Pertronix (all points replacements) vs Points

Go_Bug_n · Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 6:00 am Post subject:

The proof of Pertronix over points is not some theoretical thing. Flat out, the motor is so much smoother now because all four cylinders are getting a strong accurate spark. The Pertronix allows greater saturation of the coil, which delivers a stronger spark all the way up the RPM band. Points NEVER delivered the kind of smooth power like I'm getting from this Pertronix gizmo. My fuel economy is definitely better.

While the rest of my Bug is quite unmolested and only given the best German-made VW parts, I have to give credit where it's due. Electronic ignition for me!
_________________
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!!!
-Bluto

No longer a virgin 1976 standard Beetle. Now has ice cold AIR CONDITIONING! Thank you Gilmore A/C!

MIsandshark · Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 4:07 pm Post subject:

been dealing with ign problems for the last week. replacement ign module quit. 300 miles over the course of a year on it. no spark. nothing. threw my spare point dist in runs great, ordered a protronix flame thrower.

whole distrubtor came ups. dropped it in...has a dead miss that comes and goes on #4 and when 4 is alive #1 is dead...pipes are ice cold. piss around with the plug wires and check the plugs. nothing. still droppin cyinders. put the old spare points dist back in. runs great. just printed out the form to send the flamethrower back to exchange it for another.

even though i havnt had to replace a set yet. i can stop at any auto parts store in michigan and buy a set of points or a condensor. if the electronic dies i cant replace it when im up north camping on a weekend. if i gotta carry a spare dist with points i might as well run one. just from experience im not impressed with electronic ignitions for this application

scottyellow67 · Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 1:44 pm Post subject:

I been thinking out which way to go. My orig dist is toast. Both vac advances don't work and the cent advance is froze up.
Where can I get a good deal on a dizzy with points and condenser?
I have a stock dp1600 ('73) with a 34pict-3 carb.
Do I need to stay with vacuum advance? What would be my best bet for an economical and easily maintained replacement. I'm hoping to not spend more than $150.
I may as well get a new coil too.
Please point me in the right direction.
Thanks

larryducas · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:26 pm Post subject:

My experience is I bought my bus with empi electronic kit.

It was intermittent, then crapped out 50%.

I bought a rebuilt distributor with points. This ran good for 2 months, then started missing terribly. points were good, but something not right.

I swapped in a distributor with pertronix and it ran great again.

so what about the quality of the rebuilt distributors???

Now a days, with so much chinese stuff, everything is suspect, even the non chinese stuff!

volksian · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 3:13 am Post subject:

larryducas · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 10:29 am Post subject:

turboblue · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:46 am Post subject:

joescoolcustoms · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 6:37 am Post subject:

candymustang66 · Samba Member Joined: April 24, 2012 Posts: 2352

PatterBon · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:54 am Post subject:

I'm one for points..If they fail, they're cheap and I can replace them on the side of the road and be on my way rather than spending how ever much it is on another electronic ignition system.
_________________
PNW Dub Folk & Kitsap dub Folk (KdF)
1973 Standard VW Beetle
1969 Cessna 172K Airplane

candymustang66 · Samba Member Joined: April 24, 2012 Posts: 2352

all mine have points backup , fall back buttons.
even pertronix shows how to do that on their web site.

just a switch, nothing hard.

in 68 my CDI had it built in...
ran it on 3 cars. then. way later...

in 1970,
run it for 100k miles (just on one new 70' bug) over 200k with sis driving.
then ran it on other cars,. till the late 80s. ( retired my CDI in 1988)
now ItS on my 68. in 2012. a new MSD.

not one misfire, or failure. ever.... but all were wired prefect.

its a personal choice, and has great advantages.
always starts , on 1st compression stroke. rain wind or shine.
nothing like it. try it .

buy MSD for best play. (not spam, just a FACT )
the MSD has the missing LED.
shows you the trigger is active, a great feature for noobs and mechanics
that dont have scopes and other fancy tools.

Points are fine, its cool, be happy, they worked crappy from 1900 to 1988
so 88 years....
they wasted a millions barrels of fuel but that is water under the bridge.
disputed by Thomas Gold (RIP).

to me and others HOT spark is one of the best refinements of the modern age. Burn the fuel dont waste it.

many fail and this is why.? (im a tech and see this all the time.)
1: bad key switch drops power,randomly or the silly key connector is bad.
2: bad ground inside dizzy (most are bad, fix that first, or all is lost)
3: connecting it up backward, boom you let the smoke out... next ?
4: wired wrong.(oops left in the hidden ballast resistor did you?)
5: new tone wheel not seated like manual shows (pert told me that)
6: wrong pert module, in the wrong model dizzy.
7: bad condensor, the pert can fix a bad condensor sorry, get a new one
they bake dry after 5 years or less.
8: Running and old tired, and near end of life coil... get a new epoxy 3ohm coil and let that run. I run the flame thrower
9: run some Bosch 09001 wire sets, mag+silicon, find a discount cheap by#

most folks fear electrics, no less electronics.
so i know that most folks will just run stock setup or for "nostialic reasons"
all that make sense.
yes, do what makes you happy. but if you like easy starts and even better
starts in cold weather, or with not so good spark plugs.
you'd be amazed who well it works.
ever notice how new cars start so easy, at all times. this is 1/2 the reason why.
The best ever post.

