This photo shows the braided "jumper" provided in the points distributor to maintain the ground for the point plate as it swivels with the advance mechanism...the old Pertronix instruction didn't even mention it - but you need to retain it.

Because it only has to ground the points to the block for charging and firing the coil - it has historically worked OK to let the distributor body provide the rest of the grounding circuit. I think it is best for the electronic versions to be fitted with a wire that goes clear out to the block.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Ok, one more stupid question. On the OEM coil the post are marked batt. and dist. Now am I correct in my thinking that batt. is positive and dist. is negative. Just thought I better check. been under the hood too long things are getting blurry. I have run a new wire from the ignition to the coil,eliminating the resistor wire. I have a full 12v at the coil. Still no fire. I have installed a ground strap from block to frame,block to firewall,battery to firewall, battery to block. My next step is to re-install the OEM pionts and condenser.

James

Probably not a bad idea Steve. It couldn't hurt.

 Thanks,

```````````````````````

I have attached a photo that shows the connections to the Pertronix coil.  There are (3) connections to the hot (+) side and (1) connection to the negative (-) side:

The plus side (batt side) gets the red wire from the Pertronix module in the distributor and also gets the new wire (from ignition).  The 3rd wire is from the start circuit of the ignition switch.  On the original circuit, the start circuit bypasses the resistor and delivers full voltage during cranking (which is really reduced to around 8.5 or 9 volts during cranking).  The 3rd wire might be missing from your installation, but I think you might need to add it because the ignition wire you added might actually "drop out" when you are in the crank mode.  You could test this with a test light on the new circuit you added to see if it blanks out when cranking.

The negative (-) side of the coil gets the black wire from the Pertronix module in the distributor.

Good luck with your installation.

Dave

Well, I got it to fire. engine starts. I think that now I have a carb problem. i am getting fuel when I manually operate the throttle(looking down the throat). But if i give it any throttle when it is running it stumbles and backfires thru carb. It is a manual choke so I know its not the chock. The throttle feels spongy.

You didnt by some chance change the spark plug wires around and mess up the firing order or move the distributor changing the timing?

  

Sounds retarded to me, advance distributor till engine revs increase slightly, retard dist till engine starts to die then set at middle rpm range, then see if it behaves itself.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

I'm with Bill. I had to reset my timing after I installed the Pertronix II in my car. The unit sits in roughly the same place as the points but only good enough to start it. It needed timing after that.

BTW my system had the resistor removed before I bought the car it runs full battery voltage to the coil via the ignition. a Bosch GT40 transistor coil. 

Cheers

Warren  

Grizzly (Aussie Mainline)

I think the guys are right about the change in timing due to the change in coil firing position between the points and the Pertronix spark module. It sure doesn't "have to be " the same firing point ..........use a 10° initial setting (vacuum line disconnected and plugged) and see how that goes.

This diagram below shows the location of the "starting jumper" that Ford and others used for many years. It provides direct battery power to the coil (+) terminal when the starter solenoid is engaged. You just don't want (or need) the ballast resistance in the ignition feed. So long as the coil has 1.5 OHMs in the primary it will lower the AMPs enough for the Pertronix module.

The (-) post goes back to the Pertronix module.

How old is the gas in your outfit - we've all been suffering lately from letting our toys sit with "modern" junk gas in them.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Thanks again for the input. I will re-set the timing once my new plug wires come in. Had the wrong ones shipped to me. I have been reading in my shop manual about the vacuum governor on this 4 barrel carb. it may  be giving me some of the problem. The throttle operation feels odd. As far as the age of the gas its a daily driver so If I remember right I gased up last week  after pulling a load of wood down from the beartooth mountains. So now I wait for parts.

Thanks guys.

James