With winter coming around the corner, and not too happy with the way Petronix system not liking the could weather I'm thinking of switching to the DUI setup. What plug wires did you use using the DUI dizzy?

 

Has anyone tried this?

Ford Duraspark « Performance Distributors Performance Distributors

 

Don't know why your having trouble with the pertronix. Most people prefer that setup for it most reliability. Are you sure you have it setup properly?

That being said, I have used a HEI style ignition and distributor in the past. It ran great for a few months then completely crapped out and left me stranded. If you go this route, be sure to get the best quality you can.

 

I did the Duraspark conversion on my 1971 F250. The truck did start much better but the wiring involved is a pain. You have to mount the Module and make a harness the connect everything. And finding the FE style duraspark isn't easy at all. I cringe just typing this, but I have seen articles that show replacing the Ford Module with the HEI module out of a cheby. Just a thought on that one, seems to be a much easier install.

 

Found the link to the article about HEI upgrade.

Dirt cheap Ignition

 

My luck with pertronix is, about every 2 years I have to replace it. I'm not sure why that is. I know others that have the same issue and others that do not. Anyways, when winter hits and it is harder to start. I'm getting close to the 2 year make. I'm also looking at a stock DSII and a MSD 6AL as well. When driving into the back country I need something I'm not going to worry about tacking a crap on me.

 

In that case, I would try to figure out why your pertronix units are going out, fix that problem, and carry a set of points/condenser in the glove box as backup.

Can't be much more reliable, or simpler than that.

 

i have it on my truck , just bought the kit that came with wires .

 

I have another dizzy setup with points. It starts easier, runs okay, just not as well as it does when the pertronix is working right. I found 5 DSI for it at local parts stores, so that will not be a big deal. 2 places have the MSD 6AL box for it. Then I may go with just the GM module and see how it works out. I know a few Jeep guys that have done this.

 

I swapped my '63 over to Pertronix 15 years ago. Never had a problem.

 

Friday morning the Pertronix module stopped working again. Check for power and has 12 volts to the coil. Checked the ground and had a good ground on the dizzy. Pulled the coil wire and check to see if there was any spark. Nothing. So I grabbed my spare coil and swapped it out and still nothing. Grabbed the point dizzy dropped it in and fired up. Swapped the coil back out and it ran again. So I hit the you pick yards for a TFI coil bracket. I already had a DS module box that I removed the epoxy and already had a GM 4 pin module mounted in it. So I finished building the wiring harness from the GM module to a DS wiring harness. Mounted the TFI coil on front of the head, built the wiring harness using a DS coil harness. This is wired so I could use a DS module as well as the GM.

Okay, there is something I seen when I pulled the old cap off that I have not seen before and something I read on another form that has has me thinking why I have had the issues with the Pertronix system. I have been using the small point type cap and rotor. This last time I used the point type cap and small DS rotor. I was burning holes thru the rotor with the point type rotors. The point type and DS caps and rotors are (NAPA's) made of different types of plastics. Anyways, the inside the cap around the brass pins for the plug wire, the plastic looked like it was blistered. And not just a a little, but a lot and all around them. I'm wondering if the point type plastic is creating resistance feeding back to the module and that is why I'm losing the modules?

So looking at this and what I found on another forum, I'm not using the point type cap and rotor. The heads up that I found on another form was others using the small DS cap and rotor with the TFI coil and getting the same blistering around the pins. There fix was to use the pancake cap and rotor. It has more space between the pins and it stops the bleed over from pin to pin under the cap.

So with new DS dizzy and the GM 4 pin module, I am using the cap adapter and the pancake cap and this old girl runs like it has never run before. I'll keep a look out and see if I find anything funny going on with these setup. It starts very easy cold or warmed up after a trip around town.

As a side note, and this may have been part of my issues and maybe not? All my caps and rotors (brass) that I have use are NAPA brand, maybe there is something different with there plastic? Makes me wonder if I was using another brand cap and rotor if this would not have happened? Maybe others that have had the same issues can say what brand cap and rotor they are using as well as those that have never had a problem. I know Pertronixs does work and if I use this setup again, I'd use the cap adapter and pancake cap to avoid any issues that could happen when using high out put coils.

 

Although I wasn't expecting a drastic increase in performance, I bought my plug wires for my DUI with performance in mind. I bought Taylor Wire ThunderVolt 8.2mm plug wires. I'm not happy about the boots being grey as I wanted black but the 50ohm per foot resistance made me get over that. Whatever wire set you buy, be sure that the boots on the distributor end fit an HEI distributor socket as that is essentially what a DUI distributor is. When you order the distributor itself though, as I see you have not yet done that, be sure to take advantage of their free custom tuning for your specific vehicle.

For my dad's Highboy with a 429, I bought him a set of Taylor Wire Spiro-Pro 8mm plug wires. We are both very pleased with the Taylor wires. The second you pull them out of the box you know they're well made. Not to mention that an engine-specific set is only around $55. DUI's own wires are almost $100 and their resistance is about 330ohm per foot.

Normally I'd just say that a wire is a wire and no matter what it's probably going to work, but if you're spending the money on a DUI you may as well buy a half decent wire.

 

nfk, You have something out of whack on your setup. When installed properly the Petronix has been one of the most reliable simple upgrades offered for years. You don't need expensive wire sets with the II setup.

I noticed years ago when there was a problem posted here, most times it was not installed properly.



John

 

The 1st time I had a unit fail I called Petronix and one thing they ask me to try was add a ground to the dizzy itself. That was with the old dizzy, dropped in a reman dizzy, added the extra ground and still had the same issue.

Trozie, I just grabbed a set of stock ford pancake type wire for it. That's all I could get for it on short notice Friday to get good wires for it. I'll run this a few weeks and build a good set when time is there.

Jowilker, I agree they seem to be a great system as I know of others that have had them trouble free for years. A friend of mine that builds custom bugs and Petronix has been is best setup. He has looked at mine and seen it again Friday. Jon did not see anything wrong with my setup. Then I know others that have had nothing but trouble with then.