Hello all, I'm having Pertronix problems and it's to the point I'm looking to buy a new distributor. I have a '73 bronco w/ an '89 302 H.O., but it is carbureted and has the original points distributor. I'm very familiar with Pertronix's product, I've removed and installed them on many a Mustang, but when I bought a Pertronix module for my Bronco it wasn't working. I discovered this after about 8 hours of troubleshooting every other part of the ignition system, because I've never had a problem with the modules before. When it was the only thing left I borrowed the module from my friends 351w, put it in, and it fired right up. I used his module for a while but then he had to sell his Cougar so he took it back. Assuming I had maybe accidentaly shorted the first module I bought(since the one from my friends Cougar worked fine) I got another one and had him install it, and now it still won't fire up, my friend has installed them many times too, so I know he didn't mess this one up. So now I have two Pertronix modules that are possibly good, that I can't return because they've been installed, and I'm going insane Any trouble shooting tips would be great. The Air Force sent me here to Georgia and my Bronco is in California so I can't comment on the installation of the second new module but with the first one the coil would fire only when you first started cranking the engine and when you stopped cranking(right when you let the key turn back to "on"), but it wouldn't fire WHILE the engine was cranking. From what my friend discribed over the phone it sounds like the new module is doing the same thing. The one from my friends car was a few years old, did they change the design? I followed all instructions and used their plastic feeler gauge to set the air gap.
Since the old distributor is probably worn, I'm looking to buy an aftermarket one sometime anyways, could anyone recommend one? I don't really like the MSD ones since the only one that will run without one of their boxes costs $285.95(Ready-to-Run p/n 8352) all the others say they need one of of their boxes to run, I don't like that. So any opinions on aftermarket/new stock electronic ignition distributors would be very helpful, thank you, and sorry for the long post.

Amn Caleb Rockwell
caleb.rockwell@moody.af.mil

 

I would take a meter and make sure you were getting 12 volts or whatever they require in the instructions at the coil when cranking. I would then call pertronix and ask them for help. See if they stand behind their product. Some people swear by their pertronix conversions, and some people hate them and have problems. If you want a proven design that you can get from the junk yard, go with a ford duraspark II. You should be able to find it on anything from the mid 70's to the early 80's. Make sure you ge the blue connector one.

 

I can't recall exactly what the issue is in installing these, but what you're describing sounds very familiar. There are a couple of notes in the installation instructions referencing coil resistance as well as cranking voltage. I installed my first one (without first checking cranking voltage..... I believe I used the connection off of the coil). I got frustrated (due to my own stupidity) when the engine wouldn't start and called the company, who sent me another kit. This time, I read the instructions. Amazing how this can help..... as it turned out, the only place I was able to get the proper cranking voltage was at the starter solenoid. After making my connection there, I've had zero problems. Hope this might help.....

 

The only trouble I had when converting to Pertronix was that initially I forgot to reinstall the ground jumper wire that grounds the movable breaker plate to the distributor body. The truck would start OK but when I stepped on the gas it would miss and die.

Did you put the ground jumper in?

 

Yeah, this sounds like a grounding problem, or a power source problem. Check the engine ground, make sure the module is grounded, where is the power source coming from?