How does this sound. A friend has burnt up 2 elec. breakerless pertronix ignitors by leaving the key on and having the car stall with the key on warming it up. We called Pertronix and they told us. That it was a problem with all breakerless distributors. Well thinking I do not want this to happen with my 312, I just installed a new Mallory dist. like 300 dollars. They dont grow on trees. Anyway,my thinking,I could reroute my wiring. Ad a extra oil pressure sensor to the motor. And run the dist. wiring through it. No oil pressure it would kill power to the dist. It would be a little slower starting,just till the oil pressure builtup. But it would also kill all the power to the dist. if the engine died. Also if for some reason I was running down the road and did not realize the engine had loss oil pressure it would kill the engine and maybe save it. Like most I have a gauge,but cant say I watch it like I should driving, or if I let a friend drive it. Much better to have the engine shut down driving,then hear it knocking and be too late. Thinking it should be installed before the coil not after. Any input.
Breakerless distributor
- Thread starter RedBear
- Start date
Y-Blockhead
Well-known member
The Duraspark II conversion is fairly common now. Here is a link that someone posted recently. Duraspark Conversion Google Durasprk conversions for more info.
I had a Pertronix (one of the earlier ones) that I was using to trigger my MSD 6A in the Ranchwagon that died ~6 months ago. Don't know if it was that I left it on too long or it was just old (been I/S for ~10 years, no problems). I was static timing the engine. Done this before with no problems.
Installed my "Backup" set of points and all is good. The points are still in and triggering the MDS. I'm considering using a Duraspark to trigger the MSD but for now the points are working fine so it's low on the Bucket List. Since the points are only being used to trigger the MSD and not connected directly to the coil I imagine they should last a long time.
And there is a guy on another forum that uses the Ford Durasprk distibutor/trigger with a GM HEI type four pin controller and a low OHM primary coil from a V6 GM.
I forgot to mention that I have heard good things about the Crane and Accel modules but have never used them myself. May want to look into it.
I had a Pertronix (one of the earlier ones) that I was using to trigger my MSD 6A in the Ranchwagon that died ~6 months ago. Don't know if it was that I left it on too long or it was just old (been I/S for ~10 years, no problems). I was static timing the engine. Done this before with no problems.
Installed my "Backup" set of points and all is good. The points are still in and triggering the MDS. I'm considering using a Duraspark to trigger the MSD but for now the points are working fine so it's low on the Bucket List. Since the points are only being used to trigger the MSD and not connected directly to the coil I imagine they should last a long time.
And there is a guy on another forum that uses the Ford Durasprk distibutor/trigger with a GM HEI type four pin controller and a low OHM primary coil from a V6 GM.
I forgot to mention that I have heard good things about the Crane and Accel modules but have never used them myself. May want to look into it.
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BUBBAS IGNITION
Well-known member
I believe there are some other issues involved in this entire discussion.
First of all any car with the key ( ignition) left on for extended period of time will do some amp flow heat damage even with ignition points ! The odds are that the contacts will be closed when the engine stops etc.
On the pertronixs issue their new ignitor II has a circuit to prevent damage in the event of the key left on. We have shipped hundreds of the Pertronixs modules over the last few years with very good luck and very few returns.
www.bubbashotrodshop.com
The conversions mentioned work very well and we have done quite a few . The problem as of late is we can no longer buy good aftermarket parts for these conversions and actually prefer factory used stuff to the new jap made inferior products.
The Ford dura spark was a good system however even the factory changed the wiring each and every year to prevent problems. The dura spark distributor and pickup remain the out right best of them all even today!!!
The GM HEI wins the control module show downs but good modules are hard to find as well as Delco no longer makes and parts and reboxes everything sold. Circuits and controls inside the modules are no longer inside the controllers in a effort to make em cheaper.
Ignition changes should be based on need . Do you really need hotter spark?? Think about it what changes have you made to the engine that requires more spark???
First of all any car with the key ( ignition) left on for extended period of time will do some amp flow heat damage even with ignition points ! The odds are that the contacts will be closed when the engine stops etc.
On the pertronixs issue their new ignitor II has a circuit to prevent damage in the event of the key left on. We have shipped hundreds of the Pertronixs modules over the last few years with very good luck and very few returns.
www.bubbashotrodshop.com
The conversions mentioned work very well and we have done quite a few . The problem as of late is we can no longer buy good aftermarket parts for these conversions and actually prefer factory used stuff to the new jap made inferior products.
The Ford dura spark was a good system however even the factory changed the wiring each and every year to prevent problems. The dura spark distributor and pickup remain the out right best of them all even today!!!
The GM HEI wins the control module show downs but good modules are hard to find as well as Delco no longer makes and parts and reboxes everything sold. Circuits and controls inside the modules are no longer inside the controllers in a effort to make em cheaper.
Ignition changes should be based on need . Do you really need hotter spark?? Think about it what changes have you made to the engine that requires more spark???
Sidlo
New member
Old Don I read redbears discussion also twice. I think what he was talking about was he did not want to buy a $300.00 Mallory dist. just to have it mess up. They are high. I checked with summit and Jegs. Mallorys run between $250.00 to close to $400 dollars.
I dont have a race car or need that. I lucked out and bidded on a new Mallory on Ebay for a 312 and got it for like $125.00. Lot less. After you buy the dist. from summit or Jegs you still have to shell out the money for a coil or a MSD box. More money. But as far as the cutoff switch. Sounds like it might work but I dont know how. I heard new cars have something that on them, I case of a rollover,and loss of oil pressure the engine would cutoff. But if it worked seem like the engine would be slow starting. Or until oil pressure was builtup
I dont have a race car or need that. I lucked out and bidded on a new Mallory on Ebay for a 312 and got it for like $125.00. Lot less. After you buy the dist. from summit or Jegs you still have to shell out the money for a coil or a MSD box. More money. But as far as the cutoff switch. Sounds like it might work but I dont know how. I heard new cars have something that on them, I case of a rollover,and loss of oil pressure the engine would cutoff. But if it worked seem like the engine would be slow starting. Or until oil pressure was builtup
Y-Blockhead
Well-known member
The oil pressure S/D switch was designed to shut off the fuel pump in case of an accident. Newer cars have high pressure electric fuel pumps for the fuel injection. Problems arise if the engine continues to run it won't S/D the fuel pump. I prefer using an inertia switch on my electric fuel pump.
But I'm getting off the topic. I agree I would not install a oil pressure S/D switch on my ignition for the reasons mentioned unless I also installed a bypass switch around the S/D switch.
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Daves55Sedan
Well-known member
Why do you need to leave the key on in the first place? If you want to listen to the radio or use any other accessory, those are factory routed to the accessory terminal of the ignition switch (the coil is not hot) in that position.
???
Oh, just re-read the first post again. I see what happened. The engine stalled while warming up and he didn't realize it right away, so having it "hot" pre-maturely burned up the pertronix, right ?
I would find out why the engine is stalling. try pulling out the choke control knob a little more. Tune up, maybe?
???
Oh, just re-read the first post again. I see what happened. The engine stalled while warming up and he didn't realize it right away, so having it "hot" pre-maturely burned up the pertronix, right ?
I would find out why the engine is stalling. try pulling out the choke control knob a little more. Tune up, maybe?
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