I just smoked a pertronix(ignitor) system in my 914. I installed as per instructions removed points and condensor and hooked pertronix red to positive side of coil and black to negative. I did notice the points and condensor went to positive side of coil there was no wires going from distributor to negative side of coil although there is wires hooked up to negative side.

Positive side, marked with a "+" and/or a "15", gets a thick black wire with a red stripe. Negative side, marked with a "-" and/or a "1", gets a thin black wire with a violet stripe and the green wire from the condenser/points. Cheap junk aftermarket condensers may have a black wire, but it should be obvious where the wires came from. It appears from your description that you've mixed up the terminals on the coil, as well as missed the whole concept. While the terminals are important, the car will run with the terminals reversed. It will NOT run with the "-" side of the Pertronix plugged into the +12v wire. Too bad, but you'll need another points replacement unit. The Cap'n

You got caught by the same thing that I did when I first installed a Mallory Unilite. PO had run the wires reversed, and the black/red and black/purple wires often fade to the point that they both look just black.

Always note which black wire is connected to the wire from the distributor, and mark it. Then connect the Pertonix black wire to the same post as that wire (should be -), and connect the red wire to the other post (should be +) with the other black wire.

Smoked the Unilite when I did this, and had to spend another $80.

also... pertronix's only work within a range of coil impedances.....

Recurring Theme,

Recipe ideas,

Broiled Pertronix,

Flambeed Pertronix,

Simmered Pertronix with rice...



Pertronix seems to have a racket going here.... 1.5 units per customer?


John

P.S. Billy, I feel your pain, I really do.

Waaal, some bad news here....no matter how many ya smoke, they won't get ya high....Jus makes you cough and gives ya a headache.............

For the cost of most Petronix installations, you could have a Crane/Allison Optical Trigger unit (2 X $59 = $118).

Hey John,

How 'bout Petronix glazed gato (see other thread)?

Pertronix work great have had in three or four cars for years (maybe a decade in one car) Only burned out one, doing a compression test, cranking the engine with the plugs out, opps, forgot to disconnect the ignition wire on the coil, with no load on the ignition system (plugs removed) and power still going to the Pertronix, it fried. Called the Pertronix factory and they said, yuip, that will do it. So i boughrt a new one,a dn have just had to remember to pull the ignition wire (or short the coil HV lead to ground) before cranking the engine with no spark plugs attached.

My Pertronix and Compufire haven't let me down in 10 years!

From what I have read here, and, the nature of solid state, it sounds like "once they run, they will run for a very long time".

Seems almost every failure I have read about here was either during the course of installation or some modification.

John

I always use a volt meter when installing electrical things.
A 30 second check to verify voltage/polarity BEFORE
hooking up new things saves me alot of headaches
and extra expenses.

--- bill

I just spend 13 bucks per year....points always work...

If they get bad...a little sandpaper and a matchbook will get you home...