[Healeys] Distributor guy

Bob Spidell bspidell at comcast.net
Fri Sep 2 10:47:24 MDT 2022 

Thanks to input from the List, I now think the (possible) reason for 
Pertronix not recommending their unit for use with stranded copper wires 
is RFI from the wires. The Ignitor uses hall effect sensing from the cam 
lobes or a magnet collar to time the pulse to the coil, and RFI could 
possibly interfere with that weak signal. I've always used Champion 
resistor plugs, which may reduce RFI so as to not interfere with the 
Ignitor. IIRC, the plugs I use have a resistance load of about 15Kohms, 
equivalent to a foot or two of suppressor wires. IIRC, I'm not sure, but 
I think the plug caps I use have built-in resistance as well. I have no 
idea why Pertronix doesn't mention this, but from perusing their website 
it appears they don't have much interest in selling to or supporting old 
British car owners anymore (we are a dwindling demographic).


On 8/30/2022 7:09 PM, WILLIAM B LAWRENCE wrote:
> 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 
>> <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
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