Mike explains it just fine - that is exactly how it works.
I would add to all this discussion that the electronic ignition system also
has weak areas - and that when those act up, you are dead by the side of the
road, waiting for a tow truck.
The pickup coil is wound with VERY fine wire, and must be 100% solidly
connected or the car won't run. 99.999% won't do it! I know that the
pickup coil is not a moving part, and theoretically should never fail, but
in fact I have had failures on two of my cars (one a 1981 Imperial), and
both of these resulted in absolute stone cold dead engine which did not show
any sign of life until the part was replaced.
I compare that with my experience for over 50 years, driving all kinds of
walking wounded and junkyard refugees, and never in all that time have I had
a Kettering ignition system (the point/condenser/coil/distributor cap/rotor
system was named in honor of the wizard from GM) totally fail. I've had
problems develop, of course, but I have always been able to limp it home by
mickey mouse repairs, sometimes involving hairpins and the like. I like to
drive something I know I can fix with my bag of tricks if necessary. The
electronic ignition systems, while unquestionably better performing over a
longer mileage interval, don't provide that kind of peace of mind.
Dick Benjamin
----- Original Message -----
From: mike sutton <mikanlin62@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 6:17 PM
Subject: Re: IML: pertronix or mopar elec or points?
> Hi all....
>
> Just a trivia thing, the pertronix and the mopar elec unit are basically
the
> same technology. both use a magnet that rotates to excite ( induce,
> seduce.....youll get the idea ) a very small current in a stationary
> winding. ( this is basic electricity 101, move a conductor thru a
magnetic
> field ) this very small current is used as a switch thru a transistor,
> that in turn makes the field in the coil collapse and that induces a much
> larger voltage to the spark plug.
>
> dick b. could explain it much more accurately than I, this is a bare
sketch.
> i like both of these systems, the pertronix hides easily, and unless
someone
> is really looking for it..you really dont notice the 2 small wires.
another
> plus, you get to keep the existing distributor curves, which sometimes can
> be a plus if youve had a distributor recurved and set up for your car.
>
> the mopar set up is easy to do, can be done as the kit from mopar or from
> parts and pieces. in fact, the schematic to install one is in our
archives
> i believe. the one plus to it, is when the box fails you can get one
fairly
> easily, which may not be the case with the pertronix - especially if your
> car is sitting in the darkest, lonliest place you would never ever
normally
> leave it some evening.
>
> either way, its up to you....when I did use pertronix, i carried a spare.
> they did sometimes fail without warning and they dont like it at all if
the
> key gets left on for an extended period. i have heard they have been
> improved upon, but i dont have any personal knowledge of it.
>
> have fun
>
> Mikey
> 62 crown coupe
>
>
>
>
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