[TR] TR4A Sputtering - Partially Solved

Joe Curry spitlist at cox.net
Sat Sep 19 16:59:45 MDT 2009


Absolutely not.  I have never had any problems with the pertronix I
previously used.  Perhaps you are thinking about another Joe.  Or better
still, search the archives for any post from me complaining about Pertronix.

Joe

-----Original Message-----
From: triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net
[mailto:triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Randall
Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2009 2:36 PM
To: triumphs at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [TR] TR4A Sputtering - Partially Solved

> While you are at it, why not install a new Pertronix.  It 
> will be far more
> reliable 

Wow, Joe, that seems like quite a turn-around.  Wasn't it you a few years
back, posting about how many problems you had seen with Pertronix?  Magnets
falling out, magnets installed wrong by the factory, etc.

IMO the main advantage of the various electronic conversions is lack of
required maintenance, and somewhat better tolerance of worn distributor
bushings.  In my experience at least, they have been roughly the equivalent
of points in terms of "get me home" reliability.  

But the electronics win, hands-down, for more weird, intermittent problems.
I had a MSD box for awhile that would simply refuse to produce a spark for
up to a minute, almost every morning.  Would start just fine, get a mile or
two from home, then simply die at a stop light and refuse to restart.  Never
died running down the road, only when sitting idling.  If I got out, opened
the hood, wiggled the wires around; generally the first time it still
wouldn't start.  But try it again, and here we go.  Ran fine the rest of the
way to work, no problems at lunch, ran fine all the way home.  Then the next
morning, same thing again.  Finally sent the unit back to MSD; they didn't
find anything wrong but 'updated' some components which seemed to solve the
problem (and charged me about $60 for not fixing anything).

I think this was mentioned, but I'll repeat it: There are TWO wires that
connect to the points; one from the side terminal and one from the
distributor body (to the plate that the points are screwed down to).  Both
of those wires are forced to flex every time the vacuum advance moves, so
they can break internally with no signs of any trouble just looking at them.
Best way to check is to disconnect one end, and check the resistance while
tugging gently on the wire.

Randall
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