Pertronix Distributor Drive Question
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,350
Likes: 7
From: Garland, Tx
Get er done and tell us how much better it runs. I put mine in in 97 and haven’t touched it sense.
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
I put a Pertronix 1281 Ignitor in my '71 360FE back in June and it has run almost flawlessly since. I say almost because I didn't do a great job of reconnecting the coil after and it ran very poorly then cut out making me think I had done something horribly wrong, but when I found that it was easy enough to replace the connector and tighten it up right. Before the Pertronix I had off-idle stumble and occasionally mid-RPM hiccups, but after she has run smoothly across the RPM range.
And the FE blocks with the larger distributor shaft holes are actually FT blocks iirc. They were low RPM heavy duty truck engines (>F-350) based off the FE block but with extra webbing and a port on the side for, I believe, the air brake supply hose to connect to or something like that. They're usually referred to as 361 or 391 instead of 360/390 even though they are, displacement wise, identical. If your truck will rev over 4000RPMs you can rest assured you have an FE and not an FT.
Joe
And the FE blocks with the larger distributor shaft holes are actually FT blocks iirc. They were low RPM heavy duty truck engines (>F-350) based off the FE block but with extra webbing and a port on the side for, I believe, the air brake supply hose to connect to or something like that. They're usually referred to as 361 or 391 instead of 360/390 even though they are, displacement wise, identical. If your truck will rev over 4000RPMs you can rest assured you have an FE and not an FT.
Joe
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Joe Kucinski
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,893
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
Ah, wasn't even thinking about the FT block. Doubt they offer a distributor for it actually. The physical hole in the block is larger, not so much the oil pump driveshaft.
Hot rodders have used the FT block, installed a bushing and ran a std FE distributor.
Hot rodders have used the FT block, installed a bushing and ran a std FE distributor.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Kenosha, WI
I put a Pertronix 1281 Ignitor in my '71 360FE back in June and it has run almost flawlessly since. I say almost because I didn't do a great job of reconnecting the coil after and it ran very poorly then cut out making me think I had done something horribly wrong, but when I found that it was easy enough to replace the connector and tighten it up right. Before the Pertronix I had off-idle stumble and occasionally mid-RPM hiccups, but after she has run smoothly across the RPM range.
Hey, I got a Pertronix Igniter 2 and I keep having it cut out on me this last week. I ran all the elec tests...got 12v at the coil, grounding the coil produces spark, wires are good, but the Igniter 2 will run for about two minutes and then stop sending signal to the coil. It ran fine since October and now it's doing this. Any thoughts???
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,893
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
And this is the reason I haven't put one in anything I own. Still haven't convince myself that it won't fail too soon.
Why can't we make electronic stuff these days that are reliable? Too much Taiwan junk. Had a brand new NAPA duraspark box that died on me just months after installing it. Lucky I was in the driveway and had an old Fomoco unit in the garage a buddy had given me as a spare.
Why can't we make electronic stuff these days that are reliable? Too much Taiwan junk. Had a brand new NAPA duraspark box that died on me just months after installing it. Lucky I was in the driveway and had an old Fomoco unit in the garage a buddy had given me as a spare.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
"Analog" stuff is more forgiving to abuse usually, points are a mechanical switch. Important thing with Pertronix or any module (and points too) is to pencil out the current flowing through the primary. As every Schoolgirl and Schoolboy knows by plugging in the numbers and using Ohm's Law we can determine this. Pertronix I doesn't want to see more than 8 amps for example. But too little juice (voltage) flowing will cause trouble. They pretty much either work or they don't I'd think. Make sure the engine ground and distributor ground etc is clean and bright and tight.
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
Hey, I got a Pertronix Igniter 2 and I keep having it cut out on me this last week. I ran all the elec tests...got 12v at the coil, grounding the coil produces spark, wires are good, but the Igniter 2 will run for about two minutes and then stop sending signal to the coil. It ran fine since October and now it's doing this. Any thoughts???
Make sure everything is tight, undamaged and correctly spaced inside the dizzy.
Make sure you didn't leave the key in any position other than off when the engine isn't running
Make sure your capacitor (ETA: This should read "coil") is 1.5Ω
Make sure your plug wires aren't old, damaged, or insuficient (if they heat up enough, they can cut out)
Make sure you didn't leave the resistor wire in the circuit (bumps have a resistor wire from the ignition to the cap - it's pink iirc)
Those are the things I would check.
Joe
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,592
Likes: 10
From: **** hole San Jose ca.
Hey, I got a Pertronix Igniter 2 and I keep having it cut out on me this last week. I ran all the elec tests...got 12v at the coil, grounding the coil produces spark, wires are good, but the Igniter 2 will run for about two minutes and then stop sending signal to the coil. It ran fine since October and now it's doing this. Any thoughts???
Some coils like the MSD Blaster ll oil filled will over heat, it will leave you stalled out a long the road side if it's not mounted vertical position!.
Then as it cools and you check with a Ohm meter it will shoe good.
The coil must be tested while it's still hot.
If it's checked after it has cooled you'll get a faults reading of good then you'll think it the dizzy unit.
That's what, I went through while using the Dura-Spark setup.
Orich
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Kenosha, WI
It was my understanding that the capacitor wasn't needed with the 0.6 ohm Pertronix coil.
I also believe that the Blaster coil can be run in the stock horizontal position....?