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Thread: Installing a Petronix

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    55

    Default 5 years later

    Quote Originally Posted by usadventureracing View Post
    Thanks for the info. I did set the timing and I am going to check it again. If that does not work I am going to change the thermastat then the waterpump. Thanks
    I'm looking at running a Petronix electronic ignition after I finish freshening up the motor. I was wondering if the Petronix would run a little hotter and if it required (or ran better) with a different spark plug.

    I might run a Rochester carb too; undetermined at this time.

    I know that restoring a series isn't a budget friendly job but the cost of the Petronix seems a bit high considering the parts involved. I think I read about the Brits building their own electronic ignitions out of parts form "radio shack" type stores. I mean, Land Rovers where designed and built in a barn after all...

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Scottsdale, Arizona
    Posts
    889

    Default

    Check hotspark for prices. The quality seems fine, and the price is much better. Especially if you have a dizzy in good condition, and you are just putting the parts into your existing dizzy.

  3. #13

    Default

    I'm going to give the Pertronix a try on my 1974 SIII. Please stand by for questions . My distributor has been killing me lately!

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    Posts
    82

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by nicodepriest View Post
    I'm going to give the Pertronix a try on my 1974 SIII. Please stand by for questions . My distributor has been killing me lately!
    Do it Nicolas. You won't regret it.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Phippsburg, ME
    Posts
    886

    Default

    I love my Pertronix, but suggest that you avoid their Flamethrower coil. Mine failed after a year or so, and I discovered that this was a recurring problem with them.

  6. #16

    Default

    I installed a petronix distributor and flamethrower. started loosing power then completely stopped??? Coil reads 3.0 on low-end then 8270 on high side??? Is my coil bad. the coil that is had with the breaker points never worked with the petronix??? Think distributor is bad???

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2021
    Location
    SF Bay Area
    Posts
    234

    Default

    Just did this to my Series 3 as well. Got the same Distributer and coil.

    * In the instructions, it says that you should remove the ballast resistor, if your wiring has one. Might check that. It says they don't work with those. Mine didn't have a ballast resistor, but you might check your wiring. It looks like a ceramic block.

    * There's instructions about your resistance minimums. If the new coil is out of spec, return it.

    * Timing: I watched a bunch of videos with old timers talking about finding the right timing. All bad and too complicated. I found a better way. Rotate engine until it's at TDC. You can find this by the timing mark. Your dist cap only goes on one way. Take a sharpie and draw a line down from #1 plug on the distributer cap, down to the distributer body. Use a carpenter's square to be square. This is so you can see where #1 is on the body with the cap removed. Now, remove the cap and spike your distributer. The rotor should point at your mark(firing #1 plug). If it's a little off, loosen the adjustment/hold-down bolt and move it to point at your sharpie line. Tighten the adjustment. Put cap and plug wires on. It should be perfectly timed at TDC(the Green Bible setting).

    Many people on this and other forums said their 2.25L run better at -3 or -6 BTDC. Mine ran nicer at -3 BTDC. But it should start and run well by spiking it mechanically at TDC like I said above.

    You can use a timing light, or a derivation of the method above...with your sharpie "firing position" and your timing marks to mechanically set timing perfectly. An engine crank tool helps.
    ...┌───────┬──,,
    ...|______OD__|__\\_____
    ...d ..__ .........° |°... | ..__....p
    »»└/ | \────┴──┴/ | \─┘≡
    ..../..@........................@

    1973 Series 3, 109

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2021
    Location
    SF Bay Area
    Posts
    234

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by felmlym1 View Post
    I installed a petronix distributor and flamethrower. started loosing power then completely stopped??? Coil reads 3.0 on low-end then 8270 on high side??? Is my coil bad. the coil that is had with the breaker points never worked with the petronix??? Think distributor is bad???
    I would check the condenser assembly in the distributer. Did you buy this new, or second hand? If second hand, they sell just the electronic condenser bits. Steamwally on YouTube has a video about it. His wires were pinched and making a bad connection in the condenser.
    ...┌───────┬──,,
    ...|______OD__|__\\_____
    ...d ..__ .........° |°... | ..__....p
    »»└/ | \────┴──┴/ | \─┘≡
    ..../..@........................@

    1973 Series 3, 109

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