I have to install the P-II tommorow, I glanced at the 4 page instructions and caught "remove the distributer"

why??!!!

it looks like all I need to do is pull the cap/ rotor, weights and replace the points with the module and magnetic ring. maybe my dump butt needs to read the instructions :withstupid: but why oh why??!!

:confused:

 

trust me, you do not need to remove the distributor..i have no clue why they state that in the instructions...i guess just to make life better for the installation process.

 

Why NOT? do you have a timing light? If not, just scribe a mark on the dist and the intake manifold. It is easier...though you are not height challenged like I am!
:party:

 

When I installed mine(orininal Pertronix) there was a step that said to setup the endplay on the distributor. This was the reason for removal on the original Pertronix. I added a shim or so on mine to get it to there spec. I don't know how the P-II works.

BTW, I called them today and asked to speak to tech, the secretary said all were gone home and maybe she could answer my question. So I asked her, she promptly said "You need Tech, call back Monday" LOL

 

The only reason I can see that they might want you to check the end play of the distributor before intalling the PII. There have been some problems with installing aftermarket electronic ignition modules into badly worn distributors and the PII won't fix all the problems caused by distributor wear.
I know that I installed my original Pertronix Ignitor 2 into my badly worn distributor, it improved performance but it still wasn't perfect.
I pulled my distributor, and found a badly worn shaft and bad upper bearing in the distributor. I replaced the shaft, and the bearing, shimmed the bottom gear for the correct end play and replaced the mechanical advance and vacuum advance with a Lar's recurve kit.
After re-installing the distributor, the car ran completely different, idle was smoother, power was better, and no more annoying intermittant miss!
The recurve kit and new advance mechanisms had something to do with this, but replacing the wobbling shaft and correcting the end play is what improved the idle and corrected the miss.

 

Never thought about shaft end play, biy I really need to read those instructions. okay no biggie I can scribe the dst housing where the rotor points and then the base dist and intake but never have been lucky in getting it to slip back in perfect, either off a tooth or the rotor is off a bit.

 

don't forget to turn the oil pump if you can't get the distributor to set right. btw, Cali, hows that engine compartment detail coming along? any pics?

 

Go to http://www.corvettefaq.com and read the papers by Lars on distributor install, if you follow his instructions, it will drop right in without a problem! :D
Good Luck!

 

Okay distributer removal is warranted due to necessity to check air gap .010 - .060 between module and magnet ring both shaft pulled up or down. Shims for mag ring and shims for dist. are provided.

makes mention that for best performance to REMOVE the resistor ballast black lead to neg coil and red to pos coil/ 12 volt supply. I have a Mallory coil mounted on the firewall can this removal of ballast damage the coil or anthing. they say you can use with the ballast but diminished performance by connecting the black lead to coil neg and red lead to the 12 volt lead from power supply going to the ballast. I rather remove the ballast as it looks rusty and foul but do not wish to blow the coil.

:confused:

 

good luck with it...

my P1 failed after 12 months. P2 failed after 4 months. back to points, running strong as ever.

 

Been running the Ignitor 1 in the 68 Bonneville (stock) for about 5 years and no problems. Have installed the same in the Vette 18 mths ago and still no problems. Spoke to Lars when we visited him in July and he said there was some problems with the series 1 at about 2500 revs which he had discussed with pertronix. Maybe thats why there is series 2.
Lars says: you can get points to run better than pertronix, but the downside is maintenance.
My .02 - I am happy with the ignitors, set and forget.
:cheers:

 

Cali, I purchased the Petronix Coil when I got the Ignitor II. It's designed to accept a contineous 12 volts. Some coils may overheat if designed to run at lessor voltage. I would guess that most Mallorys are designed to accept the contrast 12v, but you'd have to check. But the Petronix coil is reasonably priced, and I ran a contant switched 12v source from the fuse box as Petronix recommends.

I removed the distributor, as it was just easier to install the Ignitor II on the work bench rather than leaning over the fender. That way you can check out the distributor more carefully, and do the air gap measurements more accurately.

