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Anyone tried the PerTronix ignitor and coil from Motorsport?

2322 Views 7 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Tony D, 
1
I want to upgrade to electronic ignition. Can I expect any notoiceable performance improvement? Is the installation fairly easy? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
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C
Installation is easy. No performance gain over properly set points but it eliminates the need to fool around setting the points.

Just keep in mind that if you get the 3.0 ohm coil you must remove the balllast resistor and splice the wires going to it together, and if you get the 1.5 ohm coil you keep the ballast resistor in place.
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W
Petronix is overrated. I had several problems with two installations. No performance gain over properly maintained point system
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heroe
Spend your money elsewhere. You may want to consider plugging in a 79-83 distributor to have an all electronic ignition. The good matchbox is e12-80. i forget why...better Performance somehow. But with this set up, you should carry a spare matchbox in the beer coolers behind the seat.
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D
I've never had any problems with my Pertronix. Also, in my case properly adjusted brand new points in a rebuilt distributor bounced above ~6200rpm, killing the top end.

My experience is that the Pertronix is a simple, inexpensive, and effective system, WAY better than points.
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Tony D
I've never had a problem with any of the PErtronix Ignitors I've installed, on VW, Corvair, Datsun 4 and 6 cylinder, Toyota 2TG/18RG or even 'generic' kits hodgepodged into other makes 'not otherwise listed' like "Borgward"

I can't imagine what 'problem' anybody would have. My experience is directly comparable to Dan's, I had the Euro Distributor, and it just didn't cut it with points. Someone saying POINTS (for christs sake people) are 'better' or even 'has no performance gain' over a Pertronix hasn't actually installed them, or isn't in serious competition. Points are unstable above 6000 rpms (and on VW's even with Porsche Parts and foam rubber stuffed behind the point arms to limit bounce) they surely don't handle 8500 to 9000 that they will twist in performance situations.

Even BELOW 6000rpms, the consistency at which they fire, along with the CDI Box that usually is packaged with them now (not the $49.95 kit) CONCRETELY enhances low speed torque and smoothness of the engine.

I have had a standard recommendation for ANYBODY considering an upgrade for their early car, the FIRST thing I would tell them is to ELIMINATE the points in one manner or another.

If you have had performance recurves done to your distributor, these conversions are the only alternative to keep that expensive modification intact. That matters for some of us who spent the money on a recurve from someone who knew what they were doing long, long ago!

But hey, this post is surely 'entertaining' with some of these replies...
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1
Thank you all for your replies. I am lucky enough to know a gentleman that bought a 1973 240Z new and he still owns the car. He has done many mods on the car over the years, including some engine work. He told me the best, no brainer, thing he ever did was to install the petronix ignition and coil kit. I honestly didn't understand why. You guys have enlightned me. Thanks again.
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Tony D
1972ZEric said:
Thank you all for your replies. I am lucky enough to know a gentleman that bought a 1973 240Z new and he still owns the car. He has done many mods on the car over the years, including some engine work. He told me the best, no brainer, thing he ever did was to install the petronix ignition and coil kit. I honestly didn't understand why. You guys have enlightned me. Thanks again.
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Are you sure you didn't talk to me? That sounds like my standard reply!

I told a guy this on a Sand Rail he had (Gordon Baulkus) and after the first weekend at Glamis he called me back enthusiastic to no end over the FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS OF GOING TO THE DUNES that he didn't have the engine quite AT LEAST once due to sand in the points! He could not BELIEVE the difference they make.

This is like guys who say 'carbs are easy'---they really never worked with them. Same goes for points. Like carbs, they SUCK!
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