Quick Pertronix Ignitor Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

Guest
I plan on putting the Ignitor electric ignition (First generation) and a new coil and spark plugs. Will the spark control valve interfer with the new ignition? Also what would be a an appropriate timing set for a 200 thermactor block after i do these mods? Last thing, what woul be an appropriate gap on the spark plugs?

Any input is very appreciated. :D
 
I have heard of people going as far as .055 with the gaps. I may be tempted to start more in between like around 45 to start with. Only issues I have heard with petronix on the earlier dizzys is getting the gap between the magnet and sensor correct. I guess they come with shims but on some older ones it takes some slight mods.
 
SCV only controls the movement of the points plate, to which the Pertronics Ignitor module is screwed. It should not affect the module at all. It comes with a thin plastic shim; place that between the tone wheel that's placed on the shaft and the module. Push the module up very snug to the plastic shim and tighten the screws. You should have some trouble pulling the shim out afterwards. If it slides out easily, the air gap is too large, and it may not detect each magnet in the wheel and misfire. 0.055" gap is fine if you also have the FlameThrower (or other aftermarket performance) coil. If you have the stock coil, especially if you still have the stock resistance wire in place, start at 0.045" gap
 
I did purchase the 40 thousand volt flamethrower coil. I think ill try it at 45- 55 on the plug gap. Whats the resistance wire?
 
resistance wire:

a pink, thick gauge wire running from the ignition switch to the firewall, feeding switched voltage to the ignition coil, usually wrapped up in the wire harness. It has a resistance value of approximately 0.6 ohms, which drops available voltage to the coil to 8-9 volts, to prevent burning the points.

The Ignitor is solid-state, and does not suffer from points burn at 12v. Just be sure the breaker plate (points plate) and module are very well grounded to the distributor housing. There should currently be a ground strap in your points setup, but replace it with a new one due to corrosion adding resistance.
 
Howdy nate:

Initial timing advance should be set to stock specs to start with. For '65 & '66 it calls for 6 degrees advance for manual trans engines and 12 degrees for engines with auto trans. If all works well and no problems I'd suggest an additional 5 degrees of advance and assess again.

Resistance wires are spark plug wires that are shielded to reduce radio interference. That is true of the stock OEM wires and most aftermarket. If you upgrade your plug wires look for something that advertises a spiro-core center.

On plug gap start with stock gap of .035" and check everything out. If all is good, increase the gap by .005" at a time noting any changes. At lower rpms the larger gap with the stronger ignition will start start quicker, idle smoother, be more economical and feel stronger. If you notice any miss it will be at higher rpms. If you get any miss close the gap until it disappears. A gap of anymore than .050" is of questionable value.

If all this checks out ok- now is the time to increase the static, or initial advance setting. Be sure to reset the curb idle speed each time a change causes an increase in engine speed.

While you're at it be sure to check the vacuum advance function all the way from the carb, through the vacuum canister, to the advance plate.

Keep us posted on your progress and your results.

Adios, David
 
NastyNate, pretty much everything that everyone has posted. What CZLN6/David just posted is pretty much step by step what I did when I installed my Pertronix (generation l) back a few months ago. It was installed on a 66' 200cid, with stock distributor, and a single carb with a SCV! The only problem I had, even though a slight problem, was that I did have to file the Pertronix base plate in order to get the proper gap that is spec'd out. A few other people at the time posted that they had to do the same thing (file the plate a little bit). The only other thing that I might add is that I replaced my "old" coil with the Ignitor Flame-Thrower 40,000 volt coil part # 40011; which is a 1.5 ohm coil! The reason I mention the 1.5ohm coil is that somewhere, and I can't remember where, I read that without removing an existing resistence wire (pink one) to the coil, that you are better off with the 1.5ohm instead of the 3.0ohm coil! Maybe somebody else can comment on that. That is what I installed and everything is working well! Good Luck! Jim
 
I replaced both the coil and the points with PTRX. The Flamethrower coil requires 12V switched power. You get 6V at the stock coil unless someone has done a mod somewhere along the line.
The resistance wire is the pink wire under the dash leading out to the engine compartment block. I used a clamping tap before (upstream, i.e. between the switch and the pink wire) the pink wire and ran a new lead to the coil through a grommet out to the engine room. Then I hooked up everything else like the diagram shows. Switched 12V power can be gotten elsewhere; from the solenoid I suppose but the lead would have to go around the front or the rear of the engine bay. So I went to the switch for the shortest route.

