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RE: Petronix ignition

To: John Turbeville <jturbe@netdoor.com>
Subject: RE: Petronix ignition
From: "Dodd, Kelvin" <doddk@mossmotors.com>
Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 16:24:30 -0700
John and Lawrie:

        I am getting a copy of this mail faxed over to Pertronix.  It sounds
like there is a problem, that needs to be corrected ASAP.  Lawrie, thanks
for your description, hopefully this is only a problem on a few units.  
        I was one of the people pushing to get the Pertronix units on the
market for the points cars, so I feel kinda responsible if there are any
problems.  On the electronic cars the Pertronix units were incredibly
dependable, but for a number of reasons the modifications for points use has
turned up some problems.

Kelvin.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Turbeville [mailto:jturbe@netdoor.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 1999 3:47 PM
> To: Lawrie Alexander
> Cc: stritle@epix.net; mgs@autox.team.net; mg-t@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Petronix ignition
> 
> 
> Thanks a million for the tip. I went out and checked my 
> Pertronix unit on my
> Lucas 25D distributor because I had been working on it and 
> also noticed that the
> plate moved with the distributor cap off, but when I sucked 
> on the vacuum
> advance hose with the cap back on, there was no difference in 
> timing-I kept on
> thinking that something must be wrong, it should have 
> advanced the timing a few
> degrees. The cap did not properly fit on the bottom side, 
> making it impossible
> to see, but when I pulled the whole distributor out, it was 
> very obvious that
> the cap does not seat well, so I pulled out the plate and 
> filed it down until
> the dist. cap fit down, and whamo! the timing advanced 5 
> degrees after starting
> and sucking on the hose. What a difference it made with 
> mechanical and vacuum
> advance working properly together! Thanks again.
> 
> Lawrie Alexander wrote:
> 
> > In the glorious tradition of this (and other) lists, I will 
> start out by
> > saying that I have no answer to the question that Steve 
> asked, as I have not
> > tried the Pertronix in a T-type. However, I would like to share the
> > discovery, just yesterday, of a serious problem with a 
> Pertronix unit that I
> > installed in an MGB.
> >
> > After installing the Pertronix, I wanted to check that the 
> advance unit was
> > working. A vacuum pulled on the unit made the plate move 
> when I looked at
> > the distributor with the cap off. However, the engine did 
> not seem to
> > perform as if it was receiving full advance. I disconnected 
> the vacuum pipe
> > at the carburetor and applied vacuum while the engine was 
> running. No change
> > in idle speed! Off with the cap, checked the plate again - 
> still moving. A
> > break for lunch to ponder this seemingly impossible 
> situation.........
> >
> > After lunch, I removed the distributor for closer 
> inspection. Eureka!
> > Problem discovered. This particular Pertronix unit was 
> machined in such a
> > way that the mounting plate that attaches where the points 
> used to be was
> > too wide. In other words, its outer edge fouled the cap, 
> thus preventing the
> > base-plate from being rotated by the vacuum unit. The fix 
> was to remove it
> > and sand off the excess metal on a belt sander. (A file or 
> bench grinder
> > would work, too.) When replaced, it made a big difference 
> in how well the
> > engine ran.
> >
> > So, all of you who have fitted your distributors with a 
> Pertronix unit, may
> > I suggest you check to make sure that your distributor cap is not
> > interfering with the P-unit where it attaches to the 
> base-plate. Perhaps
> > those of you who do find a problem would be so kind as to 
> let me know so I
> > can relay the information to the supplier if - indeed - 
> mine was not an
> > anomalous situation.
> >
> > Lawrie
> > British Sportscar Center
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Steven Tritle <stritle@epix.net>
> > To: mgs@autox.team.net <mgs@autox.team.net>; mg-t@autox.team.net
> > <mg-t@autox.team.net>
> > Date: Wednesday, May 19, 1999 6:43 AM
> > Subject: Petronix ignition
> >
> > >Has anyone tried the Petronix ignition in their TD? If so, 
> what is the
> > >prognosis?
> > >I was tempted to purchase one at Carlisle but didn't.
> > >
> > >steve
> > >52 TD
> > >
> 

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