Pertronix swap suckfest

[Eyesquad]

Howdy, 

 

Looked around a bit and can't find what i'm looking for, it might be on here and if it is, please feel free to link it so I can feel right assy about not locating it before asking. 

 

Installing a pertronix on a 71 510. My setup wasn't resistor so I hooked it up that way. I can get it to go on ether, but nothing else. So, I then ran a resistor in line on the positive side, same thing. It sounds like the car is out of time, but I haven't changed timing during the install. I am using the coil that was in the car before. I'm pretty crappy at the testing thing with a multimeter so there's that. The magnetic ring has some plastic wrapping on it so I chucked that. Still same thing. There is no adjustment on the setup like with the points so cant adjust air gap. 

 

Any ideas on what might be wrong with this crap limited info?

[datzenmike]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Disconnect the negative terminal on the coil and measure the coil resistance between the + and - .

 

If around 1.5 ohms keep the ballast and wire it like the top picture.

 

If around 3 ohms remove ballast and wire like second picture

[Eyesquad]

I just used the wires that were already there. I'm guessing that the coil isnt firing once its back to run position. I figured though it was running that way before, why would it be different now. I've wired it both of those ways, but havent checked the ohms on the coil. I am also using the coil that it had with the points. Its getting spark, but looks a bit weak. I last wired it up with a ballast, i'll wire it back up without the ballast as thats how it was with the points and maybe run a hotter coil. The other thing that is new, is that it has valve sounds. I chalked that up to the ether. 

 

Thanks for the diagram! 

[datzenmike]

I wouldn't go lower than a 3 ohm coil as that will draw more current through the pertronix module and may damage it. Stick with 3 ohm coil OR 1.5 ohm coil and the 1.5 ohm ballast which adds up to 3 also.

 

Presumably the previous owner used a 3 ohm coil or the extra current would have quickly burned the points out.

 

 

Power to the pertronix should not go through the ballast resistor.

[grannyknot]

18 hours ago, Eyesquad said:

The magnetic ring has some plastic wrapping on it so I chucked that.

Don't remove the tape, that's what is holding the magnets in place, it says it in big red block letters on the first page of the instructions.  Also the Pertronix module doesn't like having power going to it if the engine isn't running.  So if you are working on the car with the ignition power on for any length of time disconnect the module or it will get fried.

Here's the instructions in case you don't have them,

http://www.thisoldtractor.com/mg_manuals/pertronix_instructions.pdf

[datzenmike]

One (of many) of the advantages of the Nissan EI module itsthat you CAN leave on indefinitely with no harm. If it receives no pulses from a starting or running engine it stands down.

[john510]

4 hours ago, grannyknot said:

Don't remove the tape, that's what is holding the magnets in place, it says it in big red block letters on the first page of the instructions.  Also the Pertronix module doesn't like having power going to it if the engine isn't running.  So if you are working on the car with the ignition power on for any length of time disconnect the module or it will get fried.

Here's the instructions in case you don't have them,

http://www.thisoldtractor.com/mg_manuals/pertronix_instructions.pdf

I almost said the same thing about the tape on the magnet but wasn't positive.I remember installing that kit and seeing the tape.I'm glad i read the directions first.

[Eyesquad]

Well crap. I didn't see that in my instructions, must have missed the tape thing. 

 

I think my problems might be bigger than the tape. I think I have a dead short somewhere in the system. With the power on, I have power to the positive, and negative side of the coil and when I check the distributor for ground, the case of the distributor is hot too. I'm looking a bit further in to it. I'll have to order a new ring I guess. I'll keep a status posted here. Got my brother coming by tomorrow to look at it. 

 

Thanks for the responses!

[wayno]

Pertronics units are easily fried, I smoked two 1741 units by accidentally double clicking them when I was using alligator clips to power them while setting up a distributor in my 320, that was an expensive couple of mistakes I made that day, since then I use matchbox distributors as I have never had one go bad even when wired backwards, or I use MG electronic distributors as they are cheap and easy to get parts for.

 

So you ripped off that green plastic tape off the magnet under the rotor?

[datzenmike]

41 minutes ago, Eyesquad said:

Well crap. I didn't see that in my instructions, must have missed the tape thing. 

 

I think my problems might be bigger than the tape. I think I have a dead short somewhere in the system. With the power on, I have power to the positive, and negative side of the coil and when I check the distributor for ground, the case of the distributor is hot too. I'm looking a bit further in to it. I'll have to order a new ring I guess. I'll keep a status posted here. Got my brother coming by tomorrow to look at it. 

 

Thanks for the responses!

 

A short is a an unwanted path to ground around an intended load. A fuse will blow or something will get hot.

 

Not sure what you mean but power only goes to the + side of the coil, the negative side goes to the pertronix. You may 'see' some power on the negative side but you are reading it through the coil from the + side.