This weekend I replaced the original ignition with the Ignitor on my series I 1967 E type. The car ran before I changed things out. Now it turns over but will not start. I tried the Ignitor trouble shooting guide. Connecting a wire from the + battery to the red Ignitor wire but no luck. My battery is good. My original coil measures 4 ohms. Any suggestion?

I had put in a new 3 Ohm Flame Thrower coil but after doing so, found it had a push on connection and my wire was a screw on from the distributor. So went back to the original coil. Which leads to the question, does a wire exist with a push on connection on one end and a screw on connection on the other to go between coil & distributor? Do I need to buy a push on distributor cap and new push on spark plug wires to use the Flame thrower coil? I tried taking off the screw on connector off the distributor wire, but the copper washer which makes contact to the distributor wire was too large to push into the Flame Thrower connection.

What equipment do people use to make the change to electronic ignition?
Thanks for your help.
Matt

Submitted by neocarguy@mac.com on Tue, 07/22/2008 - 20:27

Steve,
You wrote to "reinstall the power lead to the + side of the coil." I am so dumb.
I had disconnected the original wires from the coil and without written instructions on the ignitor install guide, i had left the white wire off the coil which comes from the battery/starter switch.
The more i thought about my problem, i became more puzzled how the coil was suppose to get electricity when only the red & black ignitor wires were on the coil.
I just went out to the garage and put the old white wire on the + coil and of course the car started.
Thank you for suggesting the simplest solution.
In the meantime I have ordered new spark plug wires(my car has the original factory wires) and a push on distributor cap so i can use the Flame thrower coil. XKs Unlimited is sending me a cap for a series 2 as they stated there was no cap for a series 1 that has push on connectors. Anyone know if indeed it will work?
Thank you again Steve for correcting my mistake.
Matt
attached is a photo of my car

Submitted by NE52-32043 on Tue, 07/22/2008 - 15:35

I installed the Pertronix Ignitor in my 1970 E-type a few months ago, and it went in, wired up and started immediately. I did change over to the FlameThrower coil, though. But my distributor had push on connectors, so it was easy.

A friend of mine had put in a Pertronix several years ago, and had problems with it burning out, using his original coil. He contacted Pertronix and they suggested that he use their coil, as it is matched to the unit. He did that and has not had a single problem since.

In your case, did you go back and make sure that everything is connected properly. Most often, problems like this are caused by a bad ground. If I recall correctly, there is a ground wire that must be connected, but my memory may just be bad. Also, you must remove the condensor that was part of the points system. I also removed the ballast resistor, as the Pertronix coil is ballasted. Last random thought here, did you double check that you connected the coil leads to the correct sides of the coil, and reinstall the power lead to the + side of the coil?

Maybe post a couple of pictures of what you've done and we might spot something.

Let us know what happens.

Steve

Submitted by DavidBarnes71@… on Sun, 07/20/2008 - 15:35

I put the Pertronix unit on my '68 E-Type 7 years ago as well as two of my early '70's Chevrolets and it has worked flawlessly with the original coils. Mine also has the screw-on type coil wire and I have used nothing other than what came in the kit. I have had one person tell me I will need to put in a ballast or it will eventually burn out the origiinal coil but I am not sure if that is correct or not.

Have you checked to see if you are getting spark out of the coil and / or then at the spark plug to perhaps isolate if is a Pertonix unit or coil problem ?

David Barnes
'68 FHC