Good luck, I think it's a great product if properly installed.

 

Matt from Corvette Anything said to remove the ballast and that the Mallory coil is designed for a direct 12 volt supply feed. He said my Mallory coil is a POS and I should consider getting an ignitor coil to match the P-II unit. For now I'll use it until after the move. the bubba before me drilled and bolted it to the firewall and it just clutters the engine bay. I've always liked the clean look of a stock coil install. go figure GM did it right 40 years ago. Any way do you use a straight edge and mark the firewall to make a note of rotor position or scribe it on the distributer body?

 

The distributor body turns, that is the "timing" issue, so mark that carefully.

The rotor is the "gear mess" with the cam.

Mark the distributor body as exact as possible with a scribe, and then you won't need to "re-time" the engine, assuming you're happy with the way it runs now. But, with the Ignitor replacement, I would re time it anyway. I would suggest you check the timing before you take the distributor out so you know the before and after timing, so you can match it up, assuming you're already happy with the present setup and the way it runs.

Make note of rotor position, what it's pointing at, but hard to miss here. 360 degrees divided by 8 equals 45 degrees. If you get it in one tooth off, it will be obvious, it won't point to your "rotor mark" by at least 45 degrees, pull it back out and try again. It rotates several degrees as it seats in place, so may take a try or two (but, of course, make sure you don't rotate the engine for any reason between removal and replacement of the distributor, guess that's obvious)

You may have to rotate the oil pump drive shaft in distributor hole to make sure it meshes up with the distributor shaft at bottom of distributor, but with a careful look, that will be obvious. Make absolutely sure the distributor is FULLY seating on the intake manifold. Otherwise, you oil pump will not be engaged. REAL BAD!!!!!!!

Good luck!

 

Thanks Bill I scribed the rotor position to dist body and ran a line from dist body onto the intake. Should go well tommorow.

 

Hi guys!
Saw the conversation running on the P2 system and thought I'd give you my latest info update...

As you all know, I'm a big advocate of points - always have been. I've done a lot of tuning and racing, and I've never seen a measurable advantage with the aftermarket electronic conversions.

Last week, I was out in the Los Angeles area and I had a chance to do some engine dyno testing at Westech Performance (the outfit that does all the dyno testing for Hot Rod, Car Craft, High Performance Chevy, etc.). I was working with Matt King, Senior Editor for Hot Rod on a dyno engine. We first ran the engine with a P2 system and pulled several dyno pulls from 3000 rpm through 6500 rpm. We then added the "Second Strike" Pertronix system to it. After a few more dyno pulls, we yanked the stock point-style distributor out of Matt King's car and stuck it in the dyno engine. I cleaned up the cam lobes a bit, made sure the centrifugal advance was working right, and installed a new set of NAPA points.

Anyone care to guess how the no-bull real numbers came out...?

Absolutely no difference. None. Zippo. Nada. Zilch. The HP and torque numbers with a stock point-style distributor were EXACTLY the same as the numbers with the P2 system and the P2 with the Second Strike. The curves overlayed precisely with not so much as a fraction of a horsepower difference.

These numbers don't lie - this is the fact: If you have a point-style system that's properly set up, you have nothing at all to gain by installing an aftermarket conversion.

Just my 2 cents....

 

:withstupid:
My P2 failed after about 3 months. From looking at it and being an engineer I feel it has a serious design flaw. The P2 needs close tolerances between the ring and the sensor, but they hold the sensor on with some rivots. Mine had the rivots wear loose and it would not stay in spec with the magnetic ring.

 

I've got a P1 installed and it has worked just fine for about two years. What is the difference between the P1 and P2?

 

I am not sure how the P1 works, but the P2 has a ring with magnets that goes under the distributor weights. The ring has to be alinged with the module that attaches where the points were. The ring and module have to have like a 0.50 gap between them. This requires that you pull the distributor when installing to get the proper gap. Too short and you will burn up the ring and module from them rubbing together. Too long and the unit will not detect the magnets.

 

The P2 sounds just like the P1? Don't see any difference?