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Pertronix ignition failure update

K

KFFarm

Member
Today we put the old points back in the tractor and it runs. I also contacted Pertronix about the plug wires needed for best results. The answer is as follows:

[b:df8a769028][i:df8a769028]Yes. For all of our products, we recommend using Carbon or Suppression core wires to eliminate runability issues and premature failures.

Have a great day,
Robert

Your Pertronix Team,
PerTronix Technical Group[/i:df8a769028][/b:df8a769028]

There it is folks, straight from the company.
 
Part of the reason Petronix recommends carbon core wires is for the suppression of radio frequencies just like on your old AM radios. The Petronix can be affected by the random frequencies that are generated by solid core wires. I have several Petronix's ignitions on my tractors. The first one I installed had problems due to the use of solid core wires. I called their help line and they told me use carbon core and explained why. After I installed the carbon core wires the tractor ran fine. I will continue to use Petronix ignitions in all of my restorations. The only thing that will kill a Petronix is to leave the ignition on with out the tractor running. I did that once when I was running the carb dry. I forgot to turn the ignition off and it sat for a week. When I went to start it, it was DOA. Just a warning.

OTJ
 
There's a news flash. They are using solid wires for an excuse for their poor product. How do you explain the thousands of units that have been running for 10 years with copper wires and no problems? All of a sudden the wires are the problem. In case you can's see it I am waving the bs flag.
 
Straight from "the horse's mouth?" I have spoken with the tech guys at Pertronix many times. That is not what they told me,
nor is it what they put in writing. You did not specify which version of Pertronix you are talking about.

Standard Pertronix: copper plug wires are fine. If a 4 or 6 cylinder engine, coil primary resistance MUST be 3 ohms or more
- or the unit will fail.

Pertronix II : copper plug wires are fine. Coil primary resistance can be as low as .45 of an ohm.

Pertrnonix III: MUST use resistance wires. Coil primary resistance can be as low as .32 of an ohm.
 
I have seen a ton of units that worked fine on copper core wires. Its been a while but last time I spoke with them or checked their information it was on their higher energy unit they recommended carbon core so called "suppressor" plug wires........Its important the elec switch is rated to handle the current the coil draws so coil resistance is another important factor as low coil resistance may draw more amps then the switch is rated for which leads to switch failure...........

John T
 
Yes, that is exactly what they told me and also what they put in their literature. Standard Pertronix cannot be compared to a Pertronix II or a Pertronix III. Yet - I keep seeing posts just stating "Pertronix" with no hint as to what specific version. Ohm load on the Pertronix is critical.

I suspect most Pertronix modules use on old farm tractors are the standard versions (version 1 but but just called PERTRONIX). It works fine with copper wires but MUST have at least 3 ohms on the primary unless it has an 8 cylinder engine. I fixed an IH last year that burned up two modules and the guy had a 1.2 ohm coil. Yet he blamed Pertronix? I just put one on my Ford 641 and the original coil is 1.4 ohms and the ballast resistor is 1.8 ohms. So, a total of 3.2 ohms which is fine. If I took out the resistor, I would likely burn up the module.
 

Solid core wires don't limit the current . Spiral wound inductive wires provide AN radio noise suppression , electronics protection and don't suffer high resistance failure that occures in graphite wires and resistor plugs.
 
Good info, isn't it Pertronix that offers some sort of "Spiral Wound" plug wires that create a degree of an "Inductive" load in the wires without adding pure DC resistance ?? Do you know ?? I also recall how its ONLY the later high energy systems when Pertronix called for suppressor wires. As we agree Pertronix isn't necessarily Pertronix lol (need to know which units) as they make different units each with different switch current ratings and different plug wire specs.

Good chattin with ya

John T
 
Yes, the module that failed was the basic ignition module from Pertronix. However, the response message via email from Pertronix states that
they recommend carbon core/suppression type wires for all of their products. I have their ignition module with their 3 ohm coil and will be
installing their spark plug wires. We shall see how that works out.
 
I love my old points in the ignition system on old tractors. I have a pretty good understanding of solid state electronics having worked with a lot of it with alternators and instruments. Many years ago, I purchased a book put out by Radio Shack that explains in great detail all the details of the solid state electronics. My nephew is a author of several books on electronics used in the vocational schools systems through out the U.S. I have some of his books. This gives me enough information and knowledge to know I don't know enough to know what I don't know so I will stick with just plain old points on the old tractors. Can you can follow that logic. In other words, I can normally make it run with some easily obtained parts and or equipment.
 
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