It's not fun anymore.

[Los_Control]

I'm thinking is always 4 0'clock somewhere.

 

 

[Sniper]

13 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

Few years back when they reintroduced real sugar Mt dew the hillbilly guy was on the cans

 

[DonaldSmith]

The older version of Mountain Dew:

 

O, they call it that good ol' Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew,

And them that refuse it are few,  mighty, mighty few.

I'll shut up my mug if you fill up my jug,

With that good ol'' good ol' Mountain Dew.-

[SteveR]

I have always liked Mountain Dew going back to the 50s in Minnesota. Here in England it is hard to get.

My first choice for a soft drink is Root Beer followed by Dr Pepper and Mountain Dew.

[rallyace]

On 4/21/2023 at 7:11 PM, Young Ed said:

Pretty sure MT dew is older than that. 

I checked with them. The original formula goes back quite a few years but was not heavily caffeinated and had less orange in it. Pepsi bought it in 1964 and worked with the military to raise the caffeine level in it. The challenge was to jack up the caffeine without the bitter after taste it left in your mouth.

[greg g]

Lyrics from popular old bluegrass song

 

https://www.bluegrasslyrics.com/song/mountain-dew/

 

 

[Adam H P15 D30]

On 4/21/2023 at 8:44 AM, DonaldSmith said:

No points.  Pertronix.  There is still a ground wire from the breaker plate to the shell.  Maybe Pertronix needs the ground. I'll check that wire. 

 

Does the Pertronix get screwy?  Anyone having problems with Pertronix?  I've heard of failures, but that may have to do with not having a resistor in the semi-auto transmission circuit. 

 

(I pace myself with the Mountain Dew - one can in the morning, and one can in the afternoon.  Usually.)   

A few of the Pertronix I have tossed acted similar to your symptoms and I've tossed plenty of them....  Junk

[keithb7]

I’ve heard enough crappy examples of people left dead from Pertronix. Enough that I am firm on my stance. I will not use that product. I can perform practical diagnostic work on the stock system and fix it anywhere. Long trips I’d throw in points and a condenser. Easy-peasy. Then crack a Mtn Dew and feel good that we’re back on our way, down the hiway.   
 

Sure there are folks who swear by their Pertronix update.  That’s fine. Its just not for me. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by keithb7

[DonaldSmith]

Adam:  "A few of the Pertronix I have tossed acted similar to your symptoms and I've tossed plenty of them....  Junk."

How long have you had your experiences with Pertronix ignitions?  Has it been the module that fails, or the coil too?   Is the module good out of the box, and eventually fails, or hit-and-miss?  (Like the capacitor crap shoot for the breaker-type ignitions?   

[Semmerling]

On 4/21/2023 at 7:26 PM, Sniper said:

 

 

 

Ehhh that ain't nothing

 

https://nypost.com/2023/04/01/nj-factory-imports-cocaine-plant-for-coca-cola-due-to-dea-arrangement/

 

[Adam H P15 D30]

4 hours ago, DonaldSmith said:

Adam:  "A few of the Pertronix I have tossed acted similar to your symptoms and I've tossed plenty of them....  Junk."

How long have you had your experiences with Pertronix ignitions?  Has it been the module that fails, or the coil too?   Is the module good out of the box, and eventually fails, or hit-and-miss?  (Like the capacitor crap shoot for the breaker-type ignitions?   

Every one of them were installed with their respective coils and lasted a bit of time before they crapped out.  About half of them you could see erratic timing with the timing light.  Seems every one of my car friends were suckered into this "update" and ended up with a poor running engine sooner or later.  They would change / rebuild carbs and fuel pumps refusing to suspect that module, then I would put points back in for them or do the slant 6 mod / GM HEI module to fix the issue.  Even had one friend that put 2 new Pertronix modules in his vette before he gave up.  Pertronix makes good coils though, haven't had to switch any of those out yet including on my 49 with a slant 6 distributor and a take off Pertronix coil.

 

Before I moved, I used to have all the modules hanging on my wall of shame in the shop.  Probably pulled about 20 of them over the last 10 years.

[Plymouthy Adams]

you go to any forum....you see the same thing....Pertronix failure....sad but true....it is my opinion that if these were really good units, the OTC parts guys would be stocking these themselves and well, even if bad why are they not making a fortune selling replacements.  Sorry but just my opinion that it seems I share with Adam.....I know many folks have had good luck with them, odds are Pertronix would buy these back to see where they went wrong selling a product that lasted.  ?

