[428elim]

Was wondering if anyone has had trouble with their pertronix failing. Had mine in less than 4 years when it let me sit at an indoor car show in December. Bought the new pertronix II and put it in. My friend from Delaware came up to see me Saturday and said his buddy went through 2 of them within 3 years. Just wondering if anyone else had trouble with them. I'm going back to points and condenser!

Barry

 

[Steve Eitzen]

Pertronix Failure

I have heard of rumors about Pertronix ignition systems failing, but this is the first I've heard of a failure from someone who actually experienced it. In what way did it fail--that is, what were the symptoms?

My Pertronix has been in place for about two years with no problems, but even if it failed every year, I'd gladly pay the price for improved performance and not having to fight points!

Keep on Cattin'!

Steve

 

[badcatt]

Pertronix problems??

I've had one on badcatt for 6 or 7 years and never had a problem. could you have a problem with your altinator or volt regulater causing a voltage spike? you may also have gotten a bad unit. Neal.

 

[428elim]

Steve--The car would crank but wouldn't fire up. We pulled dist. cap and tapped on pertronix unit and it started. Before that we couldn't even hot wire it. It had no spark at all. After it started I made it home and shut it off and tried to start it again but the same thing. It acts just like a newer car with electronics;when it goes it gives no warning and you can't get it started. As for the performance gain I don't see it myself and points won't let you stranded. Newer isn't always better.With the amount of miles I put on my car a set of points will last a long time.

Barry

 

[dark7068]

I heard they had problems with the 1st attempt of the pertronix, thats why the 2nd. Seems they still havent fixed the problem completely a few of my friends have the 2nd one and have some start problems. I bought a Crane XR-700 conversion, totally awesome, but it takes a box, but NO problems, even started right up in middle of winter.

Rick

 

[turtle]

I've had the ignitor on my '68 for about two years and I've never had a problem with IT at all, lots of other problems, but not that. And I drive my car year round, even in the winter.

 

[jimk351c]

The Pertronix II is not a replacement for the original Pertronix. Rather, it is a hi-performance version of the original, designed to provide more spark at higher RPM. Barry, have you contacted Pertronix directly? I wouldn't be surprised if they were to fix your ignitor for free. Only one way to find out.

 

[MunchE]

Am I the only one that isn't shocked and appaled that it failed after 4 years? 4 years is a pretty long time. Not like it's a super expensive part...

And it sounded like just some sort of loose wire or something, if it was working after you tapped on it.

 

[428elim]

4 years and only about 2500 miles. Yeah, you should be shocked and appaled

 

[modifiedmark]

I have been following this thread with some interest as I have been thinking about doing away with the points and condensor in my own car sometime in the future. I myself have no experiance with the pertronix, and was considering it but if there is a pattern of failure with them I don't need it. I was also considering a Duraspark conversion although not stock looking would be pretty easy to wire in, reliable and economical.

But like Barry states about low milage, with me only putting maybe 2000 miles a year on it I may stay with points. I am old enough and have put in enough sets of points in my life time that I can do it blindfolded, so if I did a set every two years would be no big deal for the piece of mind. I also think that the pertronix is expensive enough that they should not fail after only 2500 miles.

 

[MunchE]

I'm planning on buying a set. I've heard nothing but good about them everywhere around, this is about the first bad thing I've seen, really.

And even in this thread most of the people are saying they've used it for years and it's worked fine.

*shrug*

 

[mikeyb]

Yup -
I had this problem in my 68 w/302. Installed pertronix and intermittently car would die with no spark. Crank, crank, crank - won't fire up. Call AAA get the car home, fires right up. Turns out I had bought two of em, (one for another car). Put the other one in, and no problems since!
Mikeyb

 

[68XR-7Cat]

For what it's worth, a mechanic friend of mine who swears by the Pertronix told me that the primary reason people experience failures is because the resistance of the coil on their car doesn't match up to the Pertronix unit they have installed. He claims that, if you take the time to match these two up, you'll never have a problem with the Pertronix. He has a certain authority on the subject, given the number he's installed and the fact that none have ever come back to him. The one in his wife's 65 Mustang has been there for 6 or 7 years.