[Healeys] Distributor guy

Bob Spidell bspidell at comcast.net
Tue Aug 30 11:00:43 MDT 2022 

One more ...

I have a Pertronix in both my BN2 and BJ8, and both have otherwise 
original--stranded copper wire core--secondaries. I haven't had any 
issues with either and the Pertronix solid core caveat about metal core 
wires makes no sense to me; the primary system and secondary ignition 
systems are electrically isolated from each other by the coil (any EEs 
out there know otherwise?). Having a specific impedance in the coil does 
make sense, but both my coils are OEM as well.


On 8/30/2022 8:42 AM, Steven Kingsbury via Healeys wrote:
> Been watching this entertaining discussion from the sidelines and I'm 
> one of those: "it's your car, do what you want" guys, but I have a 
> question about the Pertronix shift. According to the directions, a 
> change in plug wires is required. From solid core copper to carbon 
> fiber. So how can those of you going back and forth from points to 
> Pertronix doing it? Or, are you just sticking with the solid core wires?
> I tried going to the Pertronix, but the base plate for the "ignitor" 
> wouldn't fit where it was claimed, in the depression for the 
> condensor, it fit way off not quite 180 degrees but close, and though 
> I did get a backfire, I never got the car to run and gave up.
> I pulled the distributor, tore it apart, cleaned everything up, put 
> everything back together, refit it with new points and reinstalled it 
> in the car using the cell phone photos I took to get it back as close 
> as possible and bam!, she fired right up! Got my timing light out, 
> made the slightest adjustment and I'm back in the game.
> I have since been able to buy another distributor from a BN1, which 
> was a bit of a mess inside, but was able to tear it apart, clean it, 
> put it back together and it now works just fine and now if I have 
> trouble on the side of the road, I have a spare distributor to switch 
> out.
> But I may go the Pertronix path in the future, and the solid core wire 
> question is still in my mind. As well as the placement of the ignitor. 
> Or am I just using the wrong Pertronix kit? I've got the LU-149 kit. 
> Thanks!
> Steven Kingsbury
> BN1
>
>> On Aug 29, 2022, at 11:28 PM, Michael Oritt <michael.oritt at gmail.com> 
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> I've had the pleasure of replacing a set of contact points alongside 
>> the road in the dark.  If you don't get the stack of insulating 
>> washers and parts correct you are going nowhere and it's awfully easy 
>> to drop one of the bits down and under the car--with the same result.
>>
>> I put a Mallory Unilite distributor/ignition system in my Healey 
>> about twenty years ago with absolutely no issue other than a cracked 
>> external ballast resistor and about three years ago I replaced the 
>> module simply because I did not want to push my luck any further.  On 
>> long trips I carry a spare distributor with drive dog attached, 
>> allowing for quick and easy replacement and no need to worry about 
>> timing so long as I pay careful attention to the positions of the 
>> rotor and distributor body when switching things out.
>>
>> On my race cars I use Pertronix modules simply because the failure 
>> mode is almost always total which makes diagnosis much easier 
>> whereas with points there is one more component (the condenser) plus 
>> very often when points ignitions go bad the problem is often partial 
>> and/or intermittent, resulting in more time lost trying to diagnose 
>> the problem with more sessions lost due to having more possibilities 
>> to eliminate.
>>
>> Best--Michael Oritt
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 29, 2022 at 8:47 PM warthodson--- via Healeys 
>> <healeys at autox.team.net> wrote:
>>
>>     Since Pertronix don't have points I guess the answer is: "the car
>>     would not have been disabled due to the points failing".
>>     Gary
>>
>>
>>     -----Original Message-----
>>     From: dwflagg--- via Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net>
>>     To: ahbn6 at verizon.net
>>     Cc: healeys at autox.team.net
>>     Sent: Mon, Aug 29, 2022 12:00 pm
>>     Subject: Re: [Healeys] Distributor guy
>>
>>
>>     *Also, years ago whilst traveling the New York State Thruway I
>>     came upon a disabled Austin Healey whilst driving my own to a
>>     fraternity brother's wedding. This was before cell phones.
>>     Disabled vehicles were at the mercy of tow trucks and
>>     **exorbitant fees. It was **determined** there was no spark. With
>>     no tools but just a nail clipper with a nail file, we filed the
>>     **points,** and were both on our **way! Try** that with a
>>     Pertronix unit!*
>>
>>     *Doug*
>>
>>
>>       *To add more fuel to the fire, while driving on the freeway in
>>       Las Vegas years ago I had the rotor on my BN6 split in two. A
>>       highway patrolman stopped and repaired it with super glue and a
>>       rubber band. I limped home 15 miles – put on another rotor and
>>       kept a spare for safety and the repaired one in the parcel
>>       shelve for memories. Try that with a Pertronix unit*
>>
>>     **
>>     *John Sims*
>>     *www.healey6.com <http://www.healey6.com/>*
>>     *Matawan, NJ*
>>     **
>>     *From:* Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> *On Behalf Of
>>     *Jim Ryan
>>     *Sent:* Monday, August 29, 2022 10:12 AM
>>     *To:* patrick williams <2x2doc at gmail.com>
>>     *Cc:* List Healey <healeys at autox.team.net>
>>     *Subject:* Re: [Healeys] Distributor guy
>>
>>     Just wondering, the debate between this unit and the original
>>     points has always been that you can replace the points in the
>>     event of a failure on the side of the road. How difficult is it
>>     to replace this unit in the same manner if you carried a spare,
>>     and what would the cost be for that spare? I'm referring to a1958
>>     Bugeye here.
>>
>>     On Mon, Aug 29, 2022, 8:21 AM patrick williams <2x2doc at gmail.com>
>>     wrote:
>>
>>         It's been close to 20 years ago, but Jeff rebuilt my
>>         distributor, including the vacuum advance diaphram, and put
>>         in a pertronix unit.  I'm very happy with the results.
>>         Pat Williams
>>         1960 BT7
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>
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