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| | | | Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 86 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 86 | What should I know if I plan to get one of those "electronic" replacements for points, etc.? They say that you just drop it in, and start it up. Is that true or am I just dumber than a sandbag? | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 990 Member | | Member Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 990 | I have the pertronix unit on my 59 powered with a 69 292 I6. Its a pretty easy install. You just pull out the points and install this small black box thingy with a magnet ring on the distributor shaft. Set the timing once and that's it. I have had it going for 2 years and it was an immediate performance improvement. You do have to set the timing. No more points gap or dwell setting. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 297 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 297 | what vendors are selling the petronix or do you purchase them from the petronix website which i found was quite confusing and no prices listed. of course i could have been in the wrong place!
54 3100 w/62 235 "Yosemite Sam"
Born a Jay Hawk, raised an Okie and resurrected in Texas!http://community.webshots.com/user/djed50
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 56 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 56 | I put in the Chevy S-10 type distributor from Langdon's, and I've been really happy with it. Went in easy, and ran great from the git-go. http://www.stoveboltengineco.com/index1.htm | | | | | Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 887 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 887 | There are several threads here with instructions on how to convert a HEI distributor from a later v-6 to work in the stovebolt. Basically it only requires you to file down a little ridge on the distibutor column and then put a clamp on it a little higher up, so that you can insert it far enough into the stovebolt. You can grab one of those distributors, the coil and the plug wires from a gm 6 at a boneyard for almost nothing. Alternately, you could buy it from the Stovebolt Engine Co.(tom langdon).
Both HEI and PETRONIX don't require any points ajustment. So either is an improvement over stock.
However, HEI puts out a hotter spark and therefore is better than Petronix, from a performance perspective.
There are several threads on the HEI conversion and Petronix here, try the search function.
'51 Chevy 1/2 ton w/'62 261, HEI, offy, fentons, dual carter/webbers, t-5 & 12 bolt posi
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 784 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 784 | One thing I would suggest is that if you are going with the Pertronix make sure you have the truck running with points first then switch over to the pertronix.
I had a problem geting my newly rebuilt engine started for the first time with the pertronix and the tech guy at pertronix told me to get it started and set the timing with the standard points then switch to the pertronix and reset the timing. | | |
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