The Ford Barn

Bill Mills · 06-13-2014, 10:21 PM

Removed distributor cap to see what points looked like. Broke the brittle wire from distributor to coil and from ballast resistor to coil. Replaced the distributor wire, but the terminal lug just spun in the distributor and let the new wire ground out against the side of the distributor. No fire. Bought a Pertronix 1281, watched a YouTube video, and voila, a new electronic ignition. Car starts faster and idles smoother, and runs great. Anyone with similar results?

Hot Rod Reverend · 06-13-2014, 10:27 PM

Bill, not sure about the Youtube video but I too have had excellent results from a solid state/electronic ignition upgrade. I went the ACCEL route however (kit number 2020) and it has been excellent. Installed in several Y blocks the past 5 years or so.

46yblock · 06-13-2014, 11:17 PM

Mine has worked very well. Make sure you either use a ballast resistor or a coil with internal resistence, or a resistor wire. I did have a lot of problems with an overheating coil due to inadequate resistance, early on. Also had a problem burning out the Pertronix and boiling out the coil when I left the ignition on overnight.

LOWRIDER · 06-14-2014, 08:38 AM

Worked on a few with the Pertronics systems. Seems like a good system. Easier on old eyes and fingers setting points and dropping screws. Myself I installed a Duraspark II system on my 57, mainly because I had all the parts laying around. Works good & trouble free.

oldave57 · 06-14-2014, 08:52 AM

I installed the Pertronix 1281 and Flamethrower 1.5 Ohm coil in my 57 Fairlane with 292 (about 4 years ago) and have had no problems at all with the system. The car starts and runs great and the timing has stayed spot-on. It's a great improvement over the old contact points/condenser system.

Regards,
Dave

Bill Mills · 06-14-2014, 04:04 PM

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I measured the resistance on the existing coil and it was greater than 1.5 ohms. Tech support says I do not need ballast resistor, so I left it off. Hope I did not make a mistake. Coil label says to use one. What do you think?

oldave57 · 06-16-2014, 08:30 AM

That's a good question regarding the need for a ballast resistor. The failure of an over-heated coil sometimes doesn't show up until you're on the road for a longer drive and then it's never convenient when it fails. For the price of the Pertronix Flamethrower coil (around $40 on Ebay), I would go ahead and get the coil that is known to work with the Pertronix 1281 installation. The Flamethrower coil is an oil-filled coil and I have also read that some users mount it vertically on the firewall to avoid loss of oil. I have had mine mounted in the original horizontal position for over 4 years with no problem and it uses the original mounting bracket, so I would say it works either way.

Regards,
Dave

Osubuki · 06-16-2014, 01:49 PM

Just curious if any of you had to adjust your timing after installing the petronix unit. I have one sitting on the shelf waiting to go in. Just didn't know if it is plug and play or if I will need to adjust timing after installation.

oldave57 · 06-16-2014, 04:04 PM

It is very likely that you will have to re-set your timing after the Pertronix installation. The location of the Pertronix components (the magnetic ring that slips over the 8-sided cam on the distributor shaft and the Pertronix module) will not be in the same position as the contact points after installation. The re-setting of the timing is done with the same timing light that you would have used before and once it is set, it stays in perfect time because there is no wear as there was with the rubbing block against the cam and the pitting of the points.

Regards,
Dave

Talkwrench · 06-16-2014, 07:30 PM

I use the Pertronix Ignitor 3 , you get multi spark through the entire rev range & rev limiter all built in for not a lot extra, I ALWAYS use the Pertronix matching coil, just buy it as a set and you know it will be right.. Never a problem if you put them onto a reconditioned dissy.

Y-Blockhead · 06-16-2014, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talkwrench

I use the Pertronix Ignitor 3 , you get multi spark through the entire rev range & rev limiter all built in for not a lot extra, I ALWAYS use the Pertronix matching coil, just buy it as a set and you know it will be right.. Never a problem if you put them onto a reconditioned dissy.

Ditto on all of the above...

