I just completed installing the Ignitor II and Flame Thrower coil. When I went to start the car, the engine cranks but does not start. I had already installed new plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor. What should I do to troubleshoot the problem? Thanks.

I had removed the distributor to install the Ignitor II but installed it back in the same position. I had also marked the rotor's position prior to removal and re-installed it pointing at the spot I had marked.

I will appreciate ideas on troubleshooting the reason why the car won't start. Thanks in advance.

1st question is, "Do you have spark at all?".

I would definitely make sure you have all your connections plugged in and nothing else came loose while you were in the engine bay. Also, check your the ground wire for the distributor points plate....if those come off or get broken, it can cause start issues.
In my experience with Pertronix, the dizzy position that you had with points may not be the correct position after Pertronix gets installed. I've had to advance mine some
to get it to start.....
Doesn't the Ignitor II require better spark plug wires?

I just installed an electronic ignition to replace the points.

First mistake was hooking up the wires wrong even after reading the instructions.

The pertronix wires hook to the coil +(IGN) and the coil -.
The module grounds through the distributor.

I hooked mine between the coil - and chassis GND like the points would.
This was incorrect.

No need to change ignition wires. Make sure the magnetic pickup is pushed down all the way. Mine required a fair amount of force. Also make sure you're air gap is within specs.

Keith

I just looked this up on the Pertronix website....IF you are running an Ignitor II
you can't use solid core copper wires, they need to be spiral wound wires. With
the Ignitor I, regular wires are fine. So, to the OP....are you using the correct
plug wires for the Ignitor II?

Thanks, everyone. I checked and had no spark. I think I may have blown the Ignitor II module. I will re-install the points and condenser tomorrow and check for spark. As for the plug wires, I installed Magnecor KV85 wires, which are supposed to be spiral wound.

If I did blow out the Ignitor II module, could there be any additional damage to the electrical system?

At first I was thinking that you could not hurt the unit by hooking it up wrong.

However... If you hook the - (black) to Coil + (Ign) and + (Red) to Coil -.

Then if you crank the engine, the module will be shorting IGN straight to GND without the ~3 Ohm coil in line.

I would think the unit would be designed to handle that at least a few times, but

I bet its something really simple after you changed so many things at once.

Did the rotor fit all the way down onto the dist shaft so that the notch engages?

That is why luskesq mentioned above that the disk with the magnets must be pressed down very firmly to get it over the dist shaft all the way.

If you don't see melted wires probability is NO, but the module could be dead.

The Ignitor II module I received is part # 91847V, which is for vacuum advance distributors. My Bosch 009 is mechanical and should be using part # 91847A. Can this be the cause for no spark and/or the engine not starting? Thanks again for your help!

The Ignitor II module I received is part # 91847V, which is for vacuum advance distributors. My Bosch 009 is mechanical and should be using part # 91847A. Can this be the cause for no spark and/or the engine not starting? Thanks again for your help!

That unit states "Built in reverse polarity and over current protection shuts down the system, preventing component damage."

So chances are that you didnt hurt it even if you did hook it up wrong.

And I dont see why the cent. adv. versus the vac advance is different unless the internals of the dist are different (where it bolts down).

Did the base of the unit go into the alignment hole?

If the module sits too far back from the spinning rotor, then it wont trigger.
If you put a voltmeter on the coil negative and slowly turn the engine with the ignition ON then you should see the voltage go from 12V to 0V 4 times as the dist turns around.
You can do that test with the dist cap off while watching it.

Heck you could do that test with the dist in your hand if you grounded it to chassis and turned the dist drive shaft.

i've burned up both compufire and mallory modules. when i looked t the bottom side of the comp i could see solder flow. took the whole thing out, put points & conden in the 009 and drove away. operator error on the mallory. drove to baxters and bought a new one. i idiot proofed the wiring. white and red fingernail polish dabs on the bullet connecters.

put your points and cond in.