Pertronix hot wire help

[Captmatt]

The PO installed a pertronix Igniter system on my 64. I've read that the units work better with a dedicated 12 v wire from the coil to the unfused ignition port on the fuse box. I did that, and disconnected the yellow resistive wire to the coil.

The truck started right up and ran great. Turned the engine off and when I tried to restart no luck. I disconnected the new wire at the coil and fuse box, reconnected the old resistive wire and it started right up.

Any thoughts ? Am I suppose to disconnect the yellow wire at the starter solonid also ? I did a search on the subject but could not find an answer to this question. Thanks!!

Guess I should add that electrical wiring is not my thing, so I'm sure there is an easy answer to this this......

[Clyde65]

http://www.pertronix.com/docs/instru...heets/1141.pdf

[Captmatt]

Thanks for the info. That document says to leave the starter solonid wire connected . But I'm still confused . Called pertronix and my unit is a 1162A. Those instructions state to never remove resistive wire or ballast if standard equipment. I have the correct flame thrower coil with correct ohms.

Everyone on the internet recommends to do the dedicated 12v wire to the fuse box.

Can anyone comment on this ? Am I missing something obvious ? Did the PO install the wrong unit for the truck, motor ? Pertronix is closed for the weekend.

Thanks !!

[Clyde65]

What size motor you got? 6cyl? If so yes it's right

[fleetsidelarry]

I still have the directions from my original ignitor from like 20 years ago. I don't know which model ignitor you have but I do know that you need to leave the coil resistor wire on the coil, it's there to protect the coil during run conditions. the instructions say to leave the ballast resistor or resistor wire in place.

don't know how much of this you already know:

the original resistor wire typically ran from the firewall plug down to the "I" post on the starter. (note, this isn't the "S" post that the start wire (normally purple) runs to, it's the other small post), then a yellow, regular (not resistor) wire ran from that same connection up to the coil. during start, a full 12 volts flows thru the yellow wire to the coil (via a shunt inside the starter). once the key switch returns to run. the lower, resisted voltage flows to the coil.

(sometimes, 6 cylinders maybe?, the coil could have a resistor wire from the firewall plug and a wire from the starter. works the same way)

for cases where the coil has a ballast resistor or a resistor, a separate key-switch on wire should be run, not to the coil but to the ignitor is what my old instructions say

a far as the failure to restart, maybe your coil overheated or maybe your wire from the fuse block lost power. make sure the bypass wire you use is key-switch on, not continuously on

[vince1]

I have the same Delco distributor with the Petronix (1162A as I recall) in my 64 six cylinder Rambler. I also use the flamethrower coil and the car does not have a resistor wire so 14+ volts are measured at the coil.

[Captmatt]

Thanks for all the replies . Think you guys figured it out. Looks like I need to keep the resistive wire connected to the + coil terminal and connect my 12v dedicated wire from the fuse block directly to the igniter module .

I have the dedicated 12v connected to the + coil, which I think is the problem.

Thanks !!

[fleetsidelarry]

well, it depends on the coil. the second page of the instructions Clyde65 supplied does recommend removing the resistor or resistor wire IF you have a coil with the right resistance. you'd certainly think a flamethrower coil would be compatible with the ignitor without additional resistance, like vince1 stated. the oem coil apparently isn't and I was thinking oem coil even though you stated clearly otherwise.

don't know which way your truck is wired but the yellow wire from the starter will carry current while the starter is engaged. in addition, IF the resistance wire from the firewall connector runs to the starter, the yellow wire will carry current while the engine is running. maybe it was shorting when you tried to start before

[vince1]

Confirm you have a Flamethrower coil. If so will it start by putting a jumper from the battery + post to the + side of the coil?

[Captmatt]

So I rewired like I stated above and everything works great. Also runs noticibly better ( 1975 250 I6 ). Pertronix makes a LOT of different modules for different applications and that was part of my problem. I didn't know what I had in the truck until I called pertronix. I'm sure I over heated the coil and that's why it wouldn't restart. Checked everything as far as voltage and ohms resistance at the coil and I'm good. The distributor shaft feels very sloppy so I'm going to pull that and check end play etc.

Thanks for all the help !

[Captmatt]

Originally Posted by fleetsidelarry

well, it depends on the coil. the second page of the instructions Clyde65 supplied does recommend removing the resistor or resistor wire IF you have a coil with the right resistance. you'd certainly think a flamethrower coil would be compatible with the ignitor without additional resistance, like vince1 stated. the oem coil apparently isn't and I was thinking oem coil even though you stated clearly otherwise.

don't know which way your truck is wired but the yellow wire from the starter will carry current while the starter is engaged. in addition, IF the resistance wire from the firewall connector runs to the starter, the yellow wire will carry current while the engine is running. maybe it was shorting when you tried to start before

Those instructions are not the instructions for my pertronix part #. That's why it's critical to know which one you have, or should have. I was following directions for the wrong application. Fleetsidelarry nailed it, thanks