Pertronix voltage

[Flanders 46]

I've had some problems with my Pertronix flamethrower distributor (with ignitor II). I've read various posts on here with differing opinions, so I thought I'd see if anyone has "new" thoughts.

 

My distributor was cutting out for a fraction of a second, about once per hour during an extended road trip. The engine would die for a moment and then catch again. It was noticeable, but very intermittent.

 

Once the engine bay was good and hot and I turned the engine off (ie. when we ran out of gas and had to fill it up again), the car wouldn't start again. Voltage to the coil positive was 10V, so this was all the IgnitorII was getting. I wasn't getting any spark, until the engine had cooled off again (overnight). Once everything was dead cold, it would start up and go.

 

While the car was 'dead' (ie. turning over but no spark), I attempted to jump the coil positive directly to 12V. Still no go.

 

Anyone have problems with Ignitor II like this? I'd like to say it's because I didn't have 12V to the Ignitor II, however even when I jumpered it to 12V the car still wouldn't start.

[69gmachine 15]

Sounds like it could be a bad coil. The last time something like that happened to me at least, it was the coil.

[Flanders 46]

yep -- replaced the coil with a new one in a gas station parking lot (NAPA coil, the only one within walking distance when I got stranded in a town in the middle of nowhere :D )

 

Didn't change behavior.

[LindenBruce 27]

Timing chain? Make sure your distributor rotor is turning when cranking. If all is well there and you are sure the timing chain is good, and you applied 12v to the "+" terminal of the coil and it still did not start when you cranked it then I would say the ignitor is dead. Sorry. Bruce

[Flanders 46]

timing chain is good -- the dist definitely spins.

 

I'll re-install and make sure I've got 12V to the coil (perhaps my 10V is the problem, as me using a jumper to 12V maybe isn't reliable enough).

[Max Power 74]

The Pertronix I would run on less than 12v, but the II wont at all, I am told.

[danno 128]

Will it still start when cold? If it will still start when cold but dies when it gets hot, you need a can of freeze spray. Start the car and run it until it stops, then spray the freeze spray on a suspect part, like the Pertronix. If it starts and runs as long as that is cold, that is the problem.

 

Bad connections and ground wires can be a problem when hot that you would not see at cold. You already tried the coil, because I had exactly the same problem you describe and it was a bad coil.

[Lemon Owner 11]

The Pertronix I would run on less than 12v, but the II wont at all, I am told.

 

I have an Ignitor II running on the stock resistance wire and it seems to work fine. But it does say in the instructions it would be better on 12V. But this engine is a 2V and not a powerhouse so it doesn't matter much.