msd vs pertronix

[cdhunter]

working on friends boat after a massive block failure, the discussion came around to electronic ignition. My first love as a teenager was cars (my Family didn't have a boat) so a MSD box or coil was always a first upgrade even before exhaust! since arriving in the boat world I keep hearing about Pertronix. So after some research I discovered the distributor we will have to replace the whole distributor (mercruiser 888) it has the odd ball distributor that nobody makes a kit for. So which brand would you go with and why.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... You can run whatever ignition ya want, so long as it's marine rated, spark protected,...

 

[Scott Danforth]

to add clarity.....if its not marine rated......boom

as far as no one making a "kit" for it, nonsense

regarding electronic vs points. nothing wrong with points. they are simple, easy to maintain, and in a boat will last about 15-20 years before needing to be replaced.

i personally would run the points ignition that is in the 888 dizzy vs spending money on MSD or Pertronix

however for sake of discussion, lets assume that the distributor on your Dorf motor is bad, bushings are gone and the advance weights missing. I would simply get a mallory marine distributor (available in points or electronic trigger)

 

[cdhunter]

Thanks Scott. You nailed it when you said bushings! First distributor that I've seen that was that sloppy, there shouldn't be a 1/16 of side play in the drive gear. Not normal wear probably from the former owner. The current owner is gun shy of points, while he is mechanically competent and does most of the work by himself, ignition systems scares him. Because of this he is thinking electronic. Ignition my question about the mallory is does it need a ballast resistor?

 

[cdhunter]

Never mind my last question about the ballast Mallory is MSD so I know the answer.

 

[Scott Danforth]

about the mallory is does it need a ballast resistor?

yes

if the owner is afraid of points and ignition systems, get a boat with oars.

FYI - new dizzy bushings are about $5 each at napa

 

[cdhunter]

Scott thanks for the heads up about the dizzy bushings. The owner won a gift card at a local boat show in a draw this weekend he found out this morning. So it was spent on a complete MSD ignition coil distributor and MSD 6M-2l ignition control and wires a new boat cover and last but not least cup holders. We are rebuilding the original distributor so we can figure out why it failed and for education purposes, not that he will ever need it with the system going in. As for the boat with oars it's been previously suggested, but he is learning which is better then his head in the sand.