[Healeys] Distributor guy

[WILLIAM B LAWRENCE]

I had been using solid core wires since 2002, but when I changed to negative ground in 2019 the new pertronix had a warning against solid core (electronics sensitive to RF spikes or something) so I bought a set of carbon core wires and adapted them to my original (acorn nut) distributor cap by holding the brass washers in place with small brass screws inserted into the carbon core. No problems yet.

Bill Lawrence
BN1 #554
________________________________
From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of Steven Kingsbury via Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2022 10:28 PM
To: Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net>
Cc: healeys at autox.team.net <healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Distributor guy

Bob,
Thanks for the link, I'll check this out and chase it down. I know also you said you were using the solid core wires, but on this website you sent, it definitely advises against that. Like you, I wonder why. other than messing with a radio, I would see no disadvantage. And sense I have no radio, I don't mind messing with folks next to me and their radios!
Stay tuned! (No pun intended)
Steven

On Aug 30, 2022, at 12:40 PM, Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net> wrote:


Found some here:

https://vintageperformance.com/retrorockets/austin_healey.htm

Looks like there's two versions--'early' and 'late'--for 4-cyl Healeys.




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><mailto: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<mailto: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<mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>>
To: ahbn6 at verizon.net<mailto:ahbn6 at verizon.net>
Cc: healeys at autox.team.net<mailto: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<mailto: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<mailto:2x2doc at gmail.com>>
Cc: List Healey <healeys at autox.team.net<mailto: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<mailto: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
_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net<http://Team.Net> http://www.team.net/donate.html
Suggested annual donation  $12.75

Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/healeys http://autox.team.net/archive/healeys

Healeys at autox.team.net<mailto:Healeys at autox.team.net>
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys

Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/ryan@jimryan.com
_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net<http://Team.Net> http://www.team.net/donate.html
Suggested annual donation  $12.75

Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/healeys http://autox.team.net/archive/healeys

Healeys at autox.team.net<mailto:Healeys at autox.team.net>
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys

Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/warthodson@aol.com
_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net<http://Team.Net> http://www.team.net/donate.html
Suggested annual donation  $12.75

Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/healeys http://autox.team.net/archive/healeys

Healeys at autox.team.net<mailto:Healeys at autox.team.net>
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys

Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/michael.oritt@gmail.com

_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net<http://Team.Net> http://www.team.net/donate.html
Suggested annual donation $12.75

Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/healeys http://autox.team.net/archive/healeys

Healeys at autox.team.net<mailto:Healeys at autox.team.net>
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys

Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/airtightproductions@icloud.com



_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net<http://Team.Net> http://www.team.net/donate.html
Suggested annual donation  $12.75

Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/healeys http://autox.team.net/archive/healeys

Healeys at autox.team.net<mailto:Healeys at autox.team.net>
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys

Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/bspidell@comcast.net



_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net<http://Team.Net> http://www.team.net/donate.html
Suggested annual donation $12.75

Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/healeys http://autox.team.net/archive/healeys

Healeys at autox.team.net<mailto:Healeys at autox.team.net>
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys

Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/airtightproductions@icloud.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/healeys/attachments/20220831/1ee4e8b3/attachment.htm>