Pertronix
April 9th, 2013, 12:16 PM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Fabulous Las Vegas
Posts: 194
April 9th, 2013, 12:35 PM
#3
72 Olds CS
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 6,657
Ive had a dead pertronix right outta the box, another on lost a magnet and only fired on 3 cylyinders till we found th emagnet and glued it back in.
I wouold recheck the set-up first but there is a thing called "infant mortality" in electronics, something marginal gets out into the field and fails shortly after install...My experience is pertronix has been easy to work with
I wouold recheck the set-up first but there is a thing called "infant mortality" in electronics, something marginal gets out into the field and fails shortly after install...My experience is pertronix has been easy to work with
April 11th, 2013, 05:45 AM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Rogues Island, USA
Posts: 3,613
I've had them fail on a customers car. Call to Pertronix had it diagnosed and a replacement sent right out. They are decent to work with.
They will run with a resistor wire but not as well as with a straight 12v. There is a noticeable difference like an HEI.
They will run with a resistor wire but not as well as with a straight 12v. There is a noticeable difference like an HEI.
April 11th, 2013, 05:53 AM
#6
Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Poteau, Ok
Posts: 40,597
April 11th, 2013, 06:03 AM
#7
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
Pertronix is actually deficient in this area, because they more-or-less claim that you can use their product through the ballast resistor, but then when pressed, admit that you can't.
Their instructions make no mention of it:
The Pertonix Q&A do tell you what to check first, though, and tell you to bypass the ballast resistor:
To re-re-re-recap:
The ballast resistor is this thing that is hiding in your wiring harness, placed there by evil GM engineers to entrap hapless motorists who switch to electronic ignition 40 years down the road.
Perhaps if you read any of the many threads on this subject that can be found using the SEARCH function, you will understand.
Start here (and the successive posts),
then here,
then here,
then here.
Then, if you still have questions, ask away!
- Eric
Their instructions make no mention of it:
The Pertonix Q&A do tell you what to check first, though, and tell you to bypass the ballast resistor:
To re-re-re-recap:
The ballast resistor is this thing that is hiding in your wiring harness, placed there by evil GM engineers to entrap hapless motorists who switch to electronic ignition 40 years down the road.
Perhaps if you read any of the many threads on this subject that can be found using the SEARCH function, you will understand.
Start here (and the successive posts),
then here,
then here,
then here.
Then, if you still have questions, ask away!
- Eric
April 11th, 2013, 06:28 AM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Fort Pierce, FL
Posts: 1,124
Do any or all GM cars with non HEI points distributors have the ballast resistor? I have been using Ignitor and Ignitor II for years, and never even considered the resistor. I just made the gap adjustments and connected red to positive, black to negative on the coil. Haven't had a problem in 20+ years and tens of thousands of miles on numerous cars. I am not disputing the 12 volt issue, just trying to increase my knowledge and do it better in the future.
April 11th, 2013, 06:42 AM
#9
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
It is possible, though, that it will run better, even in your car, on 12 volts than on 9. You could experiment by taking a trip where you drive on the resistor one way, then hotwire it from the battery the other way (or get really fancy and rig a temporary switch inside the car).
- Eric
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