Does anyone have a trick for getting the rubber wire grommet through the distributor body? Spent 45 min trying yesterday and never got it right.
Mark.
Pertronix unhappiness
Does anyone have a trick for getting the rubber wire grommet through the distributor body? Spent 45 min trying yesterday and never got it right.
Mark.
1990 Van Diemen, the Racing Machine, CM AutoX, 2016 Frontier
You can try to make a street car into an autocrosser or you can do a lot less work and make a race car into a great autocrosser
Lube the grommet and hole with dish soap.
“Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty.” -Peter Egan
I've used a combination of Wd-40, needle nose pliers and a small flat head. I've gotten good at it this year with 2 pertronix failures in 4 weekends. Ditching it ASAP.
Brandon L. #96 FF
-PM me for RF85/86 bellhousing
Pertronix Failures
Bassracer,
Most Pertronix failures are due to using the wrong coil. The early (black) module uses a 3 ohm coil (same as points) and the later Pertronix II (red) module uses a .6 ohm coil. If you use the wrong coil, you will usually fry the Pertronix module within a session or two!!
Cheers, Joe
The coil setup is correct and the mysterious failures are common. The more people I talk to at the track, the more recommendations I get to ditch it.
Perhaps, like any electrical component, the violent vibration of my particular chassis (RF85) contributes to a shorter life when quality is inconsistent
Brandon
Brandon L. #96 FF
-PM me for RF85/86 bellhousing
We have had a 3 failures of new Pertronix modules in different formula fords this year, not related to coils. There seem to be manufacturing quality problems.
Jim
Another common failure of Pertronix is the magnets ring. Vibration can make the seal on the ring to become loose causing the magnets to move in the ring. A little bit of epoxy on the seal will prevent this from happening.
Ditch for what?Originally Posted by bassracer
1990 Van Diemen, the Racing Machine, CM AutoX, 2016 Frontier
You can try to make a street car into an autocrosser or you can do a lot less work and make a race car into a great autocrosser
Points and condenser
These cars are fine with points and condenser. 25+ years and never used anything else.
New factory in China is what I heard. Jens fixed one of them when he identified loose rivets internally.
Caldwell D9B - Sold
Crossle' 30/32/45 Mongrel - Sold
RF94 Monoshock - here goes nothin'
FWIW, I use one of these ignition systems in my car. http://www.cranecams.com/406-407.pdf
Crane XR3000 ignition. It converts the points to an optical pickup, and the control module has so far held up to the vibrations we get in these cars.
They are pretty cheap too, made in the USA. http://www.jegs.com/i/FAST/244/3000-0226/10002/-1
When my last pertronix failed at PIRC, the paddock scolded me up/down and recommended the Crane/FAST points conversion instead. I just picked up a used bosch dizzy but it needs rebuilt. I got the XR700 (not sure if real difference from 3000 for this application), and also a points/condenser just in case. I am currently trying to retrofit the XR700 in the pertronix dizzy which does not need rebuilt.
If anyone knows where I can get a bosch drive gear, bushings, and the inner plate which everything mounts to, please let me know so I can get this thing buttoned up.
Brandon L. #96 FF
-PM me for RF85/86 bellhousing
So that's what you've talked about, looks like a quick set up from points but I like points have been in the car since I bought my car 2 1/2 years ago. Have 3 sets of extra points just in case.
Ben
Pertronix
I have used the Pertronix modules for the last 10 years with very little problems on my March BMW V12. I made the magnet plate for my purpose to their specs and have used the basic Ignitor module as they recommended. For some reason they did not advise using the Ignitor 2 or any other units. As we use two modules as the V12 actually runs as two 6 cylinder motors with each bank having its own distributor we merely put everything module wise in one side with the needed degree difference for the other bank. In 10 years I replaced exactly one module and they sent me instructions on how to test them. I also have a '56 TR3 that I drive everyday that has their system installed and whoopee no plug fouling!
Were these just modules or entire distributors?
Because I just had a drop-in replacement fail from what seems to be providing a cap (side-exit) that was the wrong height to accommodate some movement in the centre electrode plunger.
I successfully fitted the FAST XR700 into the pertronix distributor. It really wasn't anything unique, but piecing together a bosch unit has been difficult and still felt sloppier, despite having new bushes. It may be no difference in the end - the bosch shaft had more play but the pertronix cap doesn't snug down as tight. Engine starts and revs good- will test officially at Runoffs practice.
If this works out well I would suggest it to anyone currently using a "complete" pertronix dizzy but cannot source a complete bosch/ points setup. (Of course only time will tell if this one will hold up for my conditions).
