ignition question

[fendersfender]

now that i have read some other ignition and pertronix questions, i have a couple of questions myself.....85 searay 255 amberjack twin 3.8L omc's ...i switched out my points for pertronix ignitors, i simply attached the ignitors wires directly to the coil (black to negative, red to positive) my question is: should the red wire go directly to a 12 volt supply, beings that there is a resistor wire that feeds coil? my other question is: one of my engines has a ceramic resistor with a purple wire going to and from it, the other engine does not??????????? I am now really confused...my service manual does not show any type of resistor except the resistor wire to coil.........since i have installed these ignitors, and done a COMPLETE tune-up (plugs, wires, fuel filters, rebuilt carbs, ignitors, caps, rotors, belts, etc.) engines run ok, except they both still start hard, cold or hot...i was thinking that they should start easier with ignitors....

 

[Boomyal]

Re: ignition question

Check the voltage at the coil positive when the engines are running. As far as I know most GM's used resistor wires. If they are still active your pertronix will not get sufficient voltage other than at start up when the full current starter solenoid feed kicks in.

 

[rbezdon]

Re: ignition question

Yes, you are correct in that the red wire from the Pertronix module should have connected to a ignition switched +12 (usually a purple wire). This feeds the module the 12v all the time, not just during starting like Boom said. This power lead only runs the "brains" in the module, nothing else. The feed to the ignition is chosen based on the coil you have. If you just changed the module for the old points and kept the original coil you should have changed nothing in the ignition wiring. The module grey goes to Coil - and this is where your tach should be connected. The coil + should go either to the resistor or resistor wire and to one fo the terminals on the stsrter solenoid. The resistor wire or the other end of the resistor should go to the ignition switched +12V. IF the coil was changed to one rated for the +12 the reisitor or resistor wire should be shorted out, or in other words the Coil + connects directly to the ignition switched +12v but again, only if the coil was changed. Check your coils, they may be different as I posted in your other posting. Once you switch to a +12 rated coil then the connections to the starter sloenoid no longer matter and the resistor or resistor wire can be eliminated. I left mine alone for that just in case scenario whare I had to make an on the water repair. I also keep the old distributor with the points in the boat.