Well Dano, the first sub would be re-install the points. Do not change anything else. You didn't know there was an Ignitor? Really?

 

You didn't know there was an Ignitor? Really?

Like I said, I didn’t know there was an igniter...really.

 

I just had the exact same symptoms happen to me last week. I put in a new coil and it fired right up

 

imo dump the ignitor. I ran a P1 and MSD 6A for over 20 yrs. When i dumped all that and put the points back in i didnt even know any of it was missing. car runs juts as well if not better.
a well tuned set if points is no joke and the car will run nice. every 5000 miles or so you just reset the dwell and timing. no biggie

only other thing id recommend is get a dwell meter on eBay for like $15. set the points by the dwell not a feeler gauge

 

only other thing id recommend is get a dwell meter on eBay for like $15. set the points by the dwell not a feeler gauge

Good news, I got a dwell meter for my Camaro and it runs like a top now.

 

It could be a bad coil or a bad ground on the Ignitor. You could check those before making the switch back to points.

found this...somewhere on the web...
Another possible cause for a problem with an Ignitor is if there is a bad ground (earth) between the breaker plate on which the module mounts in the distributor and battery negative (or battery positive in a positive earth system). With a digital ohmmeter set on its most sensitive scale, measure the resistance between the Ignitor mount plate and the battery negative post on a negative ground system or the battery positive post on a positive ground system . Measure to the battery post itself, not the connector on the ground cable. If it is 0.2 ohms or more, you have a bad ground. Check for corrosion at the connections of the ground strap between the breaker plate and the distributor housing, and also at the battery itself or where the negative battery cable attaches to the block. Another possible resistance source is the distributor hold-down clamp which is the electrical connection between the distributor and block or intake manifold. If engine parts have recently been painted there may not be a good ground. There is typically a small ground strap between the points plate and the distributor housing. Be sure that is attached securely and free of corrosion at the contact areas. 0.2 ohms may sound like a negligible amount of resistance, and in a steady state circuit it often is. But in an ignition circuit where the current is switched on and off many times a second, the transient effects of the 0.2 ohms are significant and can prevent an Ignitor from firing normally. As the chief engineer at PerTronix says, "If you don't have a good ground, you might as well go in and watch television."

Rusty

 

Thanks Rusty, I’ll check that too and report back.

i appreciate everybody’s direction on troubleshooting!

 

I hate Pertronix. Wouldn't be the first time someone's had problems and won't be the last. (bad grounds or heat or leaving the ignition on, etc.) What a joke.
Here's the testing sheet for the Pertronix 1 Ignitor from many, many moons ago.......

 

2nd on Pertronix being junk. Great customer service crap for product (Pertronix II). Swapped my points back in and vroom vroom, No issues since.

 

Well, I don’t have an analog multimeter. I hooked up my digital and the highest I saw was 3.2 with fluctuation. I don’t know what its response rate is, but it seems likely to be the module. My neighbor may have an analog meter and I may try again tomorrow.

 

wouldnt it just be easier to install a points / condenser set ? That would take you all of 15 minutes. If the engine starts, end of story. And as a bonus, you’d have an ignition system that very reliable.

If you are lacking the points & condenser they are easily obtained at a NAPA auto parts store.

Z

 

It would be easier. I just need to make it to the store. Couldn’t get away from work today so I testest it last night around 10pm.

 

Okay, the plot thickens and I'm learning here so need more help. So the car/distributor was originally 2 points. When going back to points (which I've decided to do), do I need to go to 2 points or can I go to 1. The plate inside appears to be a single point (attached). I assume there’s no issue with it being single point. In the meantime - I’ll search for the correct dual point…

Wanted C5OF-E distributor - late 65 or early 66 date code

 

 

A single point set will be fine

Z