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Sun Mar 01, 2015 4:37 pm

I have a 79 vw bus, and I want to upgrade the stock coil. About 5 years ago I upgraded to the pointless Pertronix ignition (my stock distributor is a vacum advance one) and loved it. Since I had such great results with it, I wanted to upgrade my coil with the same brand name. I noticed the Flame Thrower coil comes in two ohm ratings. 1.5 ohms, and 3.0 ohms. I was wondering which should I get for my factory motor bus. I'm not looking for horse power and massive torque increases. I want my bus to run nice and clean, up hills, down hills, and on straight aways, with increased gas mileage if possible. Which ohm rating should I go for? Also, if you have a model number that would be sweet too.

Sun Mar 01, 2015 5:16 pm

What does the sales literature say?

FWIW, a coil with a very low resistance is typically used with an external ballast resister.

Sun Mar 01, 2015 6:47 pm

Serpent7 wrote: I have a 79 vw bus, and I want to upgrade the stock coil. About 5 years ago I upgraded to the pointless Pertronix ignition (my stock distributor is a vacum advance one) and loved it. Since I had such great results with it, I wanted to upgrade my coil with the same brand name. I noticed the Flame Thrower coil comes in two ohm ratings. 1.5 ohms, and 3.0 ohms. I was wondering which should I get for my factory motor bus. I'm not looking for horse power and massive torque increases. I want my bus to run nice and clean, up hills, down hills, and on straight aways, with increased gas mileage if possible. Which ohm rating should I go for? Also, if you have a model number that would be sweet too.

Has nothing to do with the motor. If the coil you have is making nice fat blue sparks there is no upgrading of the coil alone to be done.

The coil primary resistance is matched to the ignition. See what your pertronix literature says. I have seen both 3 ohm and fractional ohm mentioned. Maybe contact pertronix and ask about you model.

Going to a CDI unit is another matter. You want a very low resistance coil. This thing will give you much bigger sparks. But other than starting better in really cold weather or with a mis-tuned carb, little advantage in the low compression VW motor.

Sun Mar 01, 2015 8:12 pm

Contact this guy, excellent service, knows his stuff.
http://ponderosamustang.com/ignitor-1-volkswagen-c...co0g1i1gi1

Sun Mar 01, 2015 10:56 pm

Most likely 3 ohm. 12 volts across 3 ohms = 4 amps - about right for a stock VW coil, or for a Pertronix unit designed to drive a stock coil.

12 volts across 1.5 ohms = 8 amps - too much for any driver. Use only with a series resistor of some kind.

Mon Mar 02, 2015 11:32 am

Well, I wanted to know before I purchased. I have some saying go with 3.0 ohm, I have some saying go with the 1.5 ohm. I guess I'll contact Pertronix and see.

Mon Mar 02, 2015 11:37 am

Serpent7 wrote: Well, I wanted to know before I purchased. I have some saying go with 3.0 ohm, I have some saying go with the 1.5 ohm. I guess I'll contact Pertronix and see.

I have a Pertronix flame thrower SVDA distributor with the Ignitor ll in it. I can tell you what the instructions that came with it say---but I don't know which of 3 pertronix modules you are running.

Mon Mar 02, 2015 11:51 am

PITApan wrote: Serpent7 wrote: Well, I wanted to know before I purchased. I have some saying go with 3.0 ohm, I have some saying go with the 1.5 ohm. I guess I'll contact Pertronix and see.

I have a Pertronix flame thrower SVDA distributor with the Ignitor ll in it. I can tell you what the instructions that came with it say---but I don't know which of 3 pertronix modules you are running.

I only have the point delete kit. Im interested in replacing my coil. I have a stock distributor with vac. advance on it.

Mon Mar 02, 2015 12:00 pm

Serpent7 wrote: PITApan wrote: Serpent7 wrote: Well, I wanted to know before I purchased. I have some saying go with 3.0 ohm, I have some saying go with the 1.5 ohm. I guess I'll contact Pertronix and see.

I have a Pertronix flame thrower SVDA distributor with the Ignitor ll in it. I can tell you what the instructions that came with it say---but I don't know which of 3 pertronix modules you are running.

I only have the point delete kit. Im interested in replacing my coil. I have a stock distributor with vac. advance on it. There are 3 pertronix modules. I imagine (but don't know) that any of them could be used in a drop in kit. I also don't know if they demand different coil loading. The ignighter ll doesn't care, .45 ohms on up with lower values preferred.

Stupid question maybe, but do you have the instructions that came with it?

Mon Mar 02, 2015 12:10 pm

PITApan wrote: Serpent7 wrote: PITApan wrote: Serpent7 wrote: Well, I wanted to know before I purchased. I have some saying go with 3.0 ohm, I have some saying go with the 1.5 ohm. I guess I'll contact Pertronix and see.

I have a Pertronix flame thrower SVDA distributor with the Ignitor ll in it. I can tell you what the instructions that came with it say---but I don't know which of 3 pertronix modules you are running.

I only have the point delete kit. Im interested in replacing my coil. I have a stock distributor with vac. advance on it. There are 3 pertronix modules. I imagine (but don't know) that any of them could be used in a drop in kit. I also don't know if they demand different coil loading. The ignighter ll doesn't care, .45 ohms on up with lower values preferred.

Stupid question maybe, but do you have the instructions that came with it?

I have not purchased the coil yet. Wanted to know before I purchased coil.

Good news! Just got off the phone with pertronix. I emailed them sat. but decided to just call. They said go with the 3.0 ohm!

Mon Mar 02, 2015 2:01 pm

Serpent7 wrote: They said go with the 3.0 ohm!

Their reasoning?