Pertronix to MSD- that much difference?

[Blown4.6]

I am thinking about upgrading my Pertronix breakerless with Flamethrower coil to and MSD system. The real issue I'm trying to solve is the PITA starting (feathering the throttle, engine 1/2 catching but not quite.....then it's flooded.......etc., etc.).

My question is this-

1) Is this upgrade worth it in terms of cold starting (assuming spark is part of that problem in the first place)??

2) How difficult would the pertronix breakerless to MSD be on a 351W? The most I've done with my ignition to date is to rotate the distributor to advance/retard the spark timing. I'm not really an expert.

3) What parts should I buy? Price is not really an issue; but, I don't want to buy a bunch of stuff I don't really need (this is NOT a drag car.....it's a street car).

Thanks in advance!1

 

[Great68]

My MSD ignition works pretty much the same as my old Pertronix Ignitor II did.

What started working a lot better was the mechanical and vacuum advances (which were shot on the old distributor) but that's not a fault of the Pertronix.

 

[gzminiz]

I am interested in this as well. I have am putting together a 351W and always planned on the MSD but the pertronix seems like a cleaner install. Only diff is I am planning on pushing around 500hp and going to the friday night drags. Not a full drag car but I want the performance there whether I am on street or strip.

 

[thehueypilot]

You might want to look at the HEI system from "DUI" out of Memphis, TN. It's a proven system that requires one wire hookup (two if you are using a tach) and parts are available everywhere in case it ever breaks unlike MSD or Pertronix. The only downside is the positive comments about it from the Chevy guys. It also allows you to get rid of the resistance wire going to your distributor so you can put full 14.8 volts to it so the coil can put out it's max voltage for better cold starts.

 

[THX 138]

what exactly do you wana change? the coil or the pertronix ignitor?

 

[Great68]

I am interested in this as well. I have am putting together a 351W and always planned on the MSD but the pertronix seems like a cleaner install. Only diff is I am planning on pushing around 500hp and going to the friday night drags. Not a full drag car but I want the performance there whether I am on street or strip.

Well the NICE thing about my MSD distributor is that it's an HEI system, and I can tune the mechanical advance springs as well as the amount of mechanical advance in no time. With the stock dist, you cannot.

 

[jerry S]

I have the MSD

I say buy the company and not the product. I am sure either product is equally good but some times, things go wrong and then you have to deal with customer service. I have no experience with Petronix but I had an MSD product sitting in a box unopened for a year before the install. The warranty ran out before the thing even went on the car and MSD said no problem, send it back. Maybe Petronix is the same way but I have no experience with it.

 

[351carlo]

Pros to Pertronix:

Ignitor II is the best Inductive Discharge system around. Great spark, good life, adjusts your dwell and keeps up even to the wee RPMS of my Cleveland. Great system for a nostalgic appearance... only one extra wire.

Cons to Pertronix:

Unless you're a pro Distributor rebuilder, most likely you're using a reman or a stock distributor. The bushings are most likely worn, and your advance is probably erratic. Your springs probably aren't tuned, and you're pulling a poor amount of advance.

I switched to MSD so I could use a breakerless Mallory Comp S/S distributor. Lighter springs, better advance curve, more reliable and it had adjustable mechanical advance. Two weeks later, my MSD box blew (6al, used), and I threw my stock distributor with Ignitor II back on. That night the stock distributor screwed up my timing around 4500 rpm, and my timing got erratic. It detonated and blew a head gasket.

Just my experience.... BTW, if you want my ignitor II setup... anyone just pm me with an offer. Ran it for 500 miles.

 

[krash kendall]

I'm using a Pertronix Ignitor II and an MSD Blaster. Never skips a beat. I had to run 1 extra wire for the Pertonix as it requires full 12V where the Blaster requires the resistor wire. Make sure your gap between the magnet ring and hall effect module is no more than .030.

 

[68 Coop]

Maybe this will help.

http://va-mustang.com/articles.php?articleId=3

I've still got to do this myself, but I haven't had a single problem with the Ignitor unit for over a year now.