conversion to pointless ignition
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
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From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
conversion to pointless ignition
gee, the last time I did this was 25 years ago on my dads 1970 Chevy truck!!!! :eek:
what's a cheap and painless method to convert the factory distributor to a pointless operation?
what's a cheap and painless method to convert the factory distributor to a pointless operation?
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
From: Melville NY
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (Mike Mercury)
The best pointless system out there is the GM HEI unit, you can pick these units up from the wrekers for abought $50. If you want to keep your stock unit then the next best thing is the Pertronix conversion kit here is a link to a parts store http://www.franklinautoparts.com/pertronix.htm
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 2
From: Moro IL
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (Mike Mercury)
Unfortunately the HEI conversion doesn't work well without an electronic tach conversion as well since all the vettes with points style distributors also had a mechanical tachometer. The easiest and most of the time less expensive way to go is with a Mallory or Pertronix conversion for your stock distributor. I think the Mallory unit tends to be more reliable given the responses on this board for a while, and it's what I have been running for the past two years. Their are HEI setups with tach drives but the are pricey and there are also MSD distributor units with tach drives but they normally require you to run an MSD ignition box with it so they get pricey as well.
:cheers:
Pat Kunz
:cheers:
Pat Kunz
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 43,136
Likes: 155
From: Thomson Georgia
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (73 LS-4)
I would run away from the Pertronix II I had two of these modules fail on me. They refunded my money but I was still left stranded twice. I went with a Mallory dual point distributor with tach drive and I am very happy with it
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 179
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (page62)
our 1973's mechanical tach works... so I would like to keep that going if possible.
The Mallory 501 coversion kit says you should also have a coil and ballast resistor that are "made for electronic ignition". Is this true?
When I did this to my fathers truck WAY-BACK-THEN... we were able to use the stock coil and I don't remember anything about adding/replacing a ballast resistor :confused:
.
[Modified by Mike Mercury, 8:00 PM 5/11/2003]
The Mallory 501 coversion kit says you should also have a coil and ballast resistor that are "made for electronic ignition". Is this true?
When I did this to my fathers truck WAY-BACK-THEN... we were able to use the stock coil and I don't remember anything about adding/replacing a ballast resistor :confused:
.
[Modified by Mike Mercury, 8:00 PM 5/11/2003]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,429
Likes: 14
From: CA
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (Mike Mercury)
I installed a Mallory Unilite conv in mine. You don't need to install a ballast resistor as your car already has a built in "resistor wire" (for lack of a better term). You can use the original coil too. The only thing "extra" I needed to do was to file down the bolt heads slightly that hold the shutter wheel on the bottom side of the advance mechnisum.
Make sure your motor has a good ground. Bad grounds kill most electronic distributors. It's cheap insurance to install a grounding strap from the frame to a cyl head.
Make sure your motor has a good ground. Bad grounds kill most electronic distributors. It's cheap insurance to install a grounding strap from the frame to a cyl head.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
re: conversion to pointless ignition
I don't see why you would want to do this.... seems pointless! :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :cry :cry
MJ
(actually I tried pertronix and switched back to points after it died)
I don't see why you would want to do this.... seems pointless! :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :cry :cry
MJ
(actually I tried pertronix and switched back to points after it died)
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,807
Likes: 0
From: Hoosier
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (Mike Mercury)
http://cranecams.com/ignition/xri.htm for about $70
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Sparland IL
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (Mike Mercury)
Mike
I sent my distributor to a guy in CA named Dave Ray. He rebuilt the dist. and converted it to HEI. I replace the coil at the same time so I don't know if I had to. He put all new bearings in and plugged the adjustment holes and really cleaned it up. It costs about 150.
I sent my distributor to a guy in CA named Dave Ray. He rebuilt the dist. and converted it to HEI. I replace the coil at the same time so I don't know if I had to. He put all new bearings in and plugged the adjustment holes and really cleaned it up. It costs about 150.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,206
Likes: 17
From: Sewell NJ
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (Mike Mercury)
Hi Mike
I installed a Pertronix Ignitor (original unit not the Ignitor II) about 3 or 4 years ago and it's been rock solid since the day I put it in. The cost is around $70 to $80 and the install should take about 1 hour or less depending on how well you know your way around a distributor. I attached the link to this post where they have reviews on this product. Since the day I installed it I must have checked 20 times on the dwell and it's never changed a bit. I have excellent starting and excellent ignition performance. Here's the link. Read my review because I go into a little detail on it and take note that all 4 reviewers rate the unit 10 out of 10. https://www.corvetteforum.com/review...=221&TopicID=2
[Modified by vettfixr, 8:03 AM 5/12/2003]
I installed a Pertronix Ignitor (original unit not the Ignitor II) about 3 or 4 years ago and it's been rock solid since the day I put it in. The cost is around $70 to $80 and the install should take about 1 hour or less depending on how well you know your way around a distributor. I attached the link to this post where they have reviews on this product. Since the day I installed it I must have checked 20 times on the dwell and it's never changed a bit. I have excellent starting and excellent ignition performance. Here's the link. Read my review because I go into a little detail on it and take note that all 4 reviewers rate the unit 10 out of 10. https://www.corvetteforum.com/review...=221&TopicID=2
[Modified by vettfixr, 8:03 AM 5/12/2003]
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 0
From: Moon Township PA
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (Mike Mercury)
Others have made some good recommendations. I have not done this YET but if you look through the archives, there seems to be a hit or miss with the pertronix. If you look in the NCRS Driveline, there is a well respected gentleman who converts piont type ignitions to pointless. This is a single wire conversion so you maintain the stock look and have none of the problems associated with other units. If you want the name and number let me know. His work on Transistorized ignitions is well known and he has branched out into the pointless side.
Gary
Gary
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,206
Likes: 17
From: Sewell NJ
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (GaryS)
As 1LE said the current Corvette Fever has an article on this subject. I think the single wire unit referred to can be obtained from Lectric Limited. Here's the link to their website. The cost from them is $159. Just click on the Breakerless Ignition link. http://www.lectriclimited.com/
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (Alwyn678)
I would run away from the Pertronix II I had two of these modules fail on me. They refunded my money but I was still left stranded twice. I went with a Mallory dual point distributor with tach drive and I am very happy with it
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (REDSHARKONBOYDS)
Good luck with the pertronix 2! I would have personally went with another choice.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 2
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (REDSHARKONBOYDS)
I installed the original Pertronix on my '74...had a lot of weird problems. Some turned out to be carb related, but the ignition was clearly crappy...it wouldn't rev for !@#$ past 3500 RPM until I put the original points back in. Then I ran a dual point, which was OK, but when I switched to the MSD 6AL with billet distributor all my problems went away. The car can sit for 2+ weeks and will start the first time with one pump of gas and a turn of the key.
Less than 1/2 the people I know with Pertronix like it, and they seem to be folks that don't drive their cars hard or run higher RPMs.
My .02
Jeff
Less than 1/2 the people I know with Pertronix like it, and they seem to be folks that don't drive their cars hard or run higher RPMs.
My .02
Jeff
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 30,183
Likes: 313
From: Lake Norman NC
Re: conversion to pointless ignition (Sigforty)
Good luck with the pertronix 2! I would have personally went with another choice.
