Pertronix help

D17 Series II, Positive Ground 12V
I installed a 1142P12 with their 45,000 coil and it runs rough now. Checking the plugs, #1 is still wet. I replaced the plug with a new Autolite 65. Same issue. I replaced the wire and same issue. The plug wires says 7mm hi temp suppressor, no other info. Could it be the wires?

Any ideas why #1 would not fire. With the plug out I get a very weak spark

With the points system it ran and started fine, it would eat about 3 condensers a year though so I thought this would be a more reliable system.

I would switch the plug wires to metal core wires.
No need to have suppression wires on a tractor.
I have had them cause a problem like you are having.
I would also check compression on cylinders to make sure
You don't have a problem there.

Isn't the 295 a short plug? I need the 3/4" plug

CAP is new as of last summer as well as the wire set. Cap electrodes are still in great shape and not burned.

Sorry Charlie Autolite 295 up to serial # 75000...after that I don't know...And advance is clockwisw I think, not sure, but you'll need to play with timing anyhow. I do the "field" version, what sounds best by ear to me, seems to work well, let us know Trev.

Still has a Genny on it, which is hit or miss charging.
I guess I can do the bypass with the switch wire to the negative battery terminal to test it out. Maybe the old switch is about gone.

Might be a few days as it is blue as* cold out

TREVMAN wrote: Sorry Charlie Autolite 295 up to serial # 75000...after that I don't know...And advance is clockwisw I think, not sure, but you'll need to play with timing anyhow. I do the "field" version, what sounds best by ear to me, seems to work well, let us know Trev.

Actually, that is incorrect.  The longer 3/4 reach plugs  were used in Series III for sure and maybe somewhat earlier.   I can't find a reference for sure as to when the change was made.   Of course, heads have been switched over the years.  My father, for example, has an early D17 with a head from a Gleaner E engine so it uses the longer plugs.  Easiest way to make sure is to just measure the depth  of the threads in the head you have.  But, like I said, the 3/4 inch plugs were used much earlier than Serial number 75,000.  The Autolite 295 plugs are only 3/8" reach.
Also, in order to advance the timing, you must turn the entire distributor counterclockwise as viewed from the top.  The distributor mechanism turns in a clockwise direction in operation, so turning the entire assembly counterclockwise will advance the timing.


Edited by DanD - 05 Jan 2015 at 8:51pm

My mistake...So what autolites for a gleaner e z code engine? Calls for ac45 which cross to 295 autolite but I am sure you are right about the 3/8 and 3/4 reach. If I highjacked the thread please move my post. Just curious now as I put 295 plugs im my E this fall and it wants to start hard now...Thanks in advance, Trev.

TREVMAN wrote: My mistake...So what autolites for a gleaner e z code engine? Calls for ac45 which cross to 295 autolite but I am sure you are right about the 3/8 and 3/4 reach. If I highjacked the thread please move my post. Just curious now as I put 295 plugs im my E this fall and it wants to start hard now...Thanks in advance, Trev.

A Z code Gleaner E engine would have called for AC 45XL plugs instead of AC 45 plugs.    Autolite plug would be 64 or 404



Edited by DanD - 05 Jan 2015 at 9:17pm

I have positive coil going to positive battery terminal

Charlie,
First of all, make absolutely sure if you're running a 12V Pos ground system, that the Pertronix Ignitor is designed for 12VPG. Next, if the engine started running rough right after you did the swap to E.I., I wouldn't rule out that the E.I. might have a problem. If you swapped back to points/condenser and the engine ran fine again, I would rule out the cap, rotor, or wires at this time. Now, the next thing for you to do is call the Pertronix tech line and present your problem to them. Let them tell you what to try. We sell a lot of Pertronix kits outright and when I do Distributor rebuilds. Once in a great while, one would have issues. Rare, but hey, it happens. Once you touch base with Pertronix, and if they give you a few things to try and you still have the problem, they'll want you to send the unit back to them so they can test the unit. In the meantime, you can switch the Tractor back to points and still keep the machine in service. If the machine still runs the same even with the points re-installed, then you'll have to troubleshoot the problem and see if you can locate it. Don't go switching wires around or Battery cables with that E.I. in there. You will fry the module and then you own a junk module that you just paid good money for. Talk to Pertronix first, and get their opinion on the matter first! Don't smoke a E.I. cause then you own it, and you'll still have your problem possibly... HTH
Steve@B&B

Normally, I'd agree with EVERYTHING Steve suggests, but not this time...
Because you're getting good fire on all but one plug. That tells me that the system IS firing substantially. Read on:

Suppressor wires OR resistor plugs should be used on an EI battery/coil system. SOLID wires AND non-suppression plugs on magneto systems ONLY.

If it didn't have firing issues on that plug BEFORE, but a new ignition trigger and coil is problematic NOW, it's most likely that the new ignition systems' higher voltage is finding a weak spot in existing coil wire, cap, rotor, plug wires, or plug, and discharging directly to ground, rather than passing through the plug wire to the plug.

Been through that many times.

Easy trick- wait till after sundown, fire it up, and take a walk-around, look for illuminating clues as to where electricity could be escaping. If you don't see it on the OUTSIDE, it's most likely carbon tracking on the inside of the cap, or THROUGH the rotor into the diz shaft, OR across to an adjacent plug wire.

Edited by DaveKamp - 06 Jan 2015 at 10:07am

Well, at least I was right about the timing...And we all found out about spark plugs for the long reach heads...And I solved one of my own issues, explains a couple of things for me...Charlie, Don't give up on the Pertronix they are the single best thing that can be done to wake these old engines up, bang for buck. Dave and Steve will get you through it and I'll shut up now,lol, Trev.

Yah, my D17 manual states 25

in regards to the spark plugs, I see that engine number 17-17293 and prior used the short style like a Autolite 295. After that they used the longer models.

At the coil I have 12v going into the plus side, on the negative side I have 8v coming out to the dist.