Re: [Amc-list] 76 Hornet Pertronix distributor - vac advance dead; fix, or replace the whole POS ?

[adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Sandwich Maker)]

" From: Ken Ames <ameskg@xxxxxxxxx>
" 
" Apparently the connector between the dist and module is quite sensitive to
" corrosion also. Only milliamps going through so it doesn't take much to screw it up.

i've heard that too.  these days contact cleaner and grease would
thoroughly fix it, but that was 'rocket science' back in the '70s.

" Quoting Joe Fulton <piper_pa20@xxxxxxxxxxx>:
" 
" > 
" > 
" > Jerry, if it's the stock distributor it's a Prestolite and not a Delco (which
" > the Pertronix unit would fit).  Amc used the prestolite from bout 1975
" > through 1977 I believe.  The Prestolite is famous for having a bad vacuum
" > diaphragn in the advance mechanism.  You can get a rebuilt Prestolite through
" > the auto parts chains.  That's what I did but a lot of people don't like that
" > ignition system anyway because the modules can go out without warning. I have
" > some NOS modules so I decided to stay with the unit.
" > 
" > Joe Fulton
" > 
" > 
" > --- On Wed, 3/18/09, Jerry Casper <gremlingts@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
" > 
" > > From: Jerry Casper <gremlingts@xxxxxxxxx>
" > > 
" > > Ok, been tinkering with my new Hornet hoopdee, and  it's
" > > running better each time I go under the hood. Tonight, after
" > > I got home, I checked the vac advance using direct engine
" > > vacuum...the timing mark never moved off 8 BTDC at idle. I
" > > think it's runninng on ported vacuum, I feel nothing
" > > from the hose coming from the carb. But with it direct, it
" > > still doesn't work, so I'm sure it's dead. 
" > > 
" > > So, the next question is, should I bother repairing it, or
" > > just replace the whole distributor with a better version? I
" > > was thinking of the GM HEI conversion, I already have a
" > > distributor done (somewhere), but I think I'd rather do
" > > a more Plug-n-Play if I can, I don't want to be cutting 
" > > and splicing wires to get it to work right now, plus a new
" > > coil, etc. May have to ANYWAY, but would rather have the
" > > P&P option to just drop something in for now and get it
" > > working better. 
" > > 
" > >  Any suggestions that won't cost me a fortune? Will a
" > > Jeep 4.0 distributor work, or would I need to go back to the
" > > older 4.2 engines? Thanks,

a 4.0 dist will physically fit, but it's designed to be controlled
from the ecm.

with the various problems the prestolite is heir to, swapping might
not be a bad strategy, but since it doesn't have a coil ballast
resistor the hei would be easier than later amc duraspark which does
use a ballast.  i'll admit i don't know if the tfi coil needs one; i
was under the impression it did.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                       and think what none thought
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