Just tried to install a Pertronix Ignitor with the flamethrower coil.

1. Removed distributor cap.
2. Marked the position of the rotor on the distributor.
3. Removed the trigger points connector and the Green wire.
4. Released the distributor bolt and slowly removed the distributor.
5. Remarked the distributor body where the rotor is now.Clean Trigger points.
6. Removed top ballast resistor.
7. Removed Bottom Ballast resistor.
8. Attached lower 12V ballast resistor feed to the +ve of the new coil.
9. installed the Pertronix.
10. Reinstalled the Distributor using the marks mentioned earlier.
11. Connect the red pertronix cable to +ve on the coil. And the black to the -Ve.


Now the car barely runs...as if its on 4 cylinders...also the distributor is maxxed out CCW so there is no more adjustment.....

Any ideas????

1. Did you try and check the timing?
2. Is it possible some of the trigger points are not working? You could check the injectors with a noid light.

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Csaba
1972 280SEL 4.5, silver

What if cleaning the trigger points actually was the issue. Let me clean them a second time and see what happens.

How did you clean them, also? They can't be sanded, they'll get damaged! Make sure all the wiring for them is still intact and the harness for them is fully pluged in.

__________________
Current:
2021 Charger Scat Pack Widebody "Sinabee"
2018 Durango R/T

Previous:
1972 280SE 4.5
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi"
1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k

So I cleaned them again:

Flushed with carb cleaner then flushed with electrical cleaner.

i Checked they worked with a multimeter...and they seem perfect....hmmm

Replaced the distributor and it still runs like hell.

What really bothers me is the adjustment on the distributor...the car runs better the more I turn the distributor CCW... However I run out of adjustment quickly.

I guess I should move the distributor shaft by one tooth and see what happens....

By the way, I am sick of dropping the distributor screw!!! Any tips

I always used some grease to help keep it on the driver.

__________________
Current:
2021 Charger Scat Pack Widebody "Sinabee"
2018 Durango R/T

Previous:
1972 280SE 4.5
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi"
1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k

What I do, is place a small telescopic magnetic pick up alongside the extension. The magnet is in contact with the hex driver bit. This after also dropping that screw one too many times!

I am sure someone must make magnetic hex bits?

Wiring "sounds" correct, but not knowing where "Top" resistor is on 280, Can't be sure. Should be like this wiring diagram.


When replacing distributor, you do need to start it further CCW so that rotor points to original position after rotating during meshing. You probably are one tooth off. If all else fails, go back and rotate engine so passenger side cam, crank balancer and distributor are all on their marks.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

Thanks for all the great info.

So Grahams wiring diagram is exactly how I have mine , which is good news. The last 2 things to check will be...

1. Check for negligible resistance between the pertronix base and the -VE of the battery. This will indicate the ground wire between the distributor and ground is working.

2. Move the distributor shaft one tooth CCW and retest.

I will keep you all posted.

So...the ground to the distributor is not the issue. It reads 0.2 ohms which is as expected....Lets hope I am one tooth adrift...

Same thing happened to me.

Make sure the timing mark is at TDC before inserting the distributor.
Reinstall the distributor one click.

__________________
1972 W108 280SE 4.5
1977 W116 450SEL
1981 E12 528i BMW

Adv_rider,

I read your pertronix thread on the issues you had. Did you rotate the shaft CW or CCW one tooth? I know CW causes a no start condition.

Also one more thing I am going to check is the Trigger points connector. Its missing a tab (but still connects tight) and could probably do with major cleaning too....Ahh old cars...

indisguise:

If you have moved the rotor (& dist. shaft) one tooth CCW, you have further retarded the firing point. Recall that in your first post you described rotating the distributor BODY CCW, and finding that the engine ran better. Rotating the dist. body CCW advances the firing point, and repositioning (rotating) the ROTOR CW also advances the firing point.

If you have moved the rotor one tooth CCW, you will now need to go back CW one tooth to return to your starting point, and then one more tooth CW to advance the firing point.

This problem seems to be caused by the Pertronix pickup and magnets falling in a slightly different orientation with respect to the dist. shaft than the original points and breaker cam.

Frank

Thanks for the Help. Your explanation makes total sense and it should help alleviate another fruitless test..

I will double check the Pertronix magnet as you mentioned it seems feasible that its on wrong.

I am going to double check the trigger points connector for broken wires....

Thanks for the great input everyone. I really appreciate the great responses.

IIRC I inserted one notch CW, so I could rotate the distributor further CCW when setting time.

Edit: I read my old thread and I can confirm that us what I did. That is what I referred to install at 2'oclock instead that at 1... ...One notch CW.

__________________
1972 W108 280SE 4.5
1977 W116 450SEL
1981 E12 528i BMW

It runs!

So it was 2 issues:

1. After inspecting the trigger points with a magnifying glass, I could see contaminants on one of the bottom pair.
2 I also had to advance the distributor forward one tooth and set the timing by ear. It would seem the timing marks are of little use on this engine.... I suspect
timing chain stretch or its skipped a cog in its life.

Anyway it runs great!!

Thank all.