Pertronix ignition

[histoy]

My '68 440 has a new Pertronix ignition installed in the distributor.  It also has a tic-toc-tach.  The tach needle doesn't stay steady, and jumps around at all speeds.  I figured that it was just a bum tach until tonight, when I installed my Sears portable engine analyzer, and took the car for a drive.   Both tachs were reading the same rpm and each was fluctuating around 200 rpm when driving steadily at 62 mph.   Is anyone else running this ignition system, and if so, have you had similar problems?

[my69]

I have the system, BUT I HAVE YET to fire up engine      I still have to finish hooking things up AND doing the exhaust ect.....

I noticed when I installed my setup That "magnet" didn't seem to stay true on the distributor shaft. I had a pic of were the "sleeve" wasn't
tight with the magnet. ( wish I kept it

When I finally put the rotor on, that magnet was woobly enough that it would hit the hei unit. I didn't think that was right So I took some electrical tape (black) and made up the difference and put some on the rotor as well

Now everything looks AND feels snug so it can't hit the OR rub the hei unit.

maybe that is what your experincing

[Rubberduck]

I recently had the same problem. I got a new tach and it was jumping at all speeds.
After a lot of trial and error I found out that the coil was the problem. I changed the coil and the problem was gone.
Even though I didn´t realize any trouble when driving with the old coil .

Just try another coil and let me know.


Mario

[nick_iam]

i have the pertronix thing too, timing and tach are rock solid. kinda freaked me out, cause the timing on my charger seemed to fluctuate ever soo slightly before. now its as if the darn thing is standing perfectly still. which is what its supposed to do anyways right? ha! but ya, it works like a charm for me

[chargerhunter]

How much does the Pertronix swap cost? I HATE points. 440/4spd, single point dist. just dosen't belong!

[nick_iam]

~$100. give or take..  but its sooo worth it! all contained inside distributor, just 2 wires to hook up, red to pos. on coil. black to neg. on coil. viola!

[chargerhunter]

All I needed to hear! I have been kicking it around already, just needed some input.

[41husk]

I installed on my Challenger, It looks stock the only difference is you have an extra wire going into your distributor,  It cost me about $80 at the local speed shop.  I may go to the same set up with the 68.

[histoy]

I have the Mopar electronic ignition on my '64 Belvedere, and the tach is steady all the time.  The only downside is that it doesn't look stock, and that's what I wanted for the Charger.  Tonight I tried the following things in an effort to solve the problem with the fluctuating tach, but none of them worked.  Installed a new coil, disconnected the vacuum advance, disconnected the condenser that eliminates radio interference, disconnected the tic-toc-tac, and checked the Pertronix unit for obvious problems.   None of them did any good.   If I hold the rpm at 3300, my Sears electronic analyzer floats between 3000 - 3500 with no obvious change in engine speed.  The tic-toc-tac floats between 3300 - 3500.   Last night my engine analyzer held steady on my Belvedere, as did the Sun Pro tach on that car.  I'm running out of ideas.

[nick_iam]

thinking about it, is the distributor ok?

i remember i had original points distributor with pertronix kit on my charger. but needed to get this satellite i had running, so i took the dist. out and put it in the satellite. i remember timing that booger and the timing would fluctuate slightly. also my tach would bounce.

i since bought a new pertronix box and new (reman. im sure) points distributor for the charger. when timing it i saw that with the new dist. in place the timing was dead on, never hinting of wander. i was used to the slight wander of the first one so i investigated.  took caps off both dist. and did notice more slop in the old one i put on the satellite. twisting rotationally back and forth it indeed did move more than the new one. also, it had the slightest movement radially.. is that the right word? as in a minute wobble of the shaft within the housing.. that sucker is staying on the satellite fo' sho'!

might try that and see if you have excessive wobble or play with distributor shaft. definitely will cause timing wander or what-not

[Rubberduck]

A failed ignition wire could also cause the problem.
I hope you get it done by the weekend.

Mario

[Ghoste]

A downside to the Pertronix is that if you are using an old stock distributor, you are stuck with the old stock timing curve and worn bushings.
Worn bushings in the distributor can also cause the timing to jump around.

[nick_iam]

ya there it is, the bushings.. thats the wobble thing i was trying (miserably) to describe 

[Ghoste]

You described it well enough, I didn't read your post well enough to catch that you had already brought up the point.  My drive by posting.  Sorry.

[nick_iam]

thats cool, your clarified a point that i was laboring on