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I have a 1972 cutlass s with 350 2 barrel and 350 transmission. I replaced the points with pertronix 2 and matching coil. It started great for a short time. But I also had it wired with the resistor wire. Has cut off and the last time I drove it had to be towed home. Since then I found the black wire from module have grounded out. Fixed that car started great but died 20 minutes later. Also ran new wire from ignition terminal from fuse box. And it ran for about 45 minutes and I thought problems was solved. But went out this morning and it went hot a lick for nothing. Any ideas?
I have a 1972 cutlass s with 350 2 barrel and 350 transmission. I replaced the points with pertronix 2 and matching coil. It started great for a short time. But I also had it wired with the resistor wire. Has cut off and the last time I drove it had to be towed home. Since then I found the black wire from module have grounded out. Fixed that car started great but died 20 minutes later. Also ran new wire from ignition terminal from fuse box. And it ran for about 45 minutes and I thought problems was solved. But went out this morning and it went hot a lick for nothing. Any ideas?
idk
always start at square 1..
I'd say after that replace ignition. I have the crane cams, one...never gave an issue
Yah so seems like you started at giving power, and it's no spark. So I'd say it's the pertonox. Pertonox, is a common brand of a points electronic conversion. I have crane cams version.
I moved your post and responses to a new thread, no reason to resurrect an old one that was about a points system. Is your Pertronix II wired by figure 2 or 3, note the yours has a resistor wire in place of the ballast resistor? Have you made sure you have 12v at the coil plus terminal in both the start and run key positions?
I moved your post and responses to a new thread, no reason to resurrect an old one that was about a points system. Is your Pertronix II wired by figure 2 or 3, note the yours has a resistor wire in place of the ballast resistor? Have you made sure you have 12v at the coil plus terminal in both the start and run key positions?
By 3 I guess. It does have 12+ volts when switched on and running. Do I need to remove the resistor wire even though I ran a new wire from ignition terminal from fuse panel?
So you have the original resistance wire connected to the coil pos post and the red wire from the Pertronix connected to the wire you ran from the IGN terminal in the fuse box?
Or do you have the original resistance wire, the wire from the IGN terminal in the fuse box, and the red wire from the Pertronix all connected to the coil pos terminal?
Remove the resistance wire and the red wire from the coil. Tape the end of the resistance wire and connect a 12ga jumper wire direct from the battery (pos) to the red wire. Try and start the engine. If it runs fine, you had a low power situation and need to check your connections or find a different key on source. If you connect a test light to the neg side of the coil it should blink while cranking to show that the sensor is actually sending a ground pulse to the coil to fire.
Note in order to shut the engine off you must disconnect the jumper from the battery.
If it still won't start, is wired correctly, and you have around a .030 gap between the magnet and the pickup, the Pertronix is bad.
Ok I did what you said and still no start. I have a new pertronix module and coil coming this week. Hope this fixes it . I'd like to drive it again. Kinda miss it.
I was just thinking, you need to connect the red wire and the battery jumper to the coil+ terminal and then crank it over. What I told you to do above left no connection to the coil, right?
I had a problem with a Pertronix unit when I worked in a shop back in the day. I called Pertronix and they gave me a simple test to perform but for the life of me I can't remember the procedure. They are very helpful on the phone and will help you right out, give them a call.
As Tedd may remember, I used to be a big proponent of Pertronix and he was a big proponent of points. When the Pertronix is working it is maintenance free. I had the Pertronix in my 54 leave me on the side of the road last year. I went back to points and keep points, condenser, rotor and cap in the trunk. I am now in the Tedd camp. You will not see any increase in power on the basic Pertronix.
If you are wired like picture 3 above, you can still run the Pertronix and keep a set of points and condenser in the car if it fails. All you need to do is pull the magnet of the shaft, remove the sensor and, install/set the points and condenser using the sensor black wire to coil-.
That is what I plan to do once I get the new stuff. Yall are a big help. I've done these swaps before with no issues. But as soon as the new parts come in I'll post an update. And in the meantime I am going to get new points and coil and set them for use in case of failure of the pertronix again.
You shouldn't have to keep a extra coil on hand (unless you are afraid of your old coil could given it up) as points will run just fine on the Pertronix coil or vice a versa. You will need a condenser as mentioned above... Tedd
Last edited by Tedd Thompson; April 26th, 2018 at 08:21 PM.
You would need to re attach the ballast resistor if you haven't removed it if using points but the Flame Thrower though it has a catchy label will run point just fine.... Tedd
One trick on the resistor is putting both leads on the same terminal on the resistor. That way you can put it back in use real easy if you need to go back to points. The other benefit is most people would never notice both leads are on the same terminal so it still looks stock.
My apologies about connecting the wires on the resistor. That would work on mine and Tedd's car where we have a resistor. I knew the 72 had a resistor wire and just was not thinking.
After a bit of research, the recommended method using the Pertronix II with a Blaster II coil is not to use the resistance wire. So tape the ends of the resistance wire and the bypass wire from the starter, and stow them away. Run a 12ga wire from the IGN terminal in the fuse box to the coil + terminal with the red wire from the Pertronix II module. Connect the black Pertronix II module wire to the negative side of the coil. Basically you are wired as per figure 2 above. You should have 12v on the coil+ terminal in both run and start key positions.
Ok so now I have installed new points and condenser and coil still won't start. I have battery voltage at the coil. I don't get it it should start grrrr.
Use a jumper wire from the positive battery lug connected to the positive side of the coil and the old black wire connected from the negative side of the coil to the points. You need to adjust the point gap .016 on high point of the distributor cam or a 30* dwell.
Note once the engine starts in order to turn it off remove the jumper wire.
Yes distributor was removed but was reinstalled and timed to 10 degrees. For some reason I have lost power on the distributor neg side of coil. And yes checked spark no spark.
There is voltage on the negative side of the coil only when the point are open when the engine is turning. When the points close there is no voltage as it completes the circuit providing ground to the coil. Sounds to me that the points are not opening. Once you get the point gap correct, advance the distributor a little more to get the engine to fire. Once running set your dwell and timing.
April 21st, 2018, 04:04 PM
