installiing pertronix ignitor

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65birdman
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Location: adelade south astralia

installiing pertronix ignitor

Post by 65birdman »

just wondering if any one has done this and if so how did you over come the resistor wire to the coil from the ignition as the unit requires 12 volts any help would be great thanks
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gurn
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Post by gurn »

Which pertronix unit are you using? If it's the original one then you don't have to bypass the resistor. pertronix II and III do require bypassing I believe as well as a hotter coil.
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redstangbob
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Post by redstangbob »

I had a little trouble starting until I supplied 12 volts to the unit. I ran a hidden wire from the ignition switch to the unit, and it works great. YMMV Bob C
http://www.pertronix.com/support/manual ... 12vneg.pdf
It's gonna be cool when it's done
And now it's really cool !!



59 convertible
58 convertible
65 hardtop
WC145
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Post by WC145 »

I put a Pertronix Ignitor II on my '66 a couple of months ago and I've got 12.5v to the coil at idle without messing with any wires and it works great. I'm glad it does, too, since I never found the pink wire that I read needs to be bypassed.
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gurn
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Post by gurn »

Just installed mine tonight ( Ignitor I ) and she fired right up. When I checked voltage coming to the coil it was full battery so the restrictor must have been bypassed in the past. I even put in an original ford mustard topper coil I found at the bone yard and she started right up with that too. Haven't got to take her out on the road and test but she sure sounded good. To be on the safe side I bagged up the old points and coil and put it in the trunk just in case.
Drive happy, Gurn
tbird
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Post by tbird »

If you have a continuos 12 volt supply to the mustard top coil you will need the old coil somewhere along the line it is designed to run with 6-8 Volts.
Jim Mills
VTCI # 8071
VTCI 1964-66 Technical Editor
2002 Thunderbird
1965 Convertible
1962 Convertible (in progress)
1959 Ford Retractable HT
Many parts cars
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gurn
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Post by gurn »

Thanks tbird, that makes scene. I will save it for a show if I ever get this car back to show quality and just put back in the old Accel coil that's worked great for years.
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redstangbob
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Post by redstangbob »

I never found the pink wire that I read needs to be bypassed
The pink resistor wire is in the harness from the ignition switch going across to the passenger side. The wire itself is about 2 feet long. It has bullet connectors and just unplugs for replacement.
It's gonna be cool when it's done
And now it's really cool !!



59 convertible
58 convertible
65 hardtop
WC145
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Location: Maine

Post by WC145 »

Thanks. I'm going to be changing the radio sometime soon, I'll look for it again then just in case I ever need it.
tyrone
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Post by tyrone »

if u look in a summit wee
b site u can fina a wire harness from pertronix that you can hook up in the engine compartment I laso coild not find that wire and brought this which by pass the systen and it was easy to hook up
David Langhorne
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Post by David Langhorne »

A suitable ignition controlled 12v source under the hood is the top (reg/green) wire on the voltage regulator. I used this but later discovered I had a 12v wire to the coil - someone must have bypassed the resistor wire at some time and also changed the coil to a non ballast one (different resistance) so I could have used that instead. Never have had problems starting using the non ballasted coil.
Dave Langhorne 65SL
UK
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Alan H. Tast
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Post by Alan H. Tast »

For those of you who haven't changed out the resistance wire, have you checked the voltage AFTER it has run for a while? The way a resistance wire works, it will allow full 12v through when cold, but as it warms up the voltage it allows to pass will drop to its designed rating.

I personally have a Pertronix Ignitor I on my '63 with A/C and for quite some time ran Pertronix' Flamethrower coil on it in the original mounting location, which holds the coil horizontal on the side of the A/C compressor instead of vertical. I've had two Flamethrowers in conjunction with my non-modified ignition wiring, i.e. I have the resistor wire in place, both Flamethrower coils failed without warning - the first one lasted about 6,000 miles until the insides of the coil liquified and shorted itself out. The second one less than 2,000 before it crapped out on me in the middle lane of a busy Interstate highway - after sitting 45 minutes to cool down it fired off (just in time to drive it onto the flatbed car hauler I called to haul me home).

I've since put my original coil back on but haven't driven it much since changing it out. I don't know if leaving the factory resistance wire was part of the problem, but right now I'm real skittish about being far from home without both a replacement coil and either a spare Ignitor or points/condenser. I've also learned that mounting a Flamethrower coil sideways/horizontal is not a good idea because over time heat build-up will allow the windings to fall onto the case and short out. So, if installing a Flamethrower coil, mount it vertically so that the terminals are at the top.
Alan H. Tast, AIA
Technical Director/Past President,
Vintage Thunderbird Club Int'l.
Author, "Thunderbird 1955-1966" & "Thunderbird 50 Years"
1963 Hardtop & 1963 Sports Roadster
Spectre
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Post by Spectre »

I hate to drag this back from the dead, but I'm confused.

My ignitor I and new coil should arrive today.

Do I have to bypass the resistor with the original Ignitor I?

If so, do I run a new 20 gauge wire directly from the ignition switch to the coil?

Sorry, electrical is not my strong suit.
"Quench my thirst with gasoline"
Hetfield, 1996
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RedBird64
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Post by RedBird64 »

The instructions are very good and will tell you what to do but if you are just installing the Pertronix and not a coil too then I'm pretty sure you just use the existing wire to power it.
One thing you need to know is it may change your timing so you need to check that after install. My timing is changed by 10 degree at idle with the Pert. (which I've had on my car for more than 30 years)
1964 Coupe Wimbledon white/Rangoon Red w/black int. Owned for 42 years. It was my folks car before that (second owners). VTCI # 12013.
tbird
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Post by tbird »

I have been running the original Ignitor 1 on my 59 Ford Retractable Hardtop with a 352 engine (same as 390) since 1999 when I purchased the car it has never even burped.
The coil is stock and they are designed to have a external resistor such as the wire but the Ford actually used a resistor block at that time all I did was throw away the points and condenser install the Pertronix module in their place and connect the red wire from it to the plus side of the coil the black goes to the neg. coil connection. The coil gets a full 12 volts from the ignition wire at the starter relay when the starter is engaged and then the power comes from the ignition switch through the resistor which is all the original requires to provide a good spark, if the coil is being replaced you may need a full 12 volts to it that should be checked out if so the module can be fed 12 volts with no problems.
Jim Mills
VTCI # 8071
VTCI 1964-66 Technical Editor
2002 Thunderbird
1965 Convertible
1962 Convertible (in progress)
1959 Ford Retractable HT
Many parts cars
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