06-13-2014, 10:21 PM	#1
Bill Mills Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Marshall, TX Posts: 5	Pertronix 1281 -292 y block Removed distributor cap to see what points looked like. Broke the brittle wire from distributor to coil and from ballast resistor to coil. Replaced the distributor wire, but the terminal lug just spun in the distributor and let the new wire ground out against the side of the distributor. No fire. Bought a Pertronix 1281, watched a YouTube video, and voila, a new electronic ignition. Car starts faster and idles smoother, and runs great. Anyone with similar results? __________________ Regards, Bill

06-13-2014, 10:27 PM	#2
Hot Rod Reverend Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lancaster, CA Posts: 917	Re: Pertronix 1281 -292 y block Bill, not sure about the Youtube video but I too have had excellent results from a solid state/electronic ignition upgrade. I went the ACCEL route however (kit number 2020) and it has been excellent. Installed in several Y blocks the past 5 years or so. __________________ Lancaster, California Visit hotrodreverend.com to view hundreds of pictures and videos of the build of the 1955 Ford Club Sedan!

06-13-2014, 11:17 PM	#3
46yblock Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: S. Oregon Posts: 304	Re: Pertronix 1281 -292 y block Mine has worked very well. Make sure you either use a ballast resistor or a coil with internal resistence, or a resistor wire. I did have a lot of problems with an overheating coil due to inadequate resistance, early on. Also had a problem burning out the Pertronix and boiling out the coil when I left the ignition on overnight. __________________ Mike, S. Oregon 46 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Merc Meteor S33, '54 Ford 600 tractor, '64 Falcon Futura, 1960 Thunderbird

06-14-2014, 08:38 AM	#4
LOWRIDER Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kingman Az. 86409 Posts: 419	Re: Pertronix 1281 -292 y block Worked on a few with the Pertronics systems. Seems like a good system. Easier on old eyes and fingers setting points and dropping screws. Myself I installed a Duraspark II system on my 57, mainly because I had all the parts laying around. Works good & trouble free. __________________ Dan Kingman Az. 86409

06-14-2014, 08:52 AM	#5
oldave57 Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Burlington, IA Posts: 46	Re: Pertronix 1281 -292 y block I installed the Pertronix 1281 and Flamethrower 1.5 Ohm coil in my 57 Fairlane with 292 (about 4 years ago) and have had no problems at all with the system. The car starts and runs great and the timing has stayed spot-on. It's a great improvement over the old contact points/condenser system. Regards, Dave

06-14-2014, 04:04 PM	#6
Bill Mills Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Marshall, TX Posts: 5	Re: Pertronix 1281 -292 y block Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I measured the resistance on the existing coil and it was greater than 1.5 ohms. Tech support says I do not need ballast resistor, so I left it off. Hope I did not make a mistake. Coil label says to use one. What do you think? __________________ Regards, Bill

06-16-2014, 08:30 AM	#7
oldave57 Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Burlington, IA Posts: 46	Re: Pertronix 1281 -292 y block That's a good question regarding the need for a ballast resistor. The failure of an over-heated coil sometimes doesn't show up until you're on the road for a longer drive and then it's never convenient when it fails. For the price of the Pertronix Flamethrower coil (around $40 on Ebay), I would go ahead and get the coil that is known to work with the Pertronix 1281 installation. The Flamethrower coil is an oil-filled coil and I have also read that some users mount it vertically on the firewall to avoid loss of oil. I have had mine mounted in the original horizontal position for over 4 years with no problem and it uses the original mounting bracket, so I would say it works either way. Regards, Dave

06-16-2014, 01:49 PM	#8
Osubuki Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 5	Re: Pertronix 1281 -292 y block Just curious if any of you had to adjust your timing after installing the petronix unit. I have one sitting on the shelf waiting to go in. Just didn't know if it is plug and play or if I will need to adjust timing after installation.

06-16-2014, 04:04 PM	#9
oldave57 Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Burlington, IA Posts: 46	Re: Pertronix 1281 -292 y block It is very likely that you will have to re-set your timing after the Pertronix installation. The location of the Pertronix components (the magnetic ring that slips over the 8-sided cam on the distributor shaft and the Pertronix module) will not be in the same position as the contact points after installation. The re-setting of the timing is done with the same timing light that you would have used before and once it is set, it stays in perfect time because there is no wear as there was with the rubbing block against the cam and the pitting of the points. Regards, Dave

06-16-2014, 07:30 PM	#10
Talkwrench Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 2,687	Re: Pertronix 1281 -292 y block I use the Pertronix Ignitor 3 , you get multi spark through the entire rev range & rev limiter all built in for not a lot extra, I ALWAYS use the Pertronix matching coil, just buy it as a set and you know it will be right.. Never a problem if you put them onto a reconditioned dissy. __________________ *"Came too close to dying to stop living now!"*