spark plug gap with pertronix ignition and coil

[recordsj]

I have a 1500 mg midget. Installed a pertronix ignition and pertronix flamethrower coil. I have heard that when going to electronic ignition the spark plug gaps should be wider. Does anybody have more info on this have a good idea of what I should set my sparkplug gap at?

On the pertronix instructions, all they say that the manufacturers recommended gap should be used. Anybody have any info on why they say this?

 

[Dave Russell]

I think on the small Lucas distributors the rotor insulation & internal cap spacing are marginal to withstand the higher voltages required by wider plug gaps.

The wider the plug gaps, the higher the required firing voltage & the more likely that there will be high voltage insulation breakdown or cross firing. Note that later model distributors, intended for higher voltages, are larger & have more insulation in the critical areas.

Just an opinion,
D

 

[aeronca65t]

I'd agree with Dave's comments, but just to let you know, my 1500 racer is running plug gaps of 0.035" with a Pertronix setup.

I am running this with a 25D distributor (not the stock 1500 model) so I could use a screw-lug, side terminal cap (this is the old-style cap with the plug wires coming out "sideways"). I choose this cap since I was using solid core (copper) plug wires.

I am running a large American coil ("Standard" brand--intended for a '60s Chevy) that I bought at a local auto parts store for about $15. I have an external ballast resisitor. Produces an excellent spark.

After about 5 years with this, no problems.

You could experiment, but I'd guess that you could easily run 0.030" plug gap if your wires/cap/rotor are in good shape.

 

[blkcorvair]

Same petr. ignition with flamethrower you got. .o35 gap. good to go. Moss Cobolt wires.

 

[recordsj]

does anyone know of any issue with using standard sparkplug wires with the pertronix electronic ignition with the flameflower coil combination? Or does some other special kind of sparkplug wires do better?

What about sparkplug type to use with this combination of pertronix and flamethrower?

 

[healeyboz]

Standard works fine with both the wires and the plugs.

 

[blkcorvair]

Used standard Bosch over the counter wires for quite some time. Never had any probs.