Skip to main content

Reply to "Coil Failure"

Define low resistance reading on a multimeter, please.

To answer your question, Bob - the original PerTronix modules wanted to see at least 3 ohms on the primary circuit of the coil (between the two terminals). Less, and the module will burn up. "Hotter" coils from various places have less resistance and will burn them up. Allegedly, you can run anything you want with a PerTronix II, but I don't trust them. I ran a hot coil with a Comp-u-Fire module by using a ballast resistor from my FLAPS (tell 'em it's for a 196X Chevy truck if they ask).

I've got no idea what a CB MagnaSpark points replacement module wants (of if it cares), but it's possible that the latest batch of their very own east Asian sourced coils might not play nicely with their latest batch of east Asian sourced points replacement modules.

This entire thing could probably be avoided by using the MagnaSpark module as a trigger for a CDI box, which are generally fine with whatever stupid-hot coil (or not) you want to throw at it.

It's just a shame nobody makes an ignition worth having at this point. Mallory Uni-Lite used to be the gold standard, and their pickups are dead-nuts reliable, but their advance curves went all to heck about 15 years back. The CB curve is apparently really nice, but they keep failing at a rate that worries me.

×
×
×
×
×