pertronix electronic ignition hepl please

[mountainman]

I thought I burned up the electronic ignition in my TR3 by leaving the key on without the motor running. I had no spark at all. I got a new electronic ignition module and put it in and again no spark at coil and plugs. I do have 12 volts at the white ignition wire and a good ground wire on the pos side of coil. What do you think could be wrong? Is there a way to check the module to make sure it's good?
Thanks
Greg

 

[sd80mac7204]

There is a white sticker on the module. Those are designed to turn brown or black if the unit "burns up"

 

[mountainman]

Yes, there is one on both sides and either is bn/bk there both white. That true on the new and old one. What else could be my problem?
Thanks

 

[Darrell_Walker]

There is a white sticker on the module. Those are designed to turn brown or black if the unit "burns up"

My sticker fell off, what does that mean?

 

[TR3driver]

Just to cover the obvious, your battery is still connected positive ground; and your ignitor module has a black wire linked to the original white wire; plus a black/white to the "SW" or "-" terminal of the coil, correct?

I'll adapt some old instructions from Pertronix on how to test their module, for the positive ground configuration:

Connect a voltmeter (they suggest a quality moving coil voltmeter like the Simpson 260 VOM but I think a digital multimeter will do) set to the 50v DC scale (200v for the DMM) to the two leads to the Pertronix, with the positive lead on the black/white wire. Ground the coil high tension wire. Crank the motor and observe the voltmeter.

If the meter constantly reads 0 volts, there is probably an open circuit somewhere. Typically in the wiring, but it could also be the coil.

If the meter constantly reads between 1 and 3 volts, the ignitor module is probably bad and must be replaced.

If the meter constantly reads near 12 volts, probably one of the leads to the Pertronix is bad, or the module itself.

If the reading dances around (with the analog meter, the pointer would rapidly swing between about 1.5 and 12v but a DMM will probably just jump around), the module is working and the problem lies elsewhere.

Personally, I just put the points back in. Engine runs fine with points, so the Pertonix is relegated to the parts bin, for the next time I have nothing better to do than play with it.

 

[mountainman]

Thanks Randall,
I will test it today. The car has a new wiring harness so I am now thinking it's the coil. Do you think a Lucas Sports Coil could go bad with less than a 800 miles on it?
I hate to give up on the Pertronix Dist I have so much invested.
Greg

 

[sd80mac7204]

There is a white sticker on the module. Those are designed to turn brown or black if the unit "burns up"

My sticker fell off, what does that mean?

It means you have a bad sticker.

 

[TR3driver]

Do you think a Lucas Sports Coil could go bad with less than a 800 miles on it?

Yes, I do. Especially after being abused by leaving the key on. Ken Gillanders (British Frame & Engine) once wrote that after testing an entire case of brand new Lucas Sports coils, over half of them were either DOA or did not perform properly. The coil I bought at TRfest 2009 lasted a little longer than 800 miles, but not a whole lot. And heat seems to have played a role in its demise as well (it died in prolonged stop-n-go traffic on a hot day).

I had much better luck with the cheap, no-name coil I bought from K-mart 20 years ago :laugh:

 

[mountainman]

I had much better luck with the cheap, no-name coil I bought from K-mart 20 years ago :laugh:[/quote]

Randall, can I get another no-name coil at a parts store? What do i ask for?
Thanks
Greg

 

[TR3driver]

Randall, can I get another no-name coil at a parts store? What do i ask for?

Anything you find at FLAPS will probably require a ballast resistor (the coil from K-mart did). But they should have the ballast resistor as well. On my TR3, I found that the original white coil wire was long enough to reach the ballast resistor mounted to the firewall (by replacing one of the screws for the heater connection with a longer one), then I made up a new wire to run from the ballast to the hot terminal on the coil.

If they ask for make, model and year; tell them it's for a 68 Dodge Dart with a 225ci slant six. Actually, almost any American car from the 1960s will do, they all took the same coil and ballast.

Or if they carry SMP products, ask for a RU11T ballast plus a UC12T coil.

Mind, I am not suggesting this as a permanent solution; eventually I plan to replace mine with a 3 ohm Pertronix coil so I can lose the unsightly ballast and long wire. But I've been running this setup on the TR3 since last year, and it works just fine. On the TR3A with the K-mart coil, I used an electronic ignition that required a 1.5 ohm coil, so the ballast resistor was only part of the "go back to points" kit. But I installed the points for the 2000 mile trip to VTR 2000 and it also ran just fine.

 

[mountainman]

I dug out a 40 old coil I had and put it on and she srarted right up. "they don't make them like the use too" proves itshelf again. Less than 800 miles on the Lucas Sports Coil.
Randall, I don't like the idea of the ballast resistor on the fire wall so I think I will go with the Pertronix. thanks for all your help. They should name this the "British Car Forum with Randall"
Greg