Pertronix Ignitor II and Flame Thrower II installation

[Anders]

Bought the parts about a year ago, but have finally today some time to get the job done. Took a couple of hours and didn't need a special tools.

First part was to take a picture with everything in place, so I have a reference...

Then marking the distributor and the rotor position (makes it very much easier when refitting).

Distributor removed and hole "plugged".

Distributor completely taken apart.

Fitting the Pertronix.

Replacing the vacuum advance and using a vacuum pump to get better access to the screws.

Needed the two shims between the gear and distributor as the gap was too large when the distributor shaft was in upper position (max 0,060").

The Ignitor installed and air gap between 0,030-0,040" when in shaft lower position and when shaft highest 0,040-0,050". Recommended lowest point 0,010" and highest 0,060". So well within the limits.

Testing one more time that vacuum advance is working and that the shaft is moving freely and not touching the Ignitor module.

Now installed back in the car with same settings as before. (Note new temp sensor...)

Next step is to replace the resistor wire and perform a tune up. But that I will do in another post.

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Enjoy the new easy( no points to replace ) and additional performance the system provides
If there is a change in the cars power feel that is at all noticable i would like to know what change you feel
You could be a good judge of the change in performance as that is the most recent change to the engines performance you have done
On a scale of one to ten with a before of number of 5 and the new power number could be a good scale to use to show a change ( power increase you feel )

You may need some drive time to answer the question i do realze

Enjoy

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Where are you measuring the the air gap at the top of the dist and shimming the bottom to bring it into spec ?

Enjoy

[Anders]

On this picture, you see the distributor from the side where the red Ignitor is to the left of the shaft. Above it is the black magnetic sleeve, the rotor is bolted to that. The distans is measured between the Ignitor and the magnetic sleeve:

First measure when the shaft is in bottom, magnetic sleeve closest to the Ignitor. That should be between 0,010-0,060". After that push the shaft up and max distance between Ignitor and magnet sleeve 0,060". So the only thing I needed to do was to insert the two shims in bottom at the gear. There are also some washers to use if distance is greater than 0,060" when the shaft is in bottom, so to get the magnetic sleeve within 0,060" of the Ignitor. But I didn't have to use those washers.

[Jason Edge]

Those Pertronix units are solid performers. I ran the II series for about 7 or 8 years if memory serves, and have run the III series since 2012. Enjoy!

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Thanks for clearing that up for me

Enjoy

[Clovis]

I must have gotten lucky as when I did my petronix 2 I didn't have to remove the distributor from the engine or shim it. Good write up Anders. Use the power wire for your transmission kickdown switch. The resistor wire joins it just inside the firewall. It made a nice neet job that way for my install and I snipped the resister wire off inside the firewall and taped it.

[Anders]

I guess I could have installed it without removing the distributor, but thought it easier doing on my desk out of the occasional April snow. Measurement and adjustment is a lot easier on a desk.

My car is 1964 Series 62 Six Window Sedan. So its equipped with the old 4-speed Hydra-Matic. Not the new Turbo Hydra-Matic in the DeVille and Eldorado. I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that there is no power wire for transmission kick-down. As far as I have found out kick-down is achieved by loss of vacuum and not an electric signal to the solenoid. The shop manual is very good on describing the operation of the THM, but not so of the HM.

As the front seat is out of the car I have plenty space when working inside the dash, so removing the resistance wire and fitting a new normal wire should be fairly simple. Will take som pictures and write about it in another post.

Here is the text from the Shop Manual regarding Hydra-Matic and Turbo Hydra-Matic:

Here is the same thing from the general description. I have now marked the models with Hydra-Matic with a red dot:

[Jason Edge]

You still have the pink ignition wire just inside the firewall that the resistor wire taps into. You can remove the wiring metal bracket and grommet at the firewall and sometimes pull the resistor wire outward through the firewall opening just enough to access the pink ignition wire with a tap in. I took a picture a long time ago with a Hydramatic equipped car, but could never find the picture again. You can also run a wire direct to the fuse box to side connection where the pink ignition wire connects (see wiring diagram in shop manual). To me that is the more perfect solution, but the switched ignition wire is exposed on Turbo Hydramatic equipped cars so I used it. AS noted I previously found if you remove the firewall grommet you can pull the resistor wire thru to expose the pink wire it connects to, also easier than wiring all the way to the fuse box. 

Regardless, you definitely have a pink ignition wire behind the firewall as that is what the resistor wire attaches to. Follow the resistor wire into to the firewall and you will find the ignition wire. Below is a picture of the ignition, cranking harness showing the path of the resistor wire and its attachment to the ignition harness (blue line follows the path of resistor wire into the dash):

[Anders]

Thanks, do remember you mentioned this before. Will look onto it the next few days and post some pictures.

[Clovis]

Sorry about that suggestion Anders, good thing you were on top of that. It would not have been good to send someone under their hood looking for a kick down wire and it doesn't exist. I always enjoy your write ups and pictures, you do a great job for a lot of people who just need a little incentive to perform their own work. It also takes a load off of Jason I would think as all of your write ups should be posted in the help section. Keep up the good work.

[Anders]

Well Clovis, at first I got a bit confused. Thinking you would be correct. But before I headed out to the car I went through my papers and books. Its always possible to forget something, but didn't recall a solenoid on the Hydra-Matic.

I do try to take pictures. First as reference to myself so it will be easier when putting it together, but also to write and post it here. It is so true that one picture tells thousand plus words. I really like the feature when I can write on the picture. And seeing Jasons "blue arrow" above helps as well.

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Anders
Great presentation and explination of the Pertronics electronic ignition installation
Sure it will help anyone thinking of upgrading to this ignition system in the future
Nice job

Enjoy