Pertronix Ignitor and Flamethrower Coil

[TexasEd 188]

   

 

 

You hear of guys buying stuff in advance and it sitting on a shelf until they get to it.  I intended to install this years ago and I know it may have been passed up in technology, but it's what I've got and at least it's not a set of tires that sat in my garage dry rotting. :(

What do I need to do to use these?  I read about the coil needs 12V so I probably need a relay from the ignition line to get full battery 12V to the coil and I also heard about this version of the Ignitor burning up if the key is left in the run position and the guy I had helping my earlier kept doing that so I wanted to wait until I was ready to drive the car.

I guess I'm just a little nervous about installing this but the car is running rough at cold idle and I hope this might help.

Thanks

[1969_Mach1 333]

Is the only issue running rough when cold?  If so, I'd first double check the choke settings, make certain the choke pull off is working and adjusted correctly, and the fast idle set correctly.  What carb is it and what type of choke setup does it have?

Could also be a bad spark plug wire or spark plug.  Cold engines put more demand on the secondary side of the ignition system (coil, rotor, cap, spark plug wires and spark plugs) and issues will show up when cold.  Also, under load like hard acceleration or up hills puts more demand on the secondary side of the ignition system.

I haven't used Pertronix but I have heard many stories of the ignition module burning up if the ignition switch is left on for more than a couple of minutes with the motor not running.  For the 12V coil, you can get a 12V source directly from the ignition switch.  You won't need a relay setup.  Another member here, Midlife, will likely know exactly what terminal to use on the ignition switch.

[TexasEd 188]

It has a Holley Carb with an electric choke I currently have hooked on the back side of the solenoid.  I am not proficient at setting a choke but the initial setting is where my driver's license will fit in the gap.  I have a very old coil and points on it now.  I don't know how old the plug wires are.  I tuned it with timing light and vacuum.  Warm idle is 660 RPM and 10* pulling around 18".

Symptoms are that I need to hold the accelerator in when warming up for a few minutes or it dies.

I'm not good at this, just learning.  If there are other numbers I need to know or should tune to let me know and I'll do it.  

[gordonr 4]

It sounds like you have a few issues going on. Still using points with the choke wired to the ignition coil wiring will pull down your ignition coils available kilo volt output because of the lowered primary switching voltage . An electric choke can draw 2 amps upon initial turn on and will settle down under an half an amp or so 5 minutes later. Thats with 12 volts, I dont know your chokes ohm value or the ignition voltage sitting on your coil to know the exact loss. You should move the wiring to another source. "STA" terminal on the back of your alternator or some other creative places/ways others have mentioned before. As for timing I would set initial at 15* on a stocker and look for max advance by 2700 to 3000 rpm. Invest in the factory repair manuals as they have all the performance specs if your running a factory carb/distributor etc  . They are inexpensive and will provide you hours of pleasure and enjoyment. Lol 

[1969_Mach1 333]

I'm not certain how the electric is connected.  If is to the ignition coil like gordonr believes, that is definitely wrong.  The STA terminal on the alternator is only 1/2 of the charging system voltage, so that's not a good place to connect the choke.  According to my Ford service manual fuse #4 in the fuse panel is a spare.  Check to see if it only has power in the run position, if so, try tapping into that for the choke.  If not, my next choice would be go to the ignition switch on a terminal that only has 12V in the run position.  If your car is not a factory tach car and has a factory ammeter, some have also used the "S" terminal on the voltage regulator which is easier to get to.

After the wiring to the choke is fixed, it also sounds like the choke spring is set too loose.  The choke plate should snap completely shut when cold.  Start with the mark on the plastic choke cap lined up with the center arrow on the choke housing.  Did the carb you are using come with the electric choke installed from the factory?  I only ask because the electric choke conversion kits that are available for us to install come in two styles, one that needs an external vacuum hose connected to it and one that doesn't.

Holley has a video with basic information on choke adjustments.

https://www.holley.com/blog/post/holley_carburetor_choke_adjustment_tips/

[gordonr 4]

Check out the choke diagram in 1973. It was done that way for a long time.

[gordonr 4]

The carb manufacture would definitely have the final say on the choke requirements though.  

[TexasEd 188]

Thanks for input. I have not installed the pertronix gear yet.

Engine is mostly stock.  Orginal carb was replaced with Holley.  I'll look up the model but its posted on here somewhere.   I rebuilt it myself with a Holley kit and adjusted for a 302.

Using a standard coil with pink resistor wire and standard points. New plugs, dist cap but old coil, points and plug wires. 

IIRC, Choke is connected to the solenoid ignition terminal. 

Choke does not have a spot for vacuum.  Holley carb came with electric choke but I had to replace the broken housing.  A friend said to set it with a credit card gap when closed.  I'll read more.

I have the manuals but they don't always.make sense especially when so many things are interrelated. 

[1969_Mach1 333]

The starter solenoid IGN terminal should only have 12V during crank.  After that, if there is power at that terminal it would be less than 12V.  If you look at a wiring diagram it's easy to understand why.  Connecting the choke to that terminal is the same as connecting it to the + or - side of the ignition coil which is incorrect.  If you are looking for the easiest method, try the "S" terminal on the voltage regulator (if you car doesn't have a factory tach).

Your first issue is to connect the choke wiring correctly and set it so the choke plate snaps completely shut when cold.  That choke has an internal choke pull off so as soon as the motor starts up, engine vacuum operates the choke pull off and immediately opens the choke plate roughly 1/4" or so to prevent the motor from flooding.

[1969_Mach1 333]

2 hours ago, gordonr said:

Check out the choke diagram in 1973. It was done that way for a long time.

2 hours ago, gordonr said:

The carb manufacture would definitely have the final say on the choke requirements though.  

That's true.  The Holley electric chokes need 12V.  I don't know what the OEM electric choke requirements were back in 1973.  Might have been less than 12V