Remember to leave a little slack in the dist for advance, but make sure nothing rubs on the shaft or gets clamped between the base and the wall of the dist inside.

You will love the difference when it is all done.
 
David im sorry but i believe you are wrong :oops: The thermactor motor for a 66 200 was run at TDC (according to an "orginal" ford shop manuel" engine code that matched) i ran my car at 6 degrees at one time and it ended up in detenation :( . So i need to run a switch to turn on the flame thrower coil? I plan on doing this procedure with a good friend of mine who is a professional mechanic hopefully he knows what he is doing.
 
no, switched power means voltage controlled by the ignition switch, not straight from the battery.
 
I have a Pertronix 1 and the 40k volt coil. I made no modifications so I'm assuming that my resistor wire is in place and the coil is getting the stock reduced voltage.

Would it work to use the original switched lead going to the coil to trigger a relay that draws the full 12v from the battery side of the solenoid? I know that alot of Duraspark folks will go into the dash and tap the coil wire upstream from the resistor... I'm just very nervous cutting into a 40+ year old wiring harness (too many opportunities to screw something up).

Here's a really bad diagram of what I'm talking about (sorry for the size):

http://home.earthlink.net/~morgan.whitn ... iagram.JPG
 
Bengoshi2000":2aokea6t said:
I have a Pertronix 1 and the 40k volt coil. I made no modifications so I'm assuming that my resistor wire is in place and the coil is getting the stock reduced voltage.

Would it work to use the original switched lead going to the coil to trigger a relay that draws the full 12v from the battery side of the solenoid? I know that alot of Duraspark folks will go into the dash and tap the coil wire upstream from the resistor... I'm just very nervous cutting into a 40+ year old wiring harness (too many opportunities to screw something up).

Here's a really bad diagram of what I'm talking about (sorry for the size):

http://home.earthlink.net/~morgan.whitn ... iagram.JPG

That will work just fine. It does, however, add more stuff to go haywire in the future.
Joe
 
Howdy Back Nate:

Good to know that a Thermactor engine has more than one exception from the rest of the small six world. My point was to set the initial advance to stock specs to begin with. Then experiment with more initial advance once you've solved all else.

Is your thermactor pump still working as designed? Are the air injectors still in place in the head at each exhaust port? Was your car/engine originally a Calif Emmissions car? Where are you located? What trans? If this is a California equiped car is was designed to run leaner and hotter to reduce it's emmissions. They were also down on compression as compared to the rest of the world.

If you're getting knock with a 6 degree initial setting, even with a thermactic pump in place, you likely have other issues.

Adios, David
 
well i didnt get a chance to put it in this weekend but i have a plan im going to set the plug gap at .40". David, im located in california with a 66 mustang 3 spd. Thermactor 200. i dont know anything that has to do with the word thermactor :oops: The prevoius owner did not install the smog pump on it and ran it at 6 degrees causing a knock and leading to detenation. im the fifth owner and i just want it to run good again :(
 
The Thermactor was a filter can and air injector that helped burn off the remnants of uncombusted gas (I believe). It was a first generation smog device for California cars only. The 66 is outside the required smog equipment window in Californial. You can remove the pump and those tubes. Then plug the holes with standard threaded brass plugs. The PTRX will do a better job of getting complete combustion than the original Thermactor. By now the filter can is about useless and the pipes have to be kept intact to keep the system at running pressure. I solved the problem by getting a non-smog long block.

You won't be the first to dump the plugs. Check this out:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD-NOS ... 0092491872
 
Howdy Back Nate and All:

The fact that this is likely a Calif. Emmissions car originally, it had some other uniqueness, in addition to the thermactic air pump system.

It also had an upgraded distributer- no SCV and real centrifugal advance along with vacuum advance signaled by a ported vacuum source from the 1100. That's the good news.

The manual trans engines got a downsized 1100, with a 1.1" venturi rather than the typical 1.2" venturi usually found on 200 engines. Down to 150 CFM as opposed to 185 on earlier engines. That's the bad news. The upgraded distributor and ignition timing can't make up for the lose of flow.

These engines were also down in CR due to a 13 cc dished piston. More bad news.

What has changed on the rig in the past 41 years is anybody's guess. You should start with a complete and detailed assessment of what you really have.

Please post the casting # on the head. What distributor does it have?

Under any circumstances the Petronix should be helpful.

Adios, David
 
Back
Top