[Healeys] Distributor guy

Bruce Steele healeybruce at roadrunner.com
Sun Aug 28 23:05:49 MDT 2022


Al, I, too, had significant wobble in the shaft—it was apparent in the timing jumping around considerably.  Jeff installed a bearing in my original distributor as part of the rebuild and it works great.  As with your situation, putting a Pertronix unit in a worn distributor doesn’t seem terribly wise.

 

Bruce Steele

Brea, CA

1960 BN7

 

From: Healeys [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of alfuller194 at gmail.com
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2022 5:28 PM
To: 'Austin Healey' <healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Distributor guy

 

Curt – FWIW I’m one of those folk who needed a distributer rebuild, as you could see the wobble in the distributer shaft… 

 

My decision was to go with a whole Pertronix distributor [as opposed to putting a Pertronix hall effect insert into the old distributor]. I’m happy with having a modern spark system, as opposed to the hundred year old technology it replaced.  I do realize that if I had rebuilt the original distributor the points would stay in adjustment far longer than they did with the wobbly distributor, but it still feels like the car will be more reliable with the new setup.

 

Also FWIW, the car was recently driven 2200+ miles from Detroit to Las Vegas. It struggled climbing from ~5000 ft to ~11,000 ft with its sea-level carb jets, but other than that – nary a problem!

 

----------------

All the best,

 

Al Fuller

 

From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net <mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> > On Behalf Of Curtis Arndt
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2022 1:26 AM
To: warthodson at aol.com <mailto:warthodson at aol.com> 
Cc: healeys at autox.team.net <mailto:healeys at autox.team.net> 
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Distributor guy

 

Most folks I've run into with Pertronix ignitions use them instead of rebuilding their distributor properly. The Pertronix can make a worn out distributor run better especially if the shaft bushing is worn.  

 

Here's an idea, restore the distributor PROPERLY and replace worn parts.  Use NOS ignition parts and your car will run just fine! I have a lifetime supply of NOS caps, rotors, points and condensers, all from eBay, and no more expensive than buying cheap Chinese made reproduction POS!

 

Bottom line some folks use the Pertronix to mask problems with a worn out distributor that just needs proper servicing. Some years ago at a West Coast AH meetup all but two cars made it to the car show... The two with Pertronix ignitions that failed. Amazingly all of the properly restored Concours cars made it there just fine.

 

On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 4:59 PM warthodson--- via Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net <mailto:healeys at autox.team.net> > wrote:

If I recall correctly, Isn't Jeff adamantly against Pertronix ignitions?  I am not sure why he dislikes them. For me the advantages out way the originality of a points system.  I do like the way he rebuilds the OE distributors.
Gary Hodson

 

 

Jeff is the guy I recommended and who for a nominal sum was willing to polish the distributor.

 

Best--Michael Oritt

 

 

 

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