TheSamba.com :: View topic - Mallory Unilite Centrifugal only Distributor #4554101

Sat Dec 05, 2015 7:25 pm

A friend who was clearing/tidying his parts room found a Mallory Unilite he has had for many many years, easily over 10. he told me he got from aircooled dot net last time. since he is no longer in the vw hobby, i am taking over some of his stash.

quick search here tells me mallory has been bought by MSD? also saw some have issues with theirs?

How does this Unilite fare against the other distributors? i see ACN still selling them.

would parts be an issue? dont have any ignition box now, but read it can run just with the stock blue coil

Sat Dec 05, 2015 10:31 pm

They work great. As good as anything else you can buy. I have one on my 2276 street Ghia with the Mallory box and Pertronix coil. I have another for the 2332 race engine I'm building. The good thing is you can buy a spring kit and recurve them. You can also run standard plug wires like the Bosch 09001. MSD has said they will continue making replacement tune up parts for all Mallory distributors. I also suggest you buy the power filter they make.

You can run them without the CDI box and a Bosch Blue coil or Pertronix 3 ohm coil. If you run a CDI box you only need a .6 ohm Pertronix coil.

Sun Dec 06, 2015 2:54 am

vwracerdave wrote: They work great. As good as anything else you can buy. I have one on my 2276 street Ghia with the Mallory box and Pertronix coil. I have another for the 2332 race engine I'm building. The good thing is you can buy a spring kit and recurve them. You can also run standard plug wires like the Bosch 09001. MSD has said they will continue making replacement tune up parts for all Mallory distributors. I also suggest you buy the power filter they make.

You can run them without the CDI box and a Bosch Blue coil or Pertronix 3 ohm coil. If you run a CDI box you only need a .6 ohm Pertronix coil.

thanks Dave. has anyone used the Unilite with MSD coils?

Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:50 am

Yes. - and the older Unilite´s are about THE best distributor you can buy for a street engine without going crank fire.
Just use the correct coils for the Unilite.

Sun Dec 06, 2015 6:24 am

Alstrup wrote: Yes. - and the older Unilite´s are about THE best distributor you can buy for a street engine without going crank fire.
Just use the correct coils for the Unilite.

Great. Thanks. Will try to shop for some coils and spares. Won't be using any CDI for now. Have you used any other coils apart from the ones mentioned by Dave?

Sun Dec 06, 2015 6:49 am

The Unilite module will provide stable spark timing, but it's electrical performance isn't that much better than stock. Do yourself a BIG favor and use the Unilite to trigger a good quailty external high energy ignition system.

The Unilite module will be more reliable as it will run much cooler.

The Unilite module is also susceptible to voltage spikes. A good voltage spike filter/voltage limiter would be a good investment. However, Mallory's design is defective. It's needs modification or your module will blow before it limits the voltage to the module.

Also, remove the module and apply fresh thermal joint compound. When it gets old it down't properly transfer the heat out of the module.

If you use a multi-sparking ignition system you need to use a wider rotor tip. You can pick up some heavy brass strip the same thickness as the Mallory rotor tips at any good hardware store and cut your own rotor tips.

Scott Novak

Mon Dec 07, 2015 3:23 am

Mallory Power Filter is NLA. :?

Mon Dec 07, 2015 5:14 pm

Mallory power filter 29351

Do a google search and look on eBay. Find one and get one. They are about 1/3 the price of replacing the electronic module when you have a power spike and short it out.

Mon Dec 07, 2015 5:35 pm

vwracerdave wrote: Mallory power filter 29351

Do a google search and look on eBay. Find one and get one. They are about 1/3 the price of replacing the electronic module when you have a power spike and short it out.

yup, been looking around.

http://www.autozone.com/1/products/84963-active-po...29351.html

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/MAL0/2935...;ppt=C0150

waiting reply from these 2 shops if they post overseas. i am based in Singapore.

Mon Dec 07, 2015 6:27 pm

be careful; Mallory was recently bought by MSD, who in their wisdom is sending a different part under the old Mallory #. No longer plug-n-play, it requires new ends, etc. I have no idea if it works either. But it's pretty clear they don't know/care what they were selling a part for.

Mon Dec 07, 2015 7:38 pm

[email protected] wrote: be careful; Mallory was recently bought by MSD, who in their wisdom is sending a different part under the old Mallory #. No longer plug-n-play, it requires new ends, etc. I have no idea if it works either. But it's pretty clear they don't know/care what they were selling a part for.

John, i know you are out of stock for this, any idea what else i can use ? i am a bit reluctant to bolt that distributor on without a good power filter.

Mon Dec 07, 2015 8:58 pm

As I already mentioned, but maybe didn't make myself clear enough, there is a part in the Unilite module that will fail BEFORE Mallory's active power filter begins to limit the maximum voltage. Mallory really screwed up the design.

I modified one of these active power filters. If I remember correctly I think that I needed to add a series resistor with a zener diode shunting to ground to get it to limit the voltage to a safe voltage that the Unilite module can handle.

The schematic diagram for the active power filter and my modification to it is in my storage locker someplace. I'll look for it.

Scott Novak

Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:26 pm

Scott Novak is the man on this stuff, give him a shout.

pupjoint wrote: John, i know you are out of stock for this, any idea what else i can use ? i am a bit reluctant to bolt that distributor on without a good power filter.

Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:34 pm

Scott Novak wrote: As I already mentioned, but maybe didn't make myself clear enough, there is a part in the Unilite module that will fail BEFORE Mallory's active power filter begins to limit the maximum voltage. Mallory really screwed up the design.

I modified one of these active power filters. If I remember correctly I think that I needed to add a series resistor with a zener diode shunting to ground to get it to limit the voltage to a safe voltage that the Unilite module can handle.

The schematic diagram for the active power filter and my modification to it is in my storage locker someplace. I'll look for it.

Scott Novak

Thanks Scott, I am aware of what you had mentioned on the mod. I am also at the same time looking for plug and play alternatives.

Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:55 pm

Look for it Scott! I'd be keen to suss this out proper too before I blow up my new gear.

Fri Dec 11, 2015 1:06 am

So would it still be a good idea to buy this or not?

http://www.autozone.com/1/products/84963-active-po...p;cmpid=cj

I'm planning on running a NOS Unilite I bought here in the classifieds. If it makes a difference, mine is a vacuum advance.

Fri Dec 11, 2015 1:35 am

LeninCas wrote: So would it still be a good idea to buy this or not? http://www.autozone.com/1/products/84963-active-po...;cmpid=cj.

From what I remember you need to add a series resistor and a zener diode after it to ground in order to protect the Unilite module. In it's stock form it only ads minor protection at best.

Scott Novak