Author Topic: Plug & Play Pertronix ... Disappointment  (Read 4485 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Kerry j

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 106
    • View Profile
Plug & Play Pertronix ... Disappointment
« on: June 15, 2011, 04:44:25 PM »
Well, the Pertronix Billet Distributor I ordered came today and I was excited to see what it looked like. It looks like a quality piece, but the cap and rotor look like what you would see in a Chevy except they're black. But that isn't the real problem, the real problem is that the cap touches the front carb. I'm building this 496 with a Dove Medium Riser Tunnel Wedge intake and Holley 715 carbs and the cap touches the front carb. It doesn't touch at every location as you twist the distributor to adjust timing, but the bumps in the cap where the plug wires connect touch the carb.

Any ideas?

I don't know what to do now, but I'll bet a MSD would have this same problem.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2011, 05:40:56 PM by Kerry j »

jayb

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7399
    • View Profile
    • FE Power
Re: Plug & Play Pertronix ... Disappointment
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2011, 10:41:27 PM »
The MSD distributor would have the same problem, and I've had similar issues running the MSD distributor in a cammer, where the ears on the distributor cap will hit the front cover of the engine.  But I was able to make it work, and you should be able to also.  You might have to drop the distributor in one tooth off, and then rotate the body of the distributor to match.  As long as you are able to rotate the distributor around 45 degrees or so without hitting the carb, you should be able to make it work.
Jay Brown
- 1969 Mach 1, Drag Week 2005 Winner NA/BB, 511" FE (10.60s @ 129); Drag Week 2007 Runner-Up PA/BB, 490" Supercharged FE (9.35 @ 151)
- 1964 Ford Galaxie, Drag Week 2009 Winner Modified NA (9.50s @ 143), 585" SOHC
- 1969 Shelby Clone, Drag Week 2015 Winner Modified NA (Average 8.98 @ 149), 585" SOHC

   

Kerry j

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 106
    • View Profile
Re: Plug & Play Pertronix ... Disappointment
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2011, 11:08:05 PM »
Well, it's a little worse; the cap hits if I rotate the distributor more than a few degrees, no matter where it's set. It hits where every plug wire plugs into the cap. It just clears if the cap is rotated so that the carb is between two of the plug sockets, but hits, but just barely on every socket. I can twist the distributor past where it's hitting; there's enough give in the cap to allow that. But if the timing ends up being right where a socket bump would be hitting the carb all the time is my worry.

I'm going to try putting a spacer under the carb tomorrow to see if that helps, but that's all I can think of other than to go back to the factory 427 distributor.

machoneman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3846
    • View Profile
Re: Plug & Play Pertronix ... Disappointment
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2011, 09:12:12 AM »
Spacer as you indicated or (hate to even mention this but...) one could machine the 4-bolt holes on the throttle plate into a slot to allow the entire carb to slide back a bit. Or, plug the manifold holes with aluminum rod and re-drill the holes rearward. Not much of a gain with either method and not for the faint of heart!   
« Last Edit: June 16, 2011, 09:15:29 AM by machoneman »
Bob Maag

jayb

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7399
    • View Profile
    • FE Power
Re: Plug & Play Pertronix ... Disappointment
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2011, 10:38:32 AM »
Hmmmm, just a few degrees of rotation?  That sucks.  But to be honest, I wouldn't be too concerned about the cap giving somewhat as you twisted it by the carb.  I'd give it a try like that, or even better, clearance the cap with a file so that it will slide by without any interference.  There should be enough meat in the plastic cap to do that.
Jay Brown
- 1969 Mach 1, Drag Week 2005 Winner NA/BB, 511" FE (10.60s @ 129); Drag Week 2007 Runner-Up PA/BB, 490" Supercharged FE (9.35 @ 151)
- 1964 Ford Galaxie, Drag Week 2009 Winner Modified NA (9.50s @ 143), 585" SOHC
- 1969 Shelby Clone, Drag Week 2015 Winner Modified NA (Average 8.98 @ 149), 585" SOHC

   

Kerry j

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 106
    • View Profile
Re: Plug & Play Pertronix ... Disappointment
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2011, 04:24:16 PM »
I looked at it again and again and when the cap is turned so that the carb is between two of the plug bumps I have about 1/8" clearance. It's hard to tell how much I would need to file away to get clearance on the bump, but the cap is only about 1/8" thick, so I'm thinking I wouldn't dare file away more than 1/16".

And I can twist the cap past the bump with no problem, so I'm thinking I'll put it on the dyno as is and see where it ends up when we get it timed. At that point, I'll have to decide if I need to file a bump down or not.

Also, after having looked and studied the situation, I don't think raising the carbs would help, unless I raised them 1" or more and I don't want to do that. I'm hoping I can keep the stock hood in place, so the car will look like a pretty much stock 64 Galaxie Z code, complete with 390 bird emblems....LOL evil laugh.....

After having messed with it for awhile, it doesn't seem as bad as it did when I first put the dizzy in.... I was really bummed.

jayb

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7399
    • View Profile
    • FE Power
Re: Plug & Play Pertronix ... Disappointment
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2011, 08:05:56 PM »
I'll bet you can make it work.  Good luck - Jay
Jay Brown
- 1969 Mach 1, Drag Week 2005 Winner NA/BB, 511" FE (10.60s @ 129); Drag Week 2007 Runner-Up PA/BB, 490" Supercharged FE (9.35 @ 151)
- 1964 Ford Galaxie, Drag Week 2009 Winner Modified NA (9.50s @ 143), 585" SOHC
- 1969 Shelby Clone, Drag Week 2015 Winner Modified NA (Average 8.98 @ 149), 585" SOHC