Petronix

[Red63440]

Want to hear the good and the bad, cheaper then a full conversion but does it work as well?

 

[Jonnyuma]

I used one of thier under-the-cap kits about 10 yrs ago on a '69 Chrysler 300 with a 440 and it worked great. They were still a fairly new development then and I can only assume theyve gotten even better since then.

 

[Red63440]

Would I need to update my ignition wires to the new style normally used with electronic ignition?

 

[oneway71]

I used two of them...one on an old tractor and one on an old Bronco. Both were easy and worked great. I never had any problems with them.

I have not used one in a Mopar yet. So I cant speak specifics. On the other 2, if I recall correctly, I had to splice two wires.

 

[moparsteve636]

I had one in my440 never any problems!used stock wires too.

 

[Red63440]

All good to hear!

 

[rlsbee]

I've had one in a 383 for several years and I like it. Easy to put in.

 

[Revhendo]

I don't consider it the top of the line ignition system, but, I have installed a bunch of them in customer cars. Never had any problems with them. I'll even go as far to say that most of them ran better.

 

[Red63440]

Sounds like I made a good choice then. Do you still retain the ballast resistor and do you have to replace the standard plug wires with ones for electronic ignition?

 

[mrkinger]

From what i have learned ,you can keep the same wires ,and you have to use a jump wire from one side to the other for the ballast ,and you need a better coil.A blaster or something like it

 

[Red63440]

I bought the 45,000 volt Flamethrower II coil and I think I am still going to change my wires.

 

[Jonnyuma]

I don't think you necessary HAVE to change out the plug wires, but its a relatively cheap upgrade that can only help. You have to be a little more wary of the spark jumping between wires now, and a change from the points coil is mandatory. A stock, parts store replacement would work just fine. I always use 74 Charger at the parts store since the typical counter monkey can't find anything unless you give em a specific vehicle to look under.

 

[Jonnyuma]

I was also going to mention that if you bought your current plug wires within the last 20 yrs or so, they were deseigned to handle the spark from electronic ignition.

 

[Red63440]

Jon, I want as much as possible to be new. Most of the engine will be replaced and if I had the funds I would be doing a 440 instead of a 383. The way the engine is now it doesn't smoke or burn any oil but the things done to it were done 10 years ago. With what I am adding it should bring it up to date and give it quite a bit more horse power and torque. Enough to last me a long time.

The new 3.23's are being set up and I will run up this week with the yoke that I got just to make sure that it fits, with that done the drive shaft will get a new universal installed. Once the chunk is installed the engine will get pulled so I can finish removing what is left of the bed liner in the engine compartment and get it wire wheeled to get ready for paint.

All of the trim has to be stripped off as well as the seats, carpet and door panels. Then it goes in the shop to get the little things repaired and paint. While its in the shop the engine will get all the additions that I have planned. The interior and chroming of the bumpers will have to wait until next year but at least it will be dependable and will look great. Oh and I have to locate at least 4 15" steel rims. You know what its like, its never finished.

Some of the parts that I have needed were gotten from guys on the board and I can't thank them enough for the help. I joined the local Mopar club but 99% of the work has been done by me although there have been times when someone to BS with while working would have been great.

 

[Meep-Meep]

The Pertronix is basically a transistor that is triggered by a hall sensor or something and it's not an ignition amplifier like an MSD or HEI. Since it won't care much about a wobbly distributor shaft the dwell shouldn't change with RPM (like with points) so the engine will run better over all.

 

[Jonnyuma]

Bed liner? Under the hood?! There's a novel idea that I hope never catches on. So many new and interesting ways to piss-off purists, so little time. My HEI also works well in that capacity.
Sound like a cool project. I wish I could scrape together enough dough to do more than one little item at a time.
On the other hand, I'm grateful that nobody "cared" enough about my car to slather the engine compartment with bedliner.:icon_joker:

 

[Red63440]

Then maybe I should have mentioned that they also did the trunk!

 

[Roadcuda]

I have one in both a Commando 273, and a 383. I'm still using the stock coils and wires on both cars and have had no problems.

 

[Red63440]

Bed liner? Under the hood?! There's a novel idea that I hope never catches on. So many new and interesting ways to piss-off purists, so little time. My HEI also works well in that capacity.
Sound like a cool project. I wish I could scrape together enough dough to do more than one little item at a time.
On the other hand, I'm grateful that nobody "cared" enough about my car to slather the engine compartment with bedliner.:icon_joker:

Actually it came out a lot easier than I thought it would and on top of that it protected the metal very well. With what I have seen so far if I was to put a car away for a while I think I would do the same thing.

 

[64Belvedere]

I had one on my 69 340 Dart Ran it to 6500 RPM regularly with no issues. Never changed the coil either. Just dropped it in and ran it.