First time visiting in a while so I will update the thread I started.

I never did purchase a Petronix Ignition or any other for my 72, just a new set of Motorcraft pts and cond.

I put just over 2500 miles on my truck this year and most of it was towing a travel trailer and an ATV in the bed along with about 50 gallons of water, 10 gallons of gas, firewood and other camping goodies, a total of about 1200 pounds in the bed plus the travel trailer. I just put the truck up for the winter and wont drive it again until next spring, probably late Marrch early April when we head out for the San Rafael Swell.

I did install an S intake and a Motorcraft 4300 4V off of a 1974 460 truck, very pleased with the increased performance.

Maybe if I drove more I would upgrade but for now everything works great. Thanks for all of the advise.

 

Pertronics Good..........points Bad In My Opinion

 

Points good, Pertronixs walk home.

 

Only driving 2500 miles per year I think the points will do just fine. If I drove a lot more or was serious about performance I would most likely install a Ford Duraspark ignition and probably will anyway.

As time goes on I consider more about making more changes than I originally intended. I am considering a nice Alpine in dash LCD TV/stereo with reverse cams in the rear of the truck and on the rear of our traveltrailer. If we do this we will also cut the doors for speakers, something I thought I would never do.

We are going to keep this truck for a long time and might just upgrade it a bit to fit our wants and needs a little more.

 

i,ve had the pertronics for a few years without any problems even down to extremes in temp...like right now its 20 degrees and my 390 has no problems starting. i do have points in 2 other vehicles though(i just dont drive them as much

 

Fred, Throughout this site you will find many praises of the Pertronix system, and very few failure issues. Beamer nut is one of those nehsayers, is very vocal about it, and never includes in his post that it is his opinion. Most instances of a post where there is a problem with the system, it is with installation. After reading many of his posts over the years, I suspect that he didn't think is was built right, tried to make it better in his own mind and the product failed, and has deemed it inferior. That is my conclusion and opionin.

John

 

John; those are your words or opinions about what you think I did, please don't as you don't have the facts just "conclusion and opinion".

Years ago when Pertronix first came out they had problems, no if and or but.
I went thru three of them, all failures within a short time ( months) and installed per manufactures instructions as well a friend who I talked into purchacing a Pertronix. By the fourth unit failure that was installed in said friends vehicle (second failure) we find it hard to believe in a product with a bad reliability track record. They may have fixed their problems over time but i'm still not going to use their products again.

A little off topic maybe, I posted in this forum a long time ago. Purchased one of Edelbrock's first production run Streetmasters, mounted on the engine one
valve cover edge was 5/16" high, opposite side low. Went back to speed shop with machinist measuring tools with Edelbrock Tech on the speaker phone.
We, speed shop workers customers and friend got measurements from Tech and applied them to intake on the glass counter top. Oops machined wrong as well 3 other Streetmasters new in box on shelf. All went back and Edelbrock sent a replacement directly to my house 24 hours later. So you see even the big boys can screw up but they will correct in a speedy way not weeks like Pertronix.

Like Paul Harvey states every day, "now you know the rest of the story,
good day".

 

Carl, I called you out on "Points good, Pertronixs walk home." and your reply "Years ago" does not apply today, there are no facts to back up your statement. They have served thousands of other users for many years with no problems.

I don't have a problem with you not liking Petronix, or recommending Craine as your choice, that is perfectly acceptable. I just don't have to accept it as fact, just because Beemer Nut said it.

John

 

All in opinions John as this is what this forum is about besides tips and clues.
Kind of like Porsche's, some people hate 'em some love 'em, (opinion again maybe they got spanked?).

 

I have running my Perteonix for over 6 yrs now without any module problems ..I use it with an MSD6 control. Both are just fine here!!
I carried a set of points around in the glove box for years (emer. spare thing) and finally gave them to a fella that had a `pointed` mustang to get him hme from a car show..

I am sold so far!

 

$64.99 at Summitracing buy the crain XR-I it bolts in place of the points. has a reve limiter better fuel mileage more power smooths the engine out http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

 

Careful, it's like a chebbie / Ford thing between Crane / MDS followers.

 

You guys are funny. Arguing about nothing. There are enough threads in here that back up the fact that the Pertronix unit works great without having to make it an argument. And Beemer, I don't see how you can say "points good". Points are good up until that moment that they go bad. And they will go bad no question about it. There's just no way to know when. The little plastic piece that rides on the dizzy shaft will wear and maybe break, or the points will melt together and I can probably go on some more but whatever it is, the points will go bad. The reason I went with the Pertronix is that the stupid little hold down screw wouldn't hold down and I couldn't keep the dumb thing set properly. After spending hours trying to figure out why my truck ran like crap only to finally think to check the points ticked me off enough that I finally shelled out the $60 for the Pertronix and I must say it was well worth it. You know points aren't good when you have to keep a feeler gauge and screw driver in the glove box. I don't have to do that now and there's also nothing to break or wear out. So to anyone out there who's wondering about the Pertronix, go for it. The cost is well worth the time saved dealing with points and it's super simple to install. I'm not brand name loyal in any way to Pertronix. I've read in this forum where folks have had success with numerous electronic ignition set ups. So grab one and let the good times roll.

 

Is there harm done to the Pertronix unit if the key/ignition is accidently left for a time on like there would be with the points/coil?

 

qman, points don't go bad they just slowly deterioate from the moment they are put into service.
Far as rubbing block breaking, falling off or wearing at some excessive rate you stated, your doing something wrong or a defective part.
I installed new points and 250 miles later the tungsten came off the movable
arm going down the highway, then carried the old set saved my butt.

fomo; early pertronix units would burn up if the ignition were left on
with the motor not running, later units they claim would shut down internally and prevent letting the smoke out. Friend of mine purchased a pertronix, was told it had this protection by the speed shop so he didn't bother turning off the ignition when the motor stalled. Returns 15 minutes later with his carb jets to find the pertronix let the smoke out at his shop parking lot. Points in glove box got him home. Pertronix told him warranty is up buy another, "click".
I and friends have had failures with the first ones they sold years ago. One FTE moderator has replied about my bad experiences as all my fault and that I modified them with failed results therefore i'm negative on pertronix products.
His words not mine and not true just standard installation with failures.
He also stated newer units are better, would of fooled another friend until he
let the smoke got out.
To be nice, i'll say pertronix are the best ignition in the world, just my part of the world hasn't found the new and improved version.

My above reply #48 was do to the fact that when points act up you can dress, adjust be on your way, pertronix when it fails it lets the smoke out, no adjustments will get you on you way again. It happened to me more than once (3 times) as I gave my backup points to some down and out scrap collector, didn't replace then had a ignition failure.
Read up before plunking down your hard earned money.