Fed Up with Mallory

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Nov 12, 2003 | 04:20 PM

Jag Red 54

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From: Valley Center, CA

Fed Up with Mallory

Alright, that's it. I'm tired of puccy-footing around with this Mallory dual-point distributor. I polished it, gave it a new cap and rotor, a new condensor, lubed the cams, filed the points, and set their gaps. And still it's not happy! It wants its dwell(s) set. Well, I don't have a dwell meter and I'm not about to buy one just so this persnicity distributer can temporarily be happy. So I went down and bought a new Pertronix unit for it. No more points! I got model #ML 181 ($79.00) at Tognottis. I'm going to install it tonight and then go cruising. If you have the dual points Mallory for a V8 with mechanical advance I advise you to get the Pertornics unit also. They are available on the web for $63 plus 7.50 shipping. Oh, it feels so good to be liberated from the tyranny of 1920s technology! Thanks, I just needed to vent.

John

Last edited by Jag Red 54; Nov 12, 2003 at 04:32 PM.

Nov 13, 2003 | 08:06 AM

mtflat

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From: Kalispell, MT

How are things going with the Pertronix unit? I'd appreciate it if you can take time to detail what you've found. I figure I'll go with one of those when I make some upgrades. Thanks John - best of luck with it!

btw, was the Mallory a newer unit? I've heard they're pretty much junk, but that the old originals are nearly bullet-proof.

Nov 13, 2003 | 09:03 AM

Jag Red 54

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From: Valley Center, CA

My Mallory was put on the truck by the previous owner. I would guess that it is 8-10 years old but has very low miles on it. Probably less than 200. I installed the new pertronix unit last night. It said that it would take about twenty minutes but it turned into 90 minutes. The whole point plate had to be removed along with the condensor. The new unit fits perfectly in place of the old. Then the magnet cap goes on over the cams. (No measuring or spacing required) Next the spacer ring and the rotor. then the wires were pulled through the hole created by removing the point-wire connecting piece. Then the cap. The wires are easy. Black to the neg side of the coil. Red to the pos along with the wire from the ignition. It works great. The truck started right up and runs very smooth!!! I am very pleased.

John

Nov 14, 2003 | 08:32 AM

SteV8e

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From: Minneapolis

Will this Pertronix unit work on a flathead (1952)? Where on the web did you buy it?

Thanks,

Nov 14, 2003 | 09:35 AM

Jag Red 54

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From: Valley Center, CA

I bought mine from the local speed shop, but they are readily available on the web. I just typed in Pertronix in the search engine and a whole gaggle of sellers came up. Some of them have on-line catalogs so that you can find the right model#. You will need a different model than I used in the Mallory distributer if you are running stock. And, if you are still 6-volt, then the supplier needs to know that. Pertronix does make units especially for those of us that run 6-volt. I put one on my 55 Fairlane last year! Good luck, John

Nov 14, 2003 | 09:45 AM

SteV8e

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From: Minneapolis

John:

Thanks for your help. The distributor is stock, but I am running a 12 Volt generator.

Nov 14, 2003 | 12:26 PM

Jag Red 54

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From: Valley Center, CA

I'm sure that you will like the new "no points" system. The only outside appearance difference is that there are 2 wires coming from the distributer rather than one.

Good luck, John