I finally give in and decided to convert to electronic ignition. I bought kit number 1281p6 which fits a 1957 ford distributor, with a positive 6 volt system. well it didn't even last a season, the damn thing burn't out in my garage and has sat there till today. I got a whole new unit because of warranty of 30 months. So I installed it right a way last year but, gave up working on it and let it sit for the winter. I called support tech yesterday and he gave me some tips. I have a complete circuit but, which he told me how to do, still no spark from coil. New coil bought new along with the two others that I thought were bad. I connected the wires like the instructions said to cut ignition switch wire and use the wire from the kit they're pretty easy to follow. Now ignition wire goes black directly into unit inside and then the black and white wire runs from kit to - side of coil and the +side is grounded. Still no spark at coil when removed and laid against valve cover. Took my trouble light and disconnected wire and used my trouble light for a ground and it lit when engine was rolled over. the + and the light lit.. The unit is .005 away form the electric ring. I have double checked everything and made sure everything was tight and clean for a good ground. I just am no farther today then I was last Nov. before I gave up and put the car away..................
38 I have Pertronix kits in all three of my cars: 32 Ford (7 Years) 39 Ford (26 Years) 56 Ford (1 Year) All cars are 12 Volt. On the 56, my wiring for, or from, the module: Red wire to + terminal on Coil Black wire to - terminal on Coil Distance from Module to Rotor is .030" I have no experience with 6 Volt items at all. All of mine run extremely well. Jim
I know zero about them...just thru a flag when you said fits a '57 distributor with 6 volt pos. system. '57's were 12v.
Distributor is just a switch; it does not matter what voltage or polarity is. I'm speaking of a points type unit. I have no personal experience with Pertronix, but people sure seem to have problems with them.
Seems the 12 volt systems are more trouble free than the 6 volt units this has come up before,If you get it working be sure and pack your old points and condenser if you go on a road trip so you can convert back if needed.
It's posts like these that tell me it's best to keep points. The points themselves rarely ever fail instantly but condensers may. A bad condenser is easy to change and cheap enough to keep a few spares in the glove box.
I've never had a points ignition related problem that I couldn't easily solve. Electronic ignition problems have stumped me to no end and haven't usually been cheap to fix. I do admit none were Pertronix. They were all OEM's.
Question is, what generation of Pertronix do you have? First-generation units will fail if the car's not running and you leave the ignition switch in the "Run" position (kind of like frying a coil - been there, done that) - current keeps going through the unit and will fry after a short period of time. Second-generation units supposedly will be more forgiving if the ignition switch is left on while the car is not running. I've run a first-generation unit in my '63 T-bird for over 13 years and have not had a failure with the Ignitor module, but have fried two Flamethrower coils because stock mounting for coil on a '63 'Bird with A/C is horizontal: the coil wants to be mounted vertically so that it doesn't short out against the metal case when it gets warm. Right now I'm running the stock mustard-top coil and have not byp***ed the resistance wire from the ignition switch to the coil, and it seems to run just fine.
Interesting discussion here and on some other forums: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122788&showall=1 It seems that the older Pertronix units have been USA made and reliable most of the issues that have been in units made within the last few recent years may indicate that some production is now made offshore to cut costs and increase profit,MSD has recently jumped on that bandwagon and reputation is also falling,coincidence ?
As mentioned it seems like people have trouble with them or have had no trouble with them. I chose a different route. I converted my yblock distributor to a Duraspark system. Picked up doner distributors and wiring looms from the junkyard and had a few ignition modules laying around. I also had to have a points cam machined to accept the Duraspark armature wheel. I'm sure I have more in it than a Petronix system would cost but I know I have a known good system that I can diagnose and get parts for if needed. Haven't had any trouble with it in the 4yrs it's been in there and it always gets a few comments at shows from people that know what they're looking at.
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