cyclecostarica · Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:27 pm Post subject:

there is 20 pages of stuff here and I did read a lot of it but I saw nothing on using points with an electronic box. It's kind of the best of both worlds. The points are installed already if there is a problem with the electronics and you get the strong spark etc. of the electronics. I us a msd box and points. I tracked an old 911 for 18 years with this set up. Porsche used a CD box and points on earlier cars like mine. (1970) I never replaced the points in 200,000 miles. I like trusting Porsche and VW engineers for my driving experience!
Idea

Glenn · Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:43 pm Post subject:

I user points with a Berg CDI system... it worked great till the box crapped out. I went back to a Blue coil and don't miss the box.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
HBB/RW
www.DasVolks.com
Long Island's Aircooled Club

cyclecostarica · Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:52 pm Post subject:

oh, forgot, used to track a VW with points too.....'68, it was fine, never revved over 6,000~ or so...... fun car too, maybe we just need to have fun with it. Very Happy

modok · Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 10:53 pm Post subject:

oldtown1 · Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 7:08 am Post subject: Pertronix Fan

I am a Pertronix fan. I installed it in my 67 Mustang years ago, and it starts every time with in seconds. I installed it in my 74 Beetle, and It starts much faster than with the points, and idles very smoothly. I also replaced the coil with the Pertronix flame thrower coil, and Pertronix high performance spark plug wires. The only problem I had with the Pertronix unit with the bug was the +12 volt supply. There was apparently to much of a voltage drop with the +12 volts from the coil. I ran +12 from the battery, and it started on the first try.

Recntly another classic Mustang owner ridiculed me for not having a stock ignition system. He was very proud that his car was 100 original. He made a big deal that he restored his to Ford's OEM specs. I asked him if he had bias ply tires. He looked confused. in 43 years somethings improve. Ignition systems and tires are some of them.

I want my cars to get me home.

subwayaz · Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 12:25 am Post subject:

I ran points for years and I've also ran Electronic Ignition for years also. And both systems have failed on me. But I must say that I do like the idea of not having to reset something in my Engine Bay a couple of times a year. I travel around with an extra module in my Trunk just like I traveled around with an extra Points and condenser.

algernon72 · Posted: Yesterday 8:58 pm Post subject:

I have a new Pertronix Flame thrower, with about 200 miles on it. A rebuilt 34-3 from Tim, on my original rebuilt 1600dp. It has been great.... Starts right up... But today crank crank crank, nothing. Eventually it started and then when it got warm it just dies at ide.. Now that it has cooled again it started right up. I have a 25yr old Bosh Blue coil ( 3.5 ohm primary). I suspect that the pertronix module is failing... To rule that out I want to replace the module with points. What points go in this distrib? Are they the same as i have on the 009 that I replaced ?
_________________
Sat for 14 yrs, in garage. Now its time to bring it back. Front suspension, steering, bearings, and brakes, carpet, headliner seats Done! Turn around in the garage. CVs, bearings, disk breaks, Turn around again, fuel tank, and brake fluid container. Drained and filled transaxle,, set valves, new fuel pump and it started! Yahoo!! Two cups of rust blew out the muffler.HA! Pertronix SVDA and a Rebuilt 34-3 from Tim I'm on the road!

docdanracy · Posted: Yesterday 9:02 pm Post subject:

Pertronix is supposed to be used with a 3ohm coil...
_________________
Doc
1974 Marina Blue Standard Beetle undergoing restoration/preservation
1679 with Kadrons and header/QP
914 sport wheels 5.5" ET40 wrapped in 195x65x15 Kumhos

algernon72 · Posted: Yesterday 9:15 pm Post subject:

Well according to the instructions ( page 2 )
"The Flame Thrower distributor can be used in conjunction with most ignition coils rated at 3.0 ohms or greater"
So I don't think I fried it. But it is intermittent... at least today. If I put points back I can rule it out as a the root cause of this weirdness.
_________________
Sat for 14 yrs, in garage. Now its time to bring it back. Front suspension, steering, bearings, and brakes, carpet, headliner seats Done! Turn around in the garage. CVs, bearings, disk breaks, Turn around again, fuel tank, and brake fluid container. Drained and filled transaxle,, set valves, new fuel pump and it started! Yahoo!! Two cups of rust blew out the muffler.HA! Pertronix SVDA and a Rebuilt 34-3 from Tim I'm on the road!

>Help >Donate >Buy Shirts >Register >Log in	See all Samba banner ads \| Advertise on TheSamba.com

Pertronix (all points replacements) vs Points
Goto page Previous 1, 2, 3 ... 18, 19, 20 Jump to:

Forum Index -> Beetle - Late Model/Super - 1968-up		Share:
		Print View

	Forum Index -> Beetle - Late Model/Super - 1968-up	All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time Goto page Previous 1, 2, 3 ... 18, 19, 20 Jump to:
Page 20 of 20