861 Electronic Ignition Problem

VertFish

New User
Hi Ford Forum. I am a first time poster and a below-average Ford mechanic so please bear with me. I converted my 1960 Ford 861 to the Pertronix electronic ignition. My problem is that the black plastic round "button" that goes over the distributor peg and modulates the firing of the spark seems to be too tall and rubs on the underside of the dust cover shoulder. IT eventually rubs the dust cover shoulder completely off and the top of the "button" wears down and eventually separates. The tractor starts to run rough and eventually it won't start or run. Has anybody had the same problem and is there a fix to the problem? Thanks in advance for any help you can give me on this matter.
 
(quoted from post at 12:27:53 07/17/18) Hi Ford Forum. I am a first time poster and a below-average Ford mechanic so please bear with me. I converted my 1960 Ford 861 to the Pertronix electronic ignition. My problem is that the black plastic round "button" that goes over the distributor peg and modulates the firing of the spark seems to be too tall and rubs on the underside of the dust cover shoulder. IT eventually rubs the dust cover shoulder completely off and the top of the "button" wears down and eventually separates. The tractor starts to run rough and eventually it won't start or run. Has anybody had the same problem and is there a fix to the problem? Thanks in advance for any help you can give me on this matter.
t seems as though that I recall that another poster contacted Pertronix about same problem & was told not to use dust cover.
 
You really don't need the dust cover,it was more for the mechanical points,I removed it on my Jubilee long ago when I changed from points.
 
(quoted from post at 12:09:30 07/17/18) You really don't need the dust cover,it was more for the mechanical points,I removed it on my Jubilee long ago when I changed from points.

Thanks for the replies. I thought about just removing the dust cover, but wouldn't that lower the height of the distributor cap and cause the rotor button to be too close to the distributor cap contacts?
 
The oem parts work as engineered! BUT. The Pertronix set up is not original, some work, some cause problems. We all know that after market caps, rotors etc don't always fit as they should, so every case seems to be a little different.. Will it work without a cap? Maybe?
 
Call Pertronix tech number. I had same problem on 8n and they told me I could sand down the top of the "button". I did and it worked.
 

I did the same thing and it still eventually came in contact with the dust cover shoulder and disintegrated the spark modulatorblack button.
 
Thinking through this a little!!! The dust cap is not really necessary if there are not points, sooooo grind out the center of the dustcap to make room for the electronic coil.
 
I had a problem with the dust cover not
fitting on a 3000 Ford when I put Pertronix
in it. Can't remember exactly why now.
I just removed the dust cover and ran it for
years that way. I sold the tractor
eventually and it's still running that way.
Anyone need a dust cover for a 3 cylinder?
It's still in the drawer - 13 years later.
 
(quoted from post at 17:34:25 07/17/18) I had a problem with the dust cover not
fitting on a 3000 Ford when I put Pertronix
in it. Can't remember exactly why now.
I just removed the dust cover and ran it for
years that way. I sold the tractor
eventually and it's still running that way.
Anyone need a dust cover for a 3 cylinder?
It's still in the drawer - 13 years later.

The dust cover on the 3 cylinder tractors didn't matter other than to keep dust out of the points. On a pre-1965 4 cylinder I believe that the dust cover also acts as a spacer to set the distributor cap up at the proper height to not interfere with the rotor, so eliminating the dust cover altogether on a 4 cylinder would cause other problems.
 
(quoted from post at 22:34:08 07/17/18)
(quoted from post at 17:34:25 07/17/18) I had a problem with the dust cover not
fitting on a 3000 Ford when I put Pertronix
in it. Can't remember exactly why now.
I just removed the dust cover and ran it for
years that way. I sold the tractor
eventually and it's still running that way.
Anyone need a dust cover for a 3 cylinder?
It's still in the drawer - 13 years later.

The dust cover on the 3 cylinder tractors didn't matter other than to keep dust out of the points. On a pre-1965 4 cylinder I believe that the dust cover also acts as a spacer to set the distributor cap up at the proper height to not interfere with the rotor, so eliminating the dust cover altogether on a 4 cylinder would cause other problems.
aybe.
 
(quoted from post at 13:27:53 07/17/18) Hi Ford Forum. I am a first time poster and a below-average Ford mechanic so please bear with me. I converted my 1960 Ford 861 to the Pertronix electronic ignition. My problem is that the black plastic round "button" that goes over the distributor peg and modulates the firing of the spark seems to be too tall and rubs on the underside of the dust cover shoulder. IT eventually rubs the dust cover shoulder completely off and the top of the "button" wears down and eventually separates. The tractor starts to run rough and eventually it won't start or run. Has anybody had the same problem and is there a fix to the problem? Thanks in advance for any help you can give me on this matter.

As others have said, you need to enlarge the hole in the dust cover to clear the magnet sleeve.
If you go to their website, instructions for the 1244A (not the general instructions), it addresses this in bold lettering.

Hundred/01 series locate and secure the cap from turning with the dust shield.(note the little square notch in the edge of the dust shield)

ps. The gasket under the dust cover is important too. Without it, the rotor in some cases will whack the cap terminals.
 

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