Hello All,

I am in the process of installing the Pertronix ignition module with the flame thrower coil on my 65 F100 352.

My question is "can I just connect the red wire to the positive side of the coil" or is there a resistor I need to bypass. If so, where is the resistor located? Any pictures?

I'm kind of new to the F100 world as I just got this truck about a month ago, so any help/advise is greatly appreciated.

 

Keith! Welcome to FTE! Measure the voltage at the coil with the key on. Pertronix likes 12 volts. The resistor on your truck is in the pink wire running from the ignition switch to the bulk head connector where it changes color and goes to the coil. Many are long gone, so if you can't find it don't worry. If you don't have 12 volts at the coil with the key on, run a new wire from the ignition on to the coil. In the start mode you should also have 12 volts to the coil through the starter relay. This is the standard setup for our trucks so it us unlikely anyone has changed that.

 

The Pertronix kit will have instructions, complete with diagrams to determine whether you need to retain the resistor (if there is one), or not. The instructions are good, and easy to follow. The only "complaint" I have is that the ring connectors on the end of the wires must be crimped to get them through the hole in the distributor, and then straightened out to terminate.

 

Well, I tested with a MultiMeter and it was 12.6 volts to the coil. Good thing, cause I couldn't find anything like a resistor all the way back to the switch. I put on a new cap, rotor, wires and plugs too. With the new ignition, I gapped them so .40 goes but .44 does not.

It started right up, but runs a little rough. Timing is off, but I could not break loose the #*^!$ distributor nut with a 1/2 wrench. Rather than ruin it, I went back to town and got the correct tool, but its too dark now.

So I guess I wait another day to test it out.

Thanks for the help/advise guys.

BTW - My wires fit through the hole in the distributor easily.

 

It figure! Your 65 has the distributor right up front - easy to get to. My 64 has the distributor at the back - a real trick to get to. Obviously, the more difficult it is to get to, the more difficult to run the wires through the hole in the distributor. Murphy's Law, you know. But, according to McPhearson's Law, "Murphy was an optimist".

Seriously, once you get your timing adjusted, you're gonna love the way it runs.

 

I am currently having problems with a MALLORY UNILITE and have been emailing with technical help. The guy there said you always will have 12 volts even if you have the pink wire when the motor is not running???? He said the resister only is working when motor is running..... so I dont know

 

That is correct, since there is no load on the system the resistor does not drop any voltage. The Pertronix does not seem to care if the resistor wire is there, my '66 has the resistor and it has worked flawlessly for ~15 years. Never asked Pertronix if that was OK!!

Putt

 

JCS1966 is correct. The ignition system should have a circuit that bypasses the resistor when starting to give the coil a full 12 volts. Once the ignition switch is at the on position the electricity is fed through the resistor to the coil.

 

Although a lot of people get by without ditching the resistor wire, you'll possibly burn up the pertronix eventually, or it may not work some hot afternoon (heat increases the resistence in the pink resistor wire, thus dropping the voltage). And you'll only get full performance from the Flamethrower coil with 12v.

The starter bypass gives full 12v to the coil only when the ignition switch is all the way over and giveing power to the starter solenoid (or relay, depending on your naming preferences). This is not the reason that you can measure 12v at the coil, even with a resistor wire in the circuit.

I beleive (not 100% certain) that if you were to put a LOAD, say for instance, hook up a headlight, to the wire to the coil, you would find a steep drop in voltage if the pink resistor wire is still present. Suffice to say, I do not think that hooking up a voltimeter to the wire to the coil completely suffices.

Now, why don't you get a little flashlight, and get under the dash and find out if the pink wire is still present and intact. There is a short pigtail from the ignition switch, leading to a bullet connector, at least in a 65. From the bullet connector to the firewall will run the pink wire.

The easiest and non-destructive way to bypass it, is to get one of those tap-in connectors that snap over an existing wire and attach another wire to it, without cutting the existing wire. You can get them eveywhere. Now, attach a new wire to the pink wire as absolutely close to the firewall, under the dash, as you can get it. Run the new wire back to the bullet connector where the pink wire started. Put a new connector on the end of the new wire. Disconnect the pink wire and connect the new wire. Fasten up the pink wire so it doesn't dangle down.

Presto. Pink wire is still intact, so that if you or someone else decides to reverse the process, you can do so.

Now, you can attach the main hot wire to the hot lead of the new Flamethrower coil. Then jump over from there to the hot wire into the pertronix.

Pertronix instructions are notoriously bad, in spite of a great product.

Hope this helps.....

 

Hi,I have a 62 f 100. Its been sitting for 3 years. The wires from the altenator have been pulled out of somewhere. Can you help me find a home for them? I am new to this FTE site. Glad to be a part of it. Thank you.