 
I connected at the ballast connection.

Do you have an electric choke on the carb? If so, that would be 12v switched.
 
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