AirSpeed VW Community Forums

Technical => Engine Tech Forum => Topic started by: buddy boy on May 21, 2009, 08:08:39 PM

Title: pertronix messed up? *FIXED*
Post by: buddy boy on May 21, 2009, 08:08:39 PM: i think my pertronix may be fried , it runs but my motor sounds like it's missing on one plug , here's the storey ,.. my volt regulator went , and it was putting out 18 volts !!!.. i only blew out one headlight , and everything else works fine , i then noticed it sounded like it was miss fireing could it be possible that it's my pertronix ?? i did check spark on all my leads on the dis cap and hey all spark , but i think it wouldn't be the same spark wire/plug everytime it would be random right ?? and you couldn't notice just by looking at it .. i also have a msd box and msd coil and if they went then they just wouldn't work , well thats my guess.

p.s. i did also think it was a gasket and changed that , but it did nothing , i set it up for aircare the sam way everytime and it always fly's threw aircare , but this time my hydrocarbons were at 2000 ppm , wich is way i'm thinking one spark plug isn't fireing.

thanx guy's.
Title: Re: pertronix messed up?
Post by: egspot on May 21, 2009, 08:42:54 PM: Test your plug wires.
Title: Re: pertronix messed up?
Post by: silas on May 21, 2009, 10:57:57 PM: i was under the impression that if the pertronix goes....it really goes and the car wont even run. i could be wrong tho.

firing order...are the plug wires routed from the cap to the correct cylinders (1-4-3-2)? check the resistance of the spark plug wires and look for damage. and pull your plugs and have a good look at them to see if you can pinpoint if the misfire is consistent with a certain cylinder. or is one or more plugs fouled?

good to see you post up jag!! good luck & keep us posted!!
Title: Re: pertronix messed up?
Post by: buddy boy on May 21, 2009, 11:06:53 PM: thanx for the help guy's ,.. i put in new plugs and ran them , pulled them out to check for cumbustion , and there was (they were slightly ashey) , plug wires are in order . cap and rotor are new , and my leads are new also (msd 8m) i also have new air cleaners.

i'm running kadrons , and have never had a problem with them , everything was fine untill around the time my volt reg went .
Title: Re: pertronix messed up?
Post by: buddy boy on May 22, 2009, 05:22:46 PM: could it have fried anything else in the ignition system ?
Title: Re: pertronix messed up?
Post by: Chris on May 22, 2009, 05:26:50 PM: bypass your msd and find out.
Title: Re: pertronix messed up?
Post by: silas on May 22, 2009, 06:28:47 PM: Quote from: VWChris on May 22, 2009, 05:26:50 PM
bypass your msd and find out.

roger that.

plus...just because it's new, doesnt mean it's without fault. go over the new parts & make sure all is well!

what gasket did you replace? perhaps your still experiencing an air leak?
Title: Re: pertronix messed up?
Post by: buddy boy on May 22, 2009, 11:22:02 PM: i wll try the msd box chris thanx !

silas , you may be right ,.. i just put in an order with CIP , and i might as well change all the other gaskets , and i'm gonna change cap and rotor too , i'm also gonna put the points system back in , i just need to find one laying around somewere.

i'm just gonna take a few days off from it , as i'v been working on her for the past 2-3 months , i put new carpetting in , and undercoated it , new trunk liner ,.. model one retro sond radio , and speakers in the rear kick panels (made the panels out of wood) i removed my old big sound system, and just a bunch of other small stuff.

thanx agian guy's .
Title: Re: pertronix messed up?
Post by: Chris on May 23, 2009, 10:39:44 AM: I think your pertronix is probably fine, in most cases they will either work or not. I have a spare if you want to try and swap it. Is your battery charged up? Low voltages can affect MSD performance.
Title: Re: pertronix messed up?
Post by: buddy boy on May 23, 2009, 04:44:37 PM: yes battery is good !... after i do the gaskets, cap , rotor , i may take you up on the offer chris , thanx bro !
Title: Re: pertronix messed up?
Post by: buddy boy on May 24, 2009, 06:41:04 PM: with key on (not motor started) i have 12.80 volts at my alternator , but when i check my coil i have 4 volts !.. when i use the distributor as the ground i have 6 volts on the coil .

theres somthing els i'v noticed , and thats my red alternator light on the dash,when i have the key in th on postion but not motor started.. it pulses like it dims and brightens , not a on/off flash , but just kinda dims and brightens.
Title: Re: pertronix messed up? progress !
Post by: Hansk on May 24, 2009, 10:24:16 PM: I don't think you should be checking for battery voltage at the coil with MSD. The MSD box supplies power to the coil and is much more than 12 volts. It could destroy your test equipment. Check for (key on) battery voltage at the red wire to your msd box.
Title: Re: pertronix messed up? progress !
Post by: Bruce on May 26, 2009, 12:50:48 AM: take out the stupid MSD box.
Title: Re: pertronix messed up? progress !
Post by: buddy boy on May 26, 2009, 09:05:10 AM: did all that ,. looks like it might be a plugged jet .. thanx to lanny for helping out !!
Title: Re: pertronix messed up? progress !
Post by: silas on May 27, 2009, 08:46:47 PM: Quote from: budy guy ! on May 26, 2009, 09:05:10 AM
did all that ,. looks like it might be a plugged jet .. thanx to lanny for helping out !!

so is it sorted?
Title: Re: pertronix messed up? progress !
Post by: buddy boy on May 28, 2009, 09:05:23 PM: mike g. is going to look at them ,. i want to rebuild them.
Title: Re: pertronix messed up? *FIXED*
Post by: buddy boy on June 01, 2009, 03:27:12 PM: it was the pertronix !.. put in a new set , and it's now running like a champ !
Title: Re: pertronix messed up? *FIXED*
Post by: beetleboy on September 10, 2009, 10:23:00 PM: how did u test the petronix?
Title: Re: pertronix messed up? *FIXED*
Post by: buddy boy on September 10, 2009, 10:59:05 PM: when i went to pull the magnetic sleeve off it fell apart ,.. put in a new one and it ran like a champ !