The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Pertronix ignition conversion question

I am thinking about installing Pertronix 1168LS ignition in my 1953 Chevy 3100 with 261 engine. Do you think it will improve performance?

I've been happy with my pertronix for the past 14 years. I do keep a set of points and condenser in the truck just in case it decides to die.

Will it start and run smoother, likely, but will it add performance, NO. Electronic ignition almost always make the engines start better, and they tend to smooth out idle due to higher voltage at low rpm.

I have an original HEI in my truck with a 250 inline six, it still has the factory ignition module. I carry a spare module, same one I carried since 1980 when I bought my first car and installed HEI, still haven't needed it. I had points for a number of years then came across the HEI in the local junk yard, it smoothed up the idle and helped with starting but I had a slightly bigger camshaft at the time. The truck wasn't faster or quicker due to the ignition.

A NOS set of Delco points and one of the new electronic capacitors Jon sells, will make a really nice set up that will run for years with no troubles. If you can find the correct NOS sets, get a couple. I can get V8 sets from NAPA, never checked on the 6 cylinders, but you need the heavy duty versions, like the muscle cars used, not the everyday cars. You can still find the foil wrapped NOS Delco points on e-bay. My 1985 Delco book goes back to 1960, the 235 used D105P points set, no listing for the 261.

Ebay has 27 listing at this time for the foil wrapped NOS D105P sets. This is a heck of a deal, 1953-1962 CHEVROLET 6 3 TUNE UP KITS D-405 ROTORS, 5 POINTS,3 CAPS,2 CONDENSERS for just $36!

Joe

A brand new Pertronix unit will function just like a good set of points. No better.

As points gradually wear over time they will require some attention to make them as good as new, eventually requiring replacement. The engine will run a little rough near the end of their usefulness.

While Pertronix won't wear out over time, when they do fail, they fall flat on their face leaving you stranded.

To safeguard against being stranded, you will either need an extra Pertronix unit, or all of the components required to convert it back to points. Points, condenser, wires, insulator, tool for insulator nut, ballast resister.

52Carl's answer above is spot on !

If you do decide to downgrade to the pertronix, UPGRADE to an alternator first !

Jon

Pertronix is very sensitive to voltage. Use their coil and what ever else they sell along with the module.

Three or so years ago a friend sent me a failed Pertronix module. Engine ran poorly and finally died and would not start. I de-constructed it and found it had less than $5 worth of parts inside. It contained a Hall Effect sensor with one pin trimmed off and a resistor. Today there are two types. One uses a spinning magnetic ring which fits over the distributor cam and the other works differently. One problem the magnetic type suffers is about 1/8" from the bottom of that ring it begins losing magnetism (so it will not cause the Hall Effect switch to work any longer).

And as I've learned this type of unit actually does "wear out" gradually...but the truth about that is perplexing. It loses magnetism not in a linear but a random decline. Apparently the magnetic materials, granules, etc were distributed in a haphazard manner when it was made. Some parts of the ring got more/some got less. And that means when parts of the ring fail SOME of the cylinders will still be firing while others will not fire or worse may only fire occasionally. This makes it difficult for "everyman" to analyze so he goes out and wastes money on spark plug wires, distributor caps, spark plugs, etc. My friend said it was not even easy to diagnose using an oscilloscope because occasionally the bad cylinders would seem okay. And then at the complete end of life of this wonderful thing there is no magnetism left in the upper portion and nothing works at all and you get to walk home or call somebody to come tow you...as many have done. Why a magnetically charged ring would be "sort of working" and then finally fail completely there are conflicting opinions but it does. My personal thought is the quickly failing ring contains just enough magnetism to trip the switch every so often and then at a point (maybe due to heat) it loses all magnetism and that ends it.

To answer your question, I can not tell you with a good conscience that either style of Pertronix will improve performance. Truthfully...any product that causes you to carry a replacement with you (i.e. another Pertronix gizmo or a spare distributor so you can get back home) is not really an improvement, is it? Seems to me doing so is a de facto admission you already know it can't be trusted. A spare tire is one thing. A spare distributor? Not the same at all.

If you choose to go with points, please send me a message and you can get the 200,000~300,000 hour condenser I make. Some folks might say it doesn't actually improve performance, but I would say it does improve performance notably because a failing condenser will cause misfiring, failing to start well and stumbling and it will make your points start burning up rapidly...and not to overlook you'll waste gas in the process. Today's condensers are all made in China or India (if you happen to own an English Ford) and they are anything but high quality. From what a friend in Italy tells me the ones from India used to be okay and now they aren't.

Basically, the condenser absorbs a slug of electrical energy when your points open and that prevents an unwanted voltage arc across them...which all happens very quickly. By stopping that arc it makes the coil's magnetic field collapse rapidly (as it ought to)...meaning you get a hotter and higher voltage spark at the plugs. And it keeps your points from burning so rapidly.

Jon G - are your condensers adaptable to an FE (that truck that has the same name as a Tennessee county singer) 390?

If so, i want at least a couple.

The other Jon

EDIT: Moderators - apologies, I thought I was in the 'Spoon.

I have Jon's condensers in every car I own - Packard, Mustang, Galaxie, AD Truck, Cadillac, etc. Cured MAJOR driveability issues in the Mustang and the Galaxie. Everything else was a preemptive strike.