electronic ignition conversion

labjack

Member
How do you guys feel about converting to electronic ignition? What are the pros and cons? Is it easy to do? Tractor in question is '63 4000 gas. And it has been converted to 12volt system already.
 
(quoted from post at 18:37:31 05/12/15) How do you guys feel about converting to electronic ignition? What are the pros and cons? Is it easy to do? Tractor in question is '63 4000 gas. And it has been converted to 12volt system already.
s with many choices in life, some like it, some don't, your choice.
 
No more points or condenser. Takes less than an hour to do if your handy. Did my 63 4000 gasser also. Never looked back. Started on 1st. crank every time.
 
Converted every gasser I and my friend had at the time. I too never looked back. Pay attention to the series resistance of the coil circuit. Petronix and others don't like more than 5 amperes flowing when they switch off. Figure your voltage at 14.5 because your charging circuit will be active when you're running. So 14.5v/5 ohms = a minimum value of 2.9 ohms, that's the coil primary dc resistance plus your ballast resistor combined.
 
I don't feel much at all about ignition systems.
I'll tell you what I think though.
I put EI in a 3 cylinder 2000. It ran flawlessly and I did not have to touch the distributer for the 5 years I owned it.
I sold that tractor to a fellow who still calls me for advice on implements and such.
I always ask about 'my' tractor, how it's running, etc.
It is still running flawlessly 3 1/2 years later and he still has not touched the distributer in that time.
I think EI is money well spent.
 
(quoted from post at 19:37:31 05/12/15) How do you guys feel about converting to electronic ignition? What are the pros and cons? Is it easy to do? Tractor in question is '63 4000 gas. And it has been converted to 12volt system already.

EI works fine. Your tractor is a good candidate.
price is coming down, and the price of 'good' points is
going up....and todays points quality seems to be slipping.
The two graph lines will meet soon I'm sure.

easy
Just follow directions and check things twice when installing,
before you hook the battery back up.
Wiring an old machine with points, if ya make a absent-minded mistake.....it'll just spit sparks at ya.
Modern electronics aren't so forgiving.....
 
Sorry, still wrong.

Even if all the variables and solved outcomes are 1 numerically, if you divide voltage by resistance, you have amps, not resistance as the solved for variable.

E=ir

You dont see r listed twice in there. :)
 
(quoted from post at 23:37:31 05/12/15) How do you guys feel about converting to electronic ignition? What are the pros and cons? Is it easy to do? Tractor in question is '63 4000 gas. And it has been converted to 12volt system already.

First, they really shouldn't be allowed to call the conversion kits being sold "electronic ignition", because they are not. It's simply a magnetic or proximity switch that replaces the points and nothing else, which is a far cry from a true electronic ignition system. But as a replacement for the points, they work very well. They will NOT provide any improvement at all over a clean, properly gapped set of quality points.

That being said, I installed a Pertronix kit in my 12V side distributor 8N in the spring of 2000. Fifteen years and about 600 hours later it still runs perfectly. The distributor cap has not been removed since the spring of 2000. Yes, I know I should inspect for burned rotor or cap contacts, but it still runs perfectly.

I installed a Pertronix kit in my 12V 861 in the summer of 2004. Eleven years and about 500 hours later it still runs perfectly. The distributor cap has not been removed since 2004.

I installed a Pertronix kit in my 12V '63 2000 in the spring of 2007. Eight years and about 450 hours later it still runs perfectly. The distributor cap has not been removed since 2007.

As for cons, I can't think of any. It's a little more expensive than buying a few sets of points, but you save a lot of time you would have spent dinking around with century old technology mechanical points. Time is money. And I'm lazy. I don't own a working tractor with a 6 volt battery, a generator, or points.
.
 
Brain pfart: 5 ohms obviously should be amps, not ohms in the simplistic arithmetic. But you guys knew that was a typo......just wanted to have a little fun. OK. I deserve it.

Mark
 

I am sure that you know that it is your choice. I have put them in one tractor and a forklift so far. Both around ten years ago. Compared to maintaining points, points make no sense any more.
 
(quoted from post at 08:38:02 05/14/15)
I am sure that you know that it is your choice. I have put them in one tractor and a forklift so far. Both around ten years ago. Compared to maintaining points, points make no sense any more.

I have an Oliver77 that gets used for wood cutting and brush hogging and whatever else comes along. It always starts very easy. I have had the same points in it for at least the last ten years. I have dressed and reset them once or twice in that time which takes all of ten to fifteen minutes. If I remember correctly these points were $6 - $7. $90. for the replacements is not money well spent for ME on the "electronic" units.
Jay
 
I have not had any trouble with points, and still have tractors with them. I do think the EI is an improvement in spark quality and should remove the bushing wear issue.
 
An average seat for a NFL game costs upwards of $175 each. And that's not one anywhere near the 50 yard line.
To me that would be a complete waste of money but to another guy it might be well worth it.
 
There are certain Ford tractors where EI offers a definite advantage. A Ford 3600 is one example. On this model tractor the distributor is tucked under the intake manifold and getting the distributor cap off to address points problems require removing spark plug wires from the cap just to get at the points. Then they are a booger to dress and set because of no room to work. Seems like heat and moisture always killed the points early too. Installed EI and reliable firing of spark plugs greatly improved. The EI was the best money I ever spent on that tractor.
 

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