Installing Pertronix tonight, do's and dont's welcome Options

[drewvw]

What's up all. I was MIA in Colorado for awhile but now I am back and ready to continue work on the teener. I searched the archives and read up on the electrionic ignitions and got a good deal on the pertronix one.

Any quick tips for me on the install? seems pretty straight forward...


drew

[anthony]

Pertronix has a reputation for being the most troublesome of these devices. Mostly I think, it is because:

1) people cross wires during installation and blow it up

2) people listen to the radio without the car running and blow it up

3) they don't give enough slack in the wires inside the distributor and then lose some advance and/or the wires wear against something and short out.


Avoid all of the above and you'll be fine.

[Cap'n Krusty]

DO throw it in the trash before it leaves you stranded. DON'T install it in your distributor. The Cap'n, in his role as "The Anti-Pertronix".

[Joe Ricard]

QUOTE (Cap'n Krusty @ Mar 21 2006, 08:01 AM)

DO throw it in the trash before it leaves you stranded. DON'T install it in your distributor. The Cap'n, in his role as "The Anti-Pertronix".

Don't listen to the Krusty one

[Eddie Williams]

QUOTE (anthony @ Mar 21 2006, 10:00 AM)

3) they don't give enough slack in the wires inside the distributor and then lose some advance and/or the wires wear against something and short out.

You forgot to ad "and blow it up."

[rhodyguy]

do carry a set of points (does the pertronixs use a stock condensor?) and a feeler gauge at all times. maybe a stock rotor too?

k

[sean_v8_914]

I did a compufire version. it required me to trim the bottom of teh rotor to compensate for teh thickness of teh disk

[drewvw]

Thanks for the responses. I read about the radio blowing it up thing in past threads, the Pertronix II has something to help with this right?


why does this happen...whats the technical explanation for the "radio blow up" issue?

[Spoke]

QUOTE (drewvw @ Mar 21 2006, 12:09 PM)

Thanks for the responses. I read about the radio blowing it up thing in past threads, the Pertronix II has something to help with this right? why does this happen...whats the technical explanation for the "radio blow up" issue?

I don't think the radio has anything to do with it. 914s lack an "accessory" position on the ignition switch.

The issue is that when the car is running, the coil current is constantly interrupted by Pertronix/points for spark generation and never builds up to extremely high currents. When the key is turned on just to listen to the radio with the engine not running, the coil current isn't interrupted and continues to increase to high current levels which causes heat build up in Pertronix and ultimate failure of the solid state switch in the Pertronix.

I solved the radio thing by adding an extra emergency flasher dashboard switch just to turn the radio on only when the car is off. This way I can listen to the radio when the car is not running.

I also carry extra points and condenser, as well as my feeler gauge, full tool box, spare quart of oil.

Spoke

[drewvw]

QUOTE (Spoke @ Mar 21 2006, 09:29 AM)

The issue is that when the car is running, the coil current is constantly interrupted by Pertronix/points for spark generation and never builds up to extremely high currents. When the key is turned on just to listen to the radio with the engine not running, the coil current isn't interrupted and continues to increase to high current levels which causes heat build up in Pertronix and ultimate failure of the solid state switch in the Pertronix. I solved the radio thing by adding an extra emergency flasher dashboard switch just to turn the radio on only when the car is off. This way I can listen to the radio when the car is not running. I also carry extra points and condenser, as well as my feeler gauge, full tool box, spare quart of oil. Spoke

ok, that makes sense. So as it stands right now, the radio in the car is actually hooked up directly to the battery, and does not need the ignition switch to be turned to be powered on.

Does that mean I wont have this problem, if I do in fact find that the PO wired direct power to the radio?

Also, anything with the timing I should be aware of? Just time it to the mark as per usual correct?

[Joe Ricard]

Yup time it as normal and don't worry about the dwell as the electronics will take care of it.

[Porsche Rescue]

I am about to do the same install.

I assume leaving the key on while trouble shooting an electrical problem would lead to the same damage as playing the radio.

Would disconnecting the hot wire to the coil while working on the electrics solve the problem?

[Spoke]

QUOTE (drewvw @ Mar 21 2006, 12:37 PM)

So as it stands right now, the radio in the car is actually hooked up directly to the battery, and does not need the ignition switch to be turned to be powered on. Does that mean I wont have this problem, if I do in fact find that the PO wired direct power to the radio?

I don't know how the original radios were connected. My 71 needed the key in the "on" position for the radio to come on (I wired the radio). On my 74, the radio is connected to a "hot" wire which always has battery voltage.

If your radio comes on with the key in the "off" position, then it is directly powered from the battery. If it switches on when the key is in the "on" position, then it is connected like most modern cars where removing the key or turning to the "off" position turns the radio off.

Spoke

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

QUOTE (Porsche Rescue @ Mar 21 2006, 10:34 AM)

I am about to do the same install. I assume leaving the key on while trouble shooting an electrical problem would lead to the same damage as playing the radio. Would disconnecting the hot wire to the coil while working on the electrics solve the problem?

Correct on all accounts.

[yarin]

I'm going to install Petronix over the next week or two.

As far as leaving the ignition on goes, does anyone have an approximation for how long it takes a unit to burn out? Are we talking 1/2 hour or one minute?

Thanks

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

I've used the Pertronix and Compufire electronic points for years and neither has left me stranded. Definitely a 'must do' upgrade in my book.

[Spoke]

QUOTE (Porsche Rescue @ Mar 21 2006, 01:34 PM)

I am about to do the same install. I assume leaving the key on while trouble shooting an electrical problem would lead to the same damage as playing the radio. Would disconnecting the hot wire to the coil while working on the electrics solve the problem?

Yep.

My 71 is carburated so the only wire that I have to remove is the +12V wire to the coil.

FI cars may have other wires going to the processor which may need to be disconnected. Someone familiar with FI should chime in here. I would like to know this for my 74 which is FI.

Spoke

[Flat VW]

QUOTE (Cap'n Krusty @ Mar 21 2006, 09:01 AM)

DO throw it in the trash before it leaves you stranded.  DON'T install it in your distributor.  The Cap'n, in his role as "The Anti-Pertronix".

Why, oh Great One?

John (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/pray.gif)

[yarin]

I'm upgrading from Carbs to Megasquirt. i figured i should get rid of points hoping for a slightly cleaner ignition signal. Tinkering with dwell got really annoying, i would much rather just elminate them.

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

QUOTE (Spoke @ Mar 21 2006, 10:39 AM)

FI cars may have other wires going to the processor which may need to be disconnected. Someone familiar with FI should chime in here. I would like to know this for my 74 which is FI.

No damage will occur to FI cars if the key is left on.