The Pertronix unit won’t fit in a Prestolite distributor that was stock on
the ‘58 DeSoto. Ask me how I know. MoToRs Manual has mechanical and
vacuum advance curves for all our distributors and it’s possible to match up
pretty closely. I ended up using a Chrysler distributor for a ‘63 Chrysler
361.
There is a huge spread in the stock distributor
characteristics in our cars, even among the same make and year. Initial timing
at idle varies from 2 to 10 degrees. Mechanical advance limits vary from 16 to
32 degrees. Vacuum advance varies from 8 to 30 degrees. Centrifugal advance
springs vary from very slow to fast. These characteristics are all controlled
with a few interchangeable parts that fit all of these distributors. Just
because a distributor fits an engine doesn't mean it will work properly or
create optimum power. Many vendors will say a part fits a make and year,
implying all engines, but that part may be specific to only one engine. This is
especially true for vacuum advance replacement diaphragms. If a car needs an 8
degree and you use a 30, it will knock like crazy and burn holes in the pistons
asap. If it needs a 30 and you use an 8, you will loose significant power, gas
mileage, and probably run hotter.
Dave Homstad
56 Dodge D500
On Fri, Aug 19, 2011 at 7:34 PM, Adam Lindenbaum
wrote:
It sounds like a timing or advance
issue, did you check both? Are you using the same distributor that the car
came with? I once bought an aftermarket electronic distributor for a
B-Motor that when installed and timed at idle was fine but it advanced so
far at higher RPMs that the engine was firing into the next cylinder. I
ended up dissecting another distributor for the springs and disconnecting
the vacuum advance so it would work.
Adam Lindenbaum
In a message dated 8/19/2011 8:06:28 P.M. Eastern Daylight
Time, ron@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Has anyone had an issue after installing a
Pertronix electronic ignition conversion with the engine
running hotter?
Have a Great Day!
Ron Hilbert
57 Plymouth
From: Forward Look Mopar Discussion
List [mailto:L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Adam Lindenbaum
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2011 4:21 PM
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] WHO CAN DO
SOLDERING
I learned my lesson with my '58 Fury, it has
an MSD ignition and one night in Jersey the box went bad, fun
ride in a flatbed home. I've also had the Mopar "Orange" box
in the '57 fail me but I learned many years ago with the Mopar
electronics to carry spare boxes and ballast resistors. When I
redo my '57 I'm putting points back in it, not really possible
with the Hemi in the Fury, it needs all of the spark it can
get.
Adam
In a message dated 8/19/2011 5:39:56 P.M.
Eastern Daylight Time, esierraadj@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
I carry a SPARE
points-distributor in the car!,
Neil Vedder
AdamL57@xxxxxxx wrote:
> I personally do not trust
pertronix ignitions, I left points in my 318, no
> matter how bad they get
they WILL get you home unlike the aftermarket
> electronic
conversions. If you use a pertronixs ignition carry
a complete points
> set up with you for when it fails.
> Adam Lindenbaum
>
>
> In a message dated
8/19/2011 2:20:02 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> esierraadj@xxxxxxxxxxx
writes:
>
> On that Pertronix
electronic ignition conversion, Dave forgot
> to mention (for
shame, Dave) that you will need to acquire a
> dual-point distributor,
and/or a dualie's upper cam-and-plate
> assembly (to install into a
single-point dissie, if that's what you
> have, now, or, the dualie
can be used to replace the entire
> single-point dissie).
>
> The C&P is needed
to accommodate the Pertronix
"under-
> cap" (hidden-)
electronic ignition system.
>
> At this point, there is a
myriad of 'new' issues about the
> performance of your
existing dissie and/or a replacement
> dualie-dissie, but, any
replacement drop-in dualie-dissie
> must have a shaft length
equal to your existing dissie.
>
> There are two different
shaft lengths on the FWDLK
> dissies, depending on the
year/model of your car.
>
> A dualie FWDLK-era
C&P will retrofit into any other
> FWDLK dissie, however, for
a Pertronix installation.
>
> And, this is the (very-)
SHORT answer about installing
> a Pertronix system, (and,
possibly, hot-rodding your
> car's distributor's performance; but,
that's a completely
> different, additional
very-long story!).
>
> Altho a ballast resistor is not needed
w/a Pertronix
> system, you can keep your car's B.-A.
still installed,
> but, merely not connected to
the distributor.
>
> The Pertronix, all by itself, will
NOT improve your
> car's performance (that's what the
hot-rodded dissie
> does); it will only make the car's
'spark' consistent,
> hot, and reliable.
>
> Now I know why Dave forgot
to mention how/why
> a Pertronix might be
installed in a dissie!!!
>
>
> Neil Vedder
>
>
>
>
> Dave Homstad wrote:
>
>> Ed,
>>
>> Some things to
consider:
>> 1. You need a 1 ohm resistor
that can handle several amps of current.
>> It also should be a
"wire wound" style. These are intended to allow
>> maximum current flow
when cold, and increase resistance as they warm
>> up to reduce current flow to the
ignition coil.
>> 2. These resistors run HOT. You should use a
high temperature solder.
>> 3. I see on eBay a modern
ballast resistor for sale all the time.
>> Looks nearly identical
to the old style except the terminals are
>> different.
>> 4. For my car, I bought a ballast resistor
RU13 (looks like the
>> original except for the terminals,
from Car Quest, 1.6 ohms).
>> 5. If you convert to a
PerTronix, you don't even need a ballast
>> resistor if you use
their coil or one with an internal
resistance.
>>
>>
>> Dave Homstad
>> 56 Dodge D500
>>
>> On Thu, Aug 18, 2011 at
4:02 PM, eddee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Hello Members
>>>
>>> I have an orig
1957/58 ballast resister (very rare as
we all
>>>
know),,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but the resister wire on the back side
is shot.
>>>
>>> I have been looking locally
for a shop to solder in a new in line 1
>>> ohm resister
between the two terminals
>>>
>>> Job is too
small--they are not interested.
>>> but it is somewhat
intricate since you almost have to solder it
blind.
>>>
>>> ANY SUGGESTIONS --Can any of
you do this type of soldering??
>>>
>>> ED ECKERSON
>>> LI NY
>>>
>>>
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>>
>
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