Electronic ignition in 70's FT
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 3
From: NE Texas
I fully understand the desire to keep everything Ford, but in this case the pertronix is probably a more practical and simple solution. I have done probably a dozen pertronix conversions on everything from old cars to old fork trucks and they have always come out flawless.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 33
Likes: 2
I put a Pertronix kit in my '73 F-600 330ci several years ago and it runs like a whole new machine. It starts much easier no matter what the temperature and runs smooth. I would strongly recommend it.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 164
Likes: 1
Hey Bleedin'blue, when you installed the Petronix, do you recall if you bypassed the ignition switch resistor wire and, if so, how?
I recently purchased a '78 F600 that the p.o. had installed a Petronix on. It ran so poorly, I ended up removing it and reinstalling points/condenser. I think the Petronix ignitor unit was/is bad.
I recently purchased a '78 F600 that the p.o. had installed a Petronix on. It ran so poorly, I ended up removing it and reinstalling points/condenser. I think the Petronix ignitor unit was/is bad.
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i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,511
Likes: 5,565
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
i saw one 390 with a duraspark ignition in it, and many many years ago there was a writeup in 4X4 magazine that explained how to do it.
i have installed the pertronix ignitor in 5 or 6 FT engines with great results.
i left the ballast resistor in place, and then advanced the timing around 5 degrees i believe it was. two of the 391 Ft powered trucks saw over 700,000 miles with the ignitors in them before they were retired and sold.
and by then the distributors were so shot when we put the points back into one of them it would not even run because the deflection in the shaft kept on leaving the points open.
the reason i wanted to put the points back in was to keep the ignitor as a spare.
but i had to put it back in to sell it.
i have installed the pertronix ignitor in 5 or 6 FT engines with great results.
i left the ballast resistor in place, and then advanced the timing around 5 degrees i believe it was. two of the 391 Ft powered trucks saw over 700,000 miles with the ignitors in them before they were retired and sold.
and by then the distributors were so shot when we put the points back into one of them it would not even run because the deflection in the shaft kept on leaving the points open.
the reason i wanted to put the points back in was to keep the ignitor as a spare.
but i had to put it back in to sell it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
...two of the 391 Ft powered trucks saw over 700,000 miles with the ignitors in ... by then the distributors were so shot when we put the points back into one of them it would not even run because the deflection in the shaft kept on leaving the points open. the reason i wanted to put the points back in was to keep the ignitor as a spare. but i had to put it back in to sell it.
What a Pertronix can't compensate for though, is worn advance plate bushings, centrifugal weight mechanism, and defective vacuum advance. When the distributor gets wonky and erratic it causes weird issues and retarded timing, leading to overheating.
Noticed my truck did start quicker with a Pertronix Ignitor, but overall it ran a whole lot better especially with a fresh distributor, now it idles rock steady almost down to about 400 RPM, this is a good diagnostic. A miss or wandering idle can be caused by worn distributor. Another torture test for the ignition is poking along in high gear about 8 or 10 miles an hour, without bucking means wires and cap and everything is OK.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 3
From: NE Texas
I'm not sure if you are saying this as a joke or a serious suggestion, but it really does have merit.
Multi-spark ignition is most effective in open chamber type heads as are found in most truck and industrial gas engines. The multi-spark will more thoroughly burn the fuel making for more power and fuel economy. The MSD box might pay for itself in this application.
My $0.02,
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,511
Likes: 5,565
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
i have also heard of using a pertronix it fire a msd box.
Ted, the distributors we had in the 391FT's were the ones that used carb vacuum to run the advance plates.
they were so worn out that the shaft had close to 1/8 inch deflection. the points were either always open or always closed.
but the pertronix has a strong enough magnet to open/close the breaker ever at 1/4 inch deflection.
Ted, the distributors we had in the 391FT's were the ones that used carb vacuum to run the advance plates.
they were so worn out that the shaft had close to 1/8 inch deflection. the points were either always open or always closed.
but the pertronix has a strong enough magnet to open/close the breaker ever at 1/4 inch deflection.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,771
Likes: 9
From: Western Washington
Sam