vettepoor

Well, after 7 years of service, my Pertronix 3 module crapped out last night. I was returning from our cruise night and without warning, car died. Checked for gas - ok. No spark from coil, so I put in my "spare". Still no spark. After fumbling in the dark, I found set of points in my tool bag. Unfortunately, I had no screws to mount points to breaker plate, as they are different than Pertronix hardware. Gave up and got a tow home. Went out this morning, installed points with correct screws and fired on first crank!

My question: I have a MSD Blaster 2 coil in the car. If I run power through the ballast resistor, will I be ok with this coil? Car ran fine after I reset dwell and timing, I just don't want to fry anything if this coil is too much for stock setup. I know many on this forum swear by the electronics, but I am no longer a fan.

Thanks for any advice or help.

John

Powershift

From the MSD website:

http://www.msdignition.com/Products/..._Hardware.aspx

They indicate that a 0.8 ohm ballast resistor is needed. I don't have personal experience with this coil to know any different. Corvette original ballast were/are 0.3 ohm and 1.8 ohm.

Larry

MikeM

Why not put in a replacement Pertronix. Surely the parts stores on the island have them readily available?

vettepoor

Right. Lucky if I can find correct spark plugs on this rock at times! Never had points leave me stranded before, so I'm going back to them. Car seems to run just as good either way.

DansYellow66

I know the feeling - my 67 GTX crapped out on me on the way home from our cruise night a couple weeks ago. I had to sit in the dark for 1-1/2 hours with a hungry wife, waiting for the flatbed to show up.

Frankie the Fink

The MSD coil should work fine with your points. Read the paragraphs at the bottom of this page:

http://www.msdignition.com/Products/...rformance.aspx

Sorry your confidence in the Pertronix with a Hall cell is destroyed. You should quit driving your modern cars then; you have probably 4 or more in each of them.

I've used nothing else in my classic cars for 27+ years. One failure when I crossed wires on a very early Pertronix I that didn't have the protections of the later versions with the car sitting in my garage.

vettepoor

Thanks for the info, Frankie. I'm not sure of rating on my ballast resistor, but I've previously had 2 Flamethrower coils $hit on me, so I was hoping for no more failures!

Powershift

If you don't know the resistance of your existing ballast resistor, then disconnect all of the BR leads and measure it with an ohmmeter or multimeter.

Larry

vettepoor

OK. Tested with ohm meter and got a reading of 1.9, so does this mean I have ample protection? I will admit I'm no electrician so any help is greatly appreciated!

John

Frankie the Fink

To test a Flamethrower coil throw it as far as you can into a deep body of water; if it sinks its bad; if it floats its good.

You'll never have another failure with this simple test

Powershift

Since MSD says they recommend a 0.8 ohm and you have a 1.9 (probably 1.8) ohm resistor installed, it says the MSD Coil wants/needs more input voltage (and current) to do its intended job.

It will probably works just fine with what you have, but MSD would prefer that you install the correct ballast they designed for that coil.

Larry

67*427

Frankie,

In my experience, if it sinks, it's bad and if it floats it's bad too!

SD

MikeM

What does all the mean mouthin' of the coil have to do with the Pertronix crapping out? Will the Pertronix float?

I would change to Echlin points and coil and maybe look at it every ten years. Maybe.

Frankie the Fink

The OP asked a coil question in the first post...
Ten years is too often, I NEVER look at my Pertronix(s).

XCSP700

I service and sell alot of ignition parts. It's been my experience that the ignitor 1 almost never goes bad. I don't see alot of bad pertronix units but when I do they are always 2s and 3's

I do see lots of bad sets of points. Not ones that won't make the car run, but ones that rapidly loose dwell at speed.

I would run at least the .8 ohm resistor with the blaster 2 coil

-Rich

RoadKing96

Maybe I'm reading your post wrong and I'm certainly no expert, but it sounds like you had an electronic module in the distributor, also running with your current 1.9 ohm ballast resistor.

Then you replaced the module unit with a points set up and still have the 1.9 ohm ballast resistor.

I was under the belief that if you are using an MSD (or any HEI) module, that you are not supposed to need/use a ballast resistor.

IF you do run with points then you should be using the 'correct' rated ballast resistor.

RK

65silververt

I am running the same coil on a 283 with a distributor utilizing points and condensor. Lars recommended the blaster 2 coil. Generally the pertronix people roll back around to points after a failure where they end up stranded. That is precisely why I don't use them anymore!

Frankie the Fink

The MSD Blaster II #8202 coil will WORK FINE PEOPLE; with the stock ignition setup or the Pertronix with the ballast bypassed. That's why I like it.

But you'all keep analyzin' away......I'll be out driving...

65tripleblack

Pertronix may be installed with or without ballast resistor. Depends on the coil you install with it. Some require external ballast, and some don't.

65tripleblack

Mine floats.

It's been in the car for years and works as intended. I made black, 8.5 mm custom fit wires which easily fit through the original looms and are all covered with the original shielding. The shielding covering the coil keeps it NICE and HOT.

I must have screwed up somewhere and wired everything properly!

Maybe the severe use that I subject the engine to is why the Flame Thrower coil never failed?