This was posted on another site I frequent and the lady had an EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection ) set up on the vehicle. I'm posting this simply because some people using Pertronix may have a problem and do a search ..........hopefully they come across this when they search. " Here is something for those using a FiTech FI system. This is FYI info in case anyone runs into the same that I experienced. I've been having serious issues with my FiTech. On our trip to Florida this past winter, the FiTech began experiencing 10.4 AFR's, rarely running on command. No matter what I did to AFR's, it ran way too rich. Sometimes it would run into the 13's, so I drove it home some 1500miles stopping for fuel way more often that I wanted to. Also noticed a flicker in the tach needle, and occasional hand held tach responses of high rpm. Like just a flicker of say 4578rpm or 3659rpm....random high numbers. After spending time with FiTech support and changing out the O2 sensor and Fuel Pressure regulator to no avail, the FiTech finally started Coding a "code 35". This started gradually, only seeing flickers on tach and coding 35. Then constant flickering and coding 35. Code 35 is a "ignition noise" issue. FiTech support said it was electronic noise coming from the Pertronix 1181LS that I installed to replace the points. Talked to Pertronix and they sent me a filter that was suppose to eliminate the noise. It is a free upgrade. Installed it with no change. Finally I pulled the distributor cap with wires and found rotor center contact to be quite worn, and two spark plug wires that were out of sync (ohms) with the other 6. I replace the wires and rotor. Still a code 35. (ignition noise) The only thing left was the coil. I had purchased the coil as a matching coil to be used with the Pertronix 1181LS. It is their 1.5ohm "Flame-Thrower" Pertronix coil. I took the coil out and replaced it with an old 12v Delco coil that I've had laying around for many years. Code 35 gone, and runs perfect going to AFR's commanded. This Pertronix coil has been going bad over the last 5 months...a little at a time creating noise that was F'ing with the CPU programming. Hope this helps someone." So if you are having trouble with your EFI or your Pertronix, it might be worth swapping coils just to see what happens..........probably be good to carry a spare coil.....even if its an old one.
Pertronix, There seems to be That many have issues with here on HAMB , I have a Pertronix Kit setting on shelf Now for around 10 or so years maybe 13, was going to use on a forklift , Unlight on Carbs & EFI , When the Mallory Unlight was introduced early 90s Mallory offered a conversion kit, I have used Mallory, I see many Unlights for sale , cheap & some seller miss lead stating Un test Some true Most You know seller tested & Know burnt eye , , Just like a classic S-W speedo , Seller says Untested , on a mechanical speedo You know it was tested , Because if working would sell for Hundreds $ more,, Back to Mallory , I have never burnt a eye on Unlight , Only "" 1 "" time when , In last 4 yrs , ( 2019 eye module) I was to lazy to unattached battery to weld a 5 sec bracket to the frame, cost me $$ 2-1/2 hours , because distributor behind a tunnel ram and down underneath the cowl , I also have ran / used a big yellow Accel 30 yrs old Coil & MSD coil mounted on trains tail shaft housing with good coil wire with No issues on 3 different As & 32
I'm curious about something not mentioned in the Pertronix instructions. The condenser mounted on coil bracket to combat radio interference, should this be connected? The one on my Olds doesn't have one and I don't recall one on the other Buick. All have Petronix modules and flame thrower coils
Having a filter capacitor on the positive side of the coil, is probably a great idea, if you're running EFI.
I’m wondering if running the unit with the ballast resister connected would change anything with an EFI unit. Also would all brands be affected this way. My Pertronix II has been perfect for 10 years using their coil and a resistor in the feed line and full voltage on start-up.
I say No for EFI , ( after market / universal) because EFI reads the neg single for rpm's ,, Its seems all Issues with Pertronix are the one's sold in last 5 years or less
I have had three separate Petronix on my hot rod flathead/all three became non functional after 1 year of use/would NEVER EVER buy another one—-points and condenser will always get u home—I know many people say they are gr8 and have gotten many miles of service; not me, I have nothing good to say about the Petronix products.
I've never had issues with the conversion kits where you swap out points. Their full distributor though has been junk from the few times I have tried it. I have pretty much gone back to points with all the cars though at this point.
