Anyone out there with experience in bench testing a Pertronix ignition module?

Instructions for bench testing says that after hooking everything up, I should get a voltage reading equivalent to the battery I am hooked up to (12V Volts). Then, placing the ring magnet in proximity to the module and rotating it, the voltage should fluctuate between 12 and 0.

However, after hook up, my initial voltage is only reading between 4 and 5 volts. Then, when I do the magnet thing it fluctuates between 12 and 4-5 volts. I tried this test on both a car battery and a 12 Volt power supply and got the same results.

I had previously suspected that this module was bad, so I sent it to Pertronix to be tested. They sent it back to me saying it tested out as good. I am in a quandary as to whether or not I have a bad module.

Pic below of how I hooked it up per the instructions -

Opinions? Thanks.

Click to view attachment

You can add a resistor load on the output of the Pertronix to help pull up the 4-5V reading to zero.

Any resistor between 200 and 20000 ohms would work. Preferably around 1k ohm would be good.

Did you downloaded all the pertinent diagnosis info off of their website including the correct matching coil? Other than matching it with the correct sized coil about the only thing that can be off is the vertical alignment of the 2 pieces or a fried pick up. If the pick up fried you'll see the brown discoloring and it will not start .

Yeah, I have a feeling the vertical alignment was not correct the last time I tried it installed in the car. I will try it again in the car tomorrow with the "correct" alignment and their recommended .030 air gap. And, yes, I am running a correct coil for Pertronix purposes and no, there is no physical evidence that the module is fried. Thanks for everyone's input. I'll post again if I have success or not.

Ansbacher

Well, installed it 100% correct today. Still would not fire up. I think I can assume this relatively brand-new Pertronix is a dead duck. Put the old reliable points back in and am up and running again.

Ansbacher