Ok, so I can't let this be. I have an extremly addictive personality and the fact that the Ignitor wont run properly is driving me to drink. So I took the points back out and reinstalled the Pertronix unit. Set the timing, ran a hot 12v from the batt and even borrowed a FlameThrower coil from a buddies car. Managed to get the car to idle half decent, then it just went to the dogs. So I popped the cap and took this pic.....where did the breaker plate ground wire go to? It looks like it has been ripped clean apart. It must have been connected poorley or falling apart..sure hope this was the problem all along. Any other ideas from the pic???
The Braker Plate Ground wire actually should be held in place by the first screw holding the vacume advance to the body. The first bolt is the one closest to the opening of the dis. for the advance to exit. Both places you are pointing to would be incorrect and not ground any thing. By the way did the points correct the problem you were having or did it stay the same as the pertronix module? I ask because the grounding wire is for the points not the pertronix module. It has no affect on the pertronix performance.
Ok, you lost me on that reply. Remember this is a '53-56 early style dizzy with the springs below the breaker plate. The techs at Pertronix had mentioned that the Ignitor grounded through the breaker plate, the bad ground (pic) would explain the poor performance.
Anyone else out there have experience with the Petronix kit? I have been owndering whether to do this with my 64 Nailhead if it is worth the supposed "simple effort". I have recently read a couple of bad stories on this item, any truth to sticking with points?
Sorry Phil I didn't relize what year dis. you were working with. I really can't tell you exactly where the grounding wire will hook up on that one. You might do some calling around to your local parts stores and see if any one has a rebuilt one you can go look at to find out. I still think that Pertronix is feeding you a load of crap on the grounding problem being the cause of your trouble. If the points fixed the problem and the wire was in the same condition that it's in now then you would have to agree that this can't be the major cause of your problems. The points ground out on the plate too. If you really want to see if the grounding is whats wrong then run a 14 gauge wire directly from one of the screws holding the pertronix on to the neg. side of the battery. You can't get any better ground than that. If it helps or eliminates the problem than I'm glad for your success with this problem and fixing the origional wire for a stock apperance would be the thing to do. Let me know if it works out or not.
Where's the magnet collar? Sounds like an excessive air gap problem. Or insufficient primary voltage to the coil. Try jumping battery power to the coil (for a short test) and see if it clears. When your setting the air gap be sure to use the plastic gap guage they send with the pertronix.
V I C T O R Y ?????? Well installed a new breaker plate ground today and man what a difference, fires up like never before. Scared the S*** outta me! I havent road tested it yet, so I dont want to jinx anything, but god willing the Pertronix issue has been figured out. Thanks to everybody who offered advice, and if anybody is having a simillar problem, CHECK THAT GROUND WIRE!!!
