CoolVT@aol.com wrote:
>Listers,
>I'm considering switching to a Pertronix Ignitor Module and Flamethrower
>coil. In the past I had read of people having problems with their tack after
>some
>conversion. Is this something that I have to consider?
>Thanks,
>Mark L.
>
>
>
Mark:
Be sure you get the Ignitor II module and Flamethrower II coil. A bit
more expensive but the difference between the I and II is the II also
controls dwell, plus it will not be destroyed if you forget and leave
the ignition on without the engine running. It has a built in "safety
switch" that blocks power to it in that case. The improvement over
points in my Tiger was dramatic. Better and wider acceleration band, and
better idle. Also, the II coil puts out more voltage than the I.
I suggest buying a second Ignitor II module to keep as a backup in your
tool in the car, though. I did have one fail on me and it's not fun
without a replacement handy. Pertronix gave excellent customer service,
and replaced the bad unit with no hassle. They tested it and said an
internal solder had failed. The replacement has been working perfectly
for the last year and a half and 20,000 miles or so.
It does indeed confuse the stock tach. Mine wouldn't read acuurately
above idle and the needle jumped all over on increasing revs. I solved
it (I think I got the idea from another Tiger list member but I don't
remember who, sorry) by extending the white wire that goes around the
tach sensor (the little plastic piece that plugs in the back of the
tach), and wrapping that wire around the sensor an extra two or three
times. Each extra wrap around allowed the tach to read accurately a bit
higher. Now the tach is dead on up to about 6000 rpm where I loose my
courage to find out if it will go higher.
Another issue is the stock distributor cap when you make the changeover.
You will want to switch it out for a Mallory or other "adapt-a-cap"
which is larger than the stock cap, and is designed to take the 50,000
volts from a high voltage ignition without letting it leak out. Leaking
voltage is not good, as I was frquently "shocked" to find out when I got
my hands anywhere near the stock cap or ingition wires before I figured
it out. Man, that hurt!
Final suggestion: mount the coil in a bit more vertical alignment than
the stock position. The Flamethrowers are oil filled and after a couple
of years that oil can leak through into the coil wire cap, as I found
out with my first one. It won't damage anything but will definitely
block the spark. I've got the new coil angled up slightly and so far it
seems to do the trick.
Steve Sage
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