Brandon L. #96 FF
-PM me for RF85/86 bellhousing
Sounds like their quality has gone downhill. My Pertronix trigger was installed in a Bosch distributor by Justice Racing. No issues in 1100+ runs. Black unit with Bosch blue coil, and a Pertronix rev limiter.
Don
Had Pertronix failures myself. Ran points for several races (1991 VD FC - 200 hp Pinto).
Started getting high rpm miss I could not figure out. Installed XR700. Ran one race weekend with it and the recommended coil.
Engine ran perfect all weekend.
Aaron
I successfully fitted the FAST XR700 into the pertronix distributor. It really wasn't anything unique, but piecing together a bosch unit has been difficult and still felt sloppier, despite having new bushes. It may be no difference in the end - the bosch shaft had more play but the pertronix cap doesn't snug down as tight. Engine starts and revs good- will test officially at Runoffs practice.
If this works out well I would suggest it to anyone currently using a "complete" pertronix dizzy but cannot source a complete bosch/ points setup. (Of course only time will tell if this one will hold up for my conditions).
Just went on Summit. Seems no longer a Crane product, instead under the FAST brand. Review says it's a piece of crap. Wonder if brand change indicates change of manufacture?
Rob
BTW I had a Pertronix Ignitor 1 fail because I left ignition on. 1 does not have overheat protection, 2 reportedly does.
That's the first I have heard of any negative reviews.
I guess Brandon is the tester here. I have been using ming for 4 years with no issues, but mine is also a Crane product.
Overall the unit ran great at the runoffs.. but I do have one homework item to study with regards timing..
I set timing in garage before leaving at 39deg. We ran the first test session and checked it again and it was 36deg. Reset to 40deg.
Checked again after Tuesday, spot on at 40deg.
Checked before the race and it was 42deg. Reset to 40. We inspected under the cap and couldn't find anything loose, but as I mentioned earlier the pertronix dizzy cap doesn't snug down very tight. May need to really put some preload in those spring clips.
I will check again when I get back to the car again, currently taking a much needed breather.
My favorite part of this unit so far is how fast the car fires... with the Pertronix it always had to crank a few times but now I can't pull my finger off the button fast enough before hearing the bendix zing.
Brandon L. #96 FF
-PM me for RF85/86 bellhousing
It's possible it could be the dizzy cap, but could also be the chopper wheel moving on the distributor shaft. Check for movement.
I had one for years on my Datsun 510. The first one failed due to heat warp of the detector block, after replacement the car wore out before it failed.
Regards,
Dan
“Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty.” -Peter Egan
I know your car very well,crewed for the Pickering's when they owned car in Canada.We used points with a blue Bosch coil,never had a DNFwith ignition.That car was always fast at Shannonville Motorsport Park,a very technical track.It won a race beating a 98VD with a fresh Ivey rebuild.Don't go by decal on valve cover,short block was build by indy car driver ALEX TAGLIANNI'S dad and I believe it had a Parker iron head.I wish I bought the car before it went to the states.
Blew another set of points wk ago. This time I gave up on the grommet. Even soap did not help. I just used some hard set gasket sealer. It seems to have worked. Yeah!
Mark
1990 Van Diemen, the Racing Machine, CM AutoX, 2016 Frontier
You can try to make a street car into an autocrosser or you can do a lot less work and make a race car into a great autocrosser
So I've been agonizing over the whole points,Pertronix and Crane cam set ups for my Bosch Dizzy. The car came with point and I've run point in all my older cars forever with very little problems, I did put Pertronix in my Capri with a 2.8 and worked great for 5 years but for my FF car I feel like the points were working great at that point (2.5 year) before I change them out.
The thing about points is you don't know when they start to degrade, I've been running great at the local autocross events and ran this set of points right through the 2017 National's, we had about 6 events to go before I was going to stop running so with the last 2 events of the season I replace the points and man does the car pull hard now, that's the bad about points is you just don't feel the lost of power until you replace them.
Bought the Crane set up so I'm going to replace the points just before the 2018 National tour.
Things you learn as the years go by.
Ben
Have three race weekends on the XR700 unit now. Engine starts better, more consistent idle, better throttle response, and no high rpm miss. Price was very reasonable, install was really pretty easy. I am sold.
Aaron
every time Ben drove my swift, he made similar comments about the throttle response.
How high are you reving that 200HP Pinto? If you're staying below 7,000 you don't need a pet.
CREW for Jeff 89 Reynard or Flag & Comm.
Do my best to shift at 7,200. Still has lots left (Thank you Sandy and Erik at Quicksilver).
Was built to do 8,000. 7,500 as high as I have gone.
Trying to make it last a few seasons before I need to see my friends at Quicksilver again.
Is in fantastic condition after 10 races weekends. Ready for another season in 2018.
Just fogged her down and waiting for April.
Aaron
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