1942 Dodge "Job Rated" 218 Ignition Coil

[Tubeviper]

I have been wanting to "warm up" the spark on my '42 but NOT go with electronic ignition. All I want to do is to put a hotter ignition coil in, but which one? And which 12V coil won't torch my 6V rated points and be firewall mountable? 

For vehicles such as mine, which have been converted from 6V to 12V, one school of though is to merely place a ballast resistor in series with the coil, thus dropping the 12V to 6V for the coil. This is easier on the points too. But I want to put a 12V coil in and run it with a full 12V.

Given the nature of the points, is that such a good idea? Maybe I should first be thinking of replacing the points with an electronic ignition module in the distributor?

The distributor is an original configuration Autolite IGS-4203-B1

 

Thanks

[59bisquik]

I run a 6v Flamethrower coil with my Pertronix ignition. I don't see why that coil wouldn't work in your setup.

Pertronix Flamethrower #40011

 

[49D-24BusCpe]

'Tubeviper',

    Points don't care! If you want to go to 12V, use a coil with an internal resistor.

    My coupe is using the same points in it, that I had before converting to 12V three years ago.

Walt

[Don Coatney]

Why do you think the spark needs warmed up? What do you hope to gain? Most all 12 volt coils require a ballast resistor or have one built in. If you run a full 12 volts through a 12 volt externally resisted coil your point life will be vary short. 

BIG mistake to go this route. Don't do it. Voice of experience.

 

 

[maok]

Is your electrical system +ve ground or -ve ground?

[Plymouthy Adams]

on the internal resistor coil that GM is so famous for....do read a bit more it in operational parameters so to be sure you wish to go that route.  the problem with them is they leave too high a voltage on the points for too long a time as they warm up and lead to shorter life for the points...the ballast is instant reduction with ignition in run position...you can increase you secondary voltage just by changing to a higher output coil and keep your time proven original setup...do keep in mind as the voltage increase on output so should your spark gap to take full benefit from the higher output

[Jeff Balazs]

Here is something you may wish to consider. You could go with the appropriate Pertronix Flamethrower coil and see how it performs for you. If after a period of time you decide that want to replace the points with a trigger module you would already be halfway done with the conversion.

Just an idea.

Jeff

[Tubeviper]

"I run a 6v Flamethrower coil with my Pertronix ignition."
Good call, it appears to be the same physical size as my current one and would fit in the firewall nicely

But the spec sheet, as do all the Pertronix coil spec sheets say, are to be used with their Ignitor systems only.

Q: Why do you think the spark needs warmed up? What do you hope to gain?
A: One factor is that I am getting incomplete combustion. Always setting off my CO alarms. 

"Jumping to conclusions is not half as much exercise as digging for facts."
Facts are all that I am interested in.

"...do keep in mind as the voltage increase on output so should your spark gap to take full benefit from the higher output"
Yes I was thinking about .040" with the new coil

"Here is something you may wish to consider. You could go with the appropriate Pertronix Flamethrower coil and see how it performs for you. If after a period of time you decide that want to replace the points with a trigger module you would already be halfway done with the conversion."
Exactly what I was thinking...

Dave

[DJ194950]

If I remember correctly the pertronix electronic 12 volt setup with a pertronix coil also only  called for at 35 thous. spark plug gap. Sure 40 thous. would work with the hotter spark but these older style plugs for our motors can only stand so much gap? Not sure myself,so?

Others running bigger spark plug gaps with some miles on long runs doing that? Like to hear about that. Thanks.

DJ