Not pointing a finger here FHJ, just using your post as an example. I think (unproven) that when 3 units all fail for one person (on the same vehicle ?), that there must be something outside the norm causing that failure..........when obviously many others have used them successfully for long periods of time......Hence my original post to start this thread. The person who wrote that had EFI and suspected their EFI was faulty, but it was an oddball issue with the coil .....that affected the Pertronix.....which ultimately showed up in the EFI display. I have to wonder if many of the "faulty" Pertronix units didn't fail or act badly because of some undetected issue.....yet Pertronix takes the blame. Then again you may be correct and the Pertronix units were actually faulty.
Not a Pertonix , I did fleet maintenance For a G shop in 2000, worked on a C2500 gas, bad fuel pump , Parts used from local Gm dealer , installed new oem pump Assembly, truck started up , but would not rev under a load , did all test , and checked fuel regulator filter ,hard lines, rubber lines ,pressure was correct, did flow volume test , not enough fuel, defective pump, order another , same thing , 3 bad pumps , 4th correct fuel flow volume and pressure,, things do happen sometimes, just unusual
In your example, I can see that there could be multiple consecutive bad parts from any type of vendor......I say that because you installed them consecutively over a period of a few days and probably from the same supplier. It sounds like a "production run" where a group of parts were made wrong before they corrected the problem. In FHJs example, he said each lasted a year before failing and moving on to a new unit. It is possible that the units he purchased came from the same supplier as well as the same production run, and had been sitting on a shelf...but we'll never know for sure. When I used to work as a machinist at a govt weapons facility, we had a machinist who was a management favorite. He ran a CNC lathe on day work, and if any bad parts were made, it always was the night shift who was at fault. I got assigned to working nites on that machine. Came in one day and as I began work, I checked my first part and it was wrong. I made an adjustment to correct the problem and notified both the inspector and my supervisor to check all the parts run by the dayshift and to mark them.........so we knew who had run what. Next day as soon as I got to work, the day shift began blaming me. I pointed out that all of mine were marked one way and Tex's were marked differently. Got the night shift supervisor and inspector to verify that I had caught the problem on my first part and had them mark all the ones their favorite had done. He was pretty vocal when they first blamed me, so he grudgenly had to accept that he was the responsible party. He was a good machinist.......but everyone makes a bad part now and then. Look at the two people trapped up in space right now because of a problem with the return shuttle. Yep, I made my share too.
@ekimneirbo, My self , if this is referring to other thread on main site , I would be taken the Distributor out of the loop how its wired now and be making test leads and a fully charged separate battery in floor board or ground , 2 new fresh wires P & G , & only run the coil and distributor off of, a good charge battery should last over an hour, The existing alternator and battery would run the rest of the vehicle. Or "Really Bench Test Out Side of BOX "" Pull distributor completely out of the engine, Test leads to Ground distributor base from Battery, eight spark plugs, eight plug wires , ground coil , (alligator clips for grounds) Wire Positive to coil, A 12v & battery, charger , 110 v drill , zip tire , start testing & see if it will continuously fire spark plugs for 10 mints or for hours .. I can not remember , It seem I used one of those Pertonix kit like back in 2013 , If i did There was no tissue , back then . I do have a kit on shelf also now ,, its also around that old.
I’m just not in the fan club for the Pertronix units . Old timey points and condenser , worked for many years / and miles in a lot of high horsepower stuff . If it works why change it . The OEM unit is 100% better when worn out than a Pertronix , just my opinion
Same here. After trouble with a couple of Petronix units, I went back to points, dual points in several of the Hi-Po cars. Easy to maintain, reliable and I always keep a spare kit on hand (along with a ballast resistor in the MoPars) on hand just in case.
Points are easy to replace, reasonably cheap, and pretty reliable. Where they differ is in accuracy and the ability to provide higher voltage for high performance engines. I'm just saying......per my story above..........that people often blame them when the problem may have been caused by something that wasn't their fault.....hence my story above about "Tex" trying to blame me. No one likes to be accused of something they aren't responsible for, and I think that is often the case with Pertronix. And in the original thread example.....the EFI being initially blamed when it was actually a bad coil. How many coils have been replaced on points/condensor vehicles? Me, I plan to use a crank trigger.....and several coils.
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