Ignitor ignition substitute by Petronix

[Derek De Ville]

I have a 1965 Tbird which I have owned since brand spanking new.
It has always had the original distributor with breaker points and I would like to change it to a breakerless electronic ignition.
I know Petronix produces the "ignitor" in kit form which goes inside the
distributor.
I would appreciate any information regarding same and whether or not
one brand is better then another. I think Petronix has several types on the market. If someone has already installed one with success I would appreciate hearing from them. thanks.

[Ken(Ark)]

This looks like an old message but maybe someone else would like to read replies.

I have installed Pertronix ignitions in old Ford N tractors with great results .

We have a few heated debates over points vs electronic ignitions at the tractor boards . What has come from it is : They are worth it only for not having to change points every few years .

EI will not give you a hotter spark , thats the coils job . EI will not give you more power or make it run smoother than properly adjusted points , thats timing , carburetor , etc . EI will help if you plan on exceeding 5K rpm . Points dont care if you reverse the polarity on accident while jump starting .

If it is not a 100% correct show car I would pull the whole distributor and save it , then buy a complete mallory unit .

[nagel]

Pertronics works well. I have noticed a 3mpg increase since i installed it.
Runs a lot smoother too. Read all the instructions first throughly. If you do it will be a 20 min. job.

[RobertZpianoman]

I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT GOING FROM THE CORRECT SIDE OF THE BALLAST RESISTOR FROM THE KEY SWITCH WIRE LET'S CALL THAT WIRE KEYSWITCH WIRE "A" ON ONE END OF YOUR FIREWALL MOUNTED BALLAST RESISTOR...(LOCATED UNDER THE HOOD ,EASY TO VIEW ON YOUR YEAR TOO), HOWEVER YOU WISH, JOIN A DEFINITE RED COLOR #14 SIZED AUTOMOTIVE TYPE COATING WIRE AVAIL. AT ANY AUTO STORE (DON'T USE LAMP CORD)..FROM THAT PLACE GO TO YOUR NEW PETRONIX UNIT THAT WOULD BE BY NOW( MOUNTED INSIDE DISTRIBUTOR IN PLACE OF POINTS ON THE SLIDEING BREAKER PLATE SURFACE WITH INTERNAL ORIGINAL GROUND WIRE FROM DISTRIBUTOR CASE TO BREAKER PLATE SCREW at your NEW petronix (which i suggest you use a s p e c i a l screw "holding "screwdriver $3.00 at any tool specialty store ,or put a small cloth in areas where a 1/8 th lenth screw would come out of plate and fall d o w n into the under SIDE plate area of your project area.. AND PROPERLY GAP'ED WITH THE CLEAR PLASTIC TAB PROVIDED WITH KIT , BETWEEN HIGHEST PART OF THE DISTRIBUTOR "LOBE" ( THE NEWER BLACK PLASTIC ADDED ROTOR WHEEL ON THE SHAFT REPLACING THE " OLD ROTOR" ON THE DISTRIBUTOR CAM SHAFT , AND THE ELECTRONIC "CUBE "PETRONIX PART RED WIRE ,WHICH FEEDS THRU DISTRIBUTOR CASE WHERE OLD BLACK WIRE FROM COIL WAS BEFORE...THERE NOW WE HAVE SWITCHED POWER FROM KEY SWITCH TO THE NEW UNIT.SO....THE BLACK WIRE FROM THAT UNIT WHICH YOU ALREADY HAVE FED THRU DISTRIBUTOR CASE WOULD NOW GO TO NEGATIVE TERMINAL OF YOUR COIL AS THE OLD WIRE DID FROM COIL BEFORE. NEXT FOR YOUR INFROMATION THE OTHER SIDE END OF THE BALLAST RESISTOR GOES FROM FACTORY WIRING TO STARTER SOLINOID (IGNITION TERMINAL) AND AS WELL TO THE P O S I T I V E SIDE TERMINAL OF YOUR COIL, GIVING COIL A LOWER THAN 12 VOLTS TO COIL SO IT WON'D FRY. THATS FACTORY WIRING. SO READY ? NOT QUITE ...GET A 1/2 INCH OPEN END WRENCH ,AND LOOSEN BOLT NEXT TO DISTRIBUTOR AT ENGINE BLOCK RELIVING STRESS ON FORK TYPE METAL HOLDER AT DISTRIBUTOR OIL CAST FLANGE AREA, REMOVE VACUUM (HOPEFULLY A HOSE) AT THE VACUUM ADVANCE CAN ON THE SIDE OF THE DISTRIBUTOR AND PUT A SCREW IN IT LARGE ENOUGH TO STOP AIR FROM GOING INTO IT...AND THEN WITH CAR IN PARK...AND OPTIONAL EMERG. BRAKE ON ..START CAR LET IT ROUGHLY RUN TO WARM UP A LITTLE THEN HIT GAS PEDAL ALITTLE TO RELIVE FAST IDLE CAM NOW WITH ENGINE AT A SLOWER IDLE SWIVEL DISTRIBUTOR A LITTLE (LEFT OR RIGHT BY A MAXIMUM OF 1/2 INCHES) WHICH EVER WAY MAKES IT SMOOTH OUT FROM ROUGH RUNNING APPEARANCE..AND SOUND TILL THE MOTOR TAKES THE GAS WITHOUT FALLING ONTO A NOSE DIVE..OR GO GET CAR TIMED BY A SHOP. I DONT USE A TIMING LITE AS THESE FORDS CAN RUN 30 DEGREES ADVANCED!! BUT PREFERENCE IS USUALLY 06 DEGREES ADVANCE BEFORE TOP DEAD CENTER. FOR $ 40.00 ANY REPUTABLE MECHANIC WILL TIME YOUR CAR AND SHOW YOU DWELL INFRO: RANGE on a fancy SCOPE ...saving your lower back a lot of pain and your hand from trying to budge a stuck distributor in the motor casting. any way i did my third '58 352 cid. t bird this way . each time (lucky me ) only takes 30 minutes tops for the whole operation here in cookeville tennesee and wow what a difference ...no more un happy rookie t bird mechanic. smoothest ever motor and pe r f o r m a n c e ! good luck with all. i am 62 and i can do it all over again as i belive this is what beats points every time..but keep a set in vehicle tool pak as not all electronics are reliable as a mechanical contact point set would ever proove to be (logic!) , it's just those triac's inside unit can fry if you leave the darn key on IN THE IGNITION MODE for a" radio"... remember key off if motor is not moving! A HUGE warning is on "forums" on internet at pertonix site. (CAR FORUMS . com )and 25 each testimonials 99% love these little brain units. robert zeoli.

[bromhead]

took some sorting out but eliminated the resistor and w their coil has the proper voltage needed,,55 12 volt runs great