[DonaldSmith]

Adam, you may be right.  (Wah!)  So, I can live with my occasionally loping engine till it gets worse,  buy another Pertronix module to get me through for a while, put the points parts back in the dizzy, or do that slant 6 mod/GM HEI module.   

 

Popping in another module may show that the first module was at fault, and will give me time to chart a better course. 

 

I'll have to sit back and think about it - and pop another Dew.  (There i go, deflecting the thread again.) 

 

[Adam H P15 D30]

11 minutes ago, DonaldSmith said:

Adam, you may be right.  (Wah!)  So, I can live with my occasionally loping engine till it gets worse,  buy another Pertronix module to get me through for a while, put the points parts back in the dizzy, or do that slant 6 mod/GM HEI module.   

 

Popping in another module may show that the first module was at fault, and will give me time to chart a better course. 

 

I'll have to sit back and think about it - and pop another Dew.  (There i go, deflecting the thread again.) 

 

Like I said, a lot of them showed up with the timing light when they were crapping out, I would try that first.  Second would be taking a heat gun to the distributor and getting it good and hot, see if the problem shows up.  

 

EDIT:  If it is the module, I wouldn't wait because "getting worse" might be dead on the road.

Edited April 24, 2023 by Adam H P15 D30

[OUTFXD]

Sounds like a fuel issue. Have you checked the fuel filter? Are you using corn syrup gasoline?  If so how old is it?

[DonaldSmith]

Fuel pump test?  12 pulses, 8 fluid ounces. 

I remember a humorous record, where God instructs Noah on how to build the Ark.  So many cubits wide, so many cubits long.  After the detailed instructions, Noah asks, "What's a cubit?"  I'm asking "What's a pulse?"  

 

Ok, the fuel pump works off the camshaft.  One revolution per two crankshaft revolutions.  I did the test. counting fan hub revolutions, 24 revolutions, about 4 ounces. 

But how many crankshaft revolutions per fan hub?  

 

I did a second test, watching the gas as it came out of the hose.  I could see pulses, about one per three starter grunts.  12 pulses, only 4 ounces. 

 

So, is my mechanical fuel pump faulty, or I did the tests wrong?

 

 

[greg g]

I wrote the description from memory.   I now remember my memory aint what it used to be,  Errors were made.  Remembered to take pics of the service manual.   This should explain.  Don't know how a comparison to an electric pump would be done.

20230425_113902.heic 20230425_113918.heic

[DonaldSmith]

Having troubles with the download - would have to add some app.  (HVEC Video Extension - is it safe?)

Edited April 25, 2023 by DonaldSmith
Additional info

[greg g]

Now it seems my camera won't talk to the forum.  So...manual says 5 to 6 ounces per 15 strokes, pulses or squirts. It also sez you can connect a vacuum gauge to the pump inlet port, start the engine and it should pull 6 inches of  vacuum.  Less might indicate a blockage or a failing diaphragm. 

[DonaldSmith]

Thanks, greg g.   I'll try the stroke, pulse, squirt again, 6 per 15.  And I should be able to do the vacuum gauge at the pump input. and see if it pulls 6 inches.    

 

(My Shop Manual says to put a tee at the carb, and install a pressure gauge, and get 3-1/2 to 5 lbs.  I have the vacuum/pressure gauge. but the tee presents a challenge getting the right fittings.) 

[greg g]

I guess it looks like your pump is pretty close.  Looks like it may be distributor  or coil related.  Is your coil getting hot?

[rockingjd]

I'm another that has experienced Pertronix problems. 2 different cars. Both ran fine when converted back to points. 

[greg g]

Donald, do you have a spare distributor you could drop in to see if it makes a difference?

[DonaldSmith]

I kept the guts.  And I have a diagram on how to switch back.  (Pardon the rotation. ) 

I always feared the day that I would have to do so.   I had better do so now, while I am at home, with the car in the garage.  

But first, the timing light, to see if I can detect any irregular pulse. 

 

 

 

[Doug&Deb]

I too had a bad experience with Pertronix. Also if you have the semi auto gearbox you need a resistor or you will fry the module. That’s why mine started the car 3 times before it quit. They did refund my money promptly. They also recommended that I carry a spare module in the car. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of the product is it?