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Pertronix air gap tool

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by napaguy, Jul 24, 2011.

  1. Jul 24, 2011
    napaguy

    napaguy Banned

    goldendale wa
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    I ordered my oddfire pertronix and there was no plastic air gap tool

    Anybody else run into this? If so can you use a metal feeler gauge?
     
  2. Jul 24, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    I've never seen an airgap tool come with them... At least not the three I've installed. I used a feeler gauge
     
  3. Jul 24, 2011
    napaguy

    napaguy Banned

    goldendale wa
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    A metal feeler gauge?
     
  4. Jul 24, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Yeah? Why not?
     
  5. Jul 24, 2011
    napaguy

    napaguy Banned

    goldendale wa
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    Just wondering...after scouring the net I found a ton of threads that said not too

    But I looked at all the kits I have at work and none had the plastic tool.
     
  6. Jul 24, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    Never seen a plastic tool and they don't mention it in the instructions..?
     
  7. Jul 24, 2011
    napaguy

    napaguy Banned

    goldendale wa
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    Nope no mention of any tool in the instructions

    I'll gap it with my metal feeler gauge and call it good then
     
  8. Jul 24, 2011
    billybbean

    billybbean Member

    Kemmerer, Wyoming
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    I've never delt with a Pertronix but I know I've been told since I was a kid not to touch points with a metalic feeler gauge so as not to damage them.
     
  9. Jul 24, 2011
    theotherjmmy

    theotherjmmy Member

    Austin, Texas
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    I've never heard that or seen it in any shop manual.
     
  10. Jul 24, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    That's how you're supposed to adjust/ measure point gap. Not sure how this relates to the Pertronix.
     
  11. Jul 24, 2011
    Pack Rat

    Pack Rat Old Timer

    I live in a...
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    Even if you had an air gap tool, plastic or otherwise, there's no provision for adjusting it anyway.
    I've never heard of using non metallic feeler gauges on points and I've been doing this basically all my life. Now on an early Mopar electronic ignition you would use a brass feeler gauge to adjust the air gap between the reluctor wheel and the pickup but that was for a totally different reason.
     
  12. Jul 24, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    Of course there is. They supply shims for the distributor shaft to reduce the gap and end play, and you can bend the bracket if need be.
     
  13. Jul 24, 2011
    1960willyscj5

    1960willyscj5 Well-Known Member

    Mesa, Arizona
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    No shims in my kit, no gauge either.
     
  14. Jul 24, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    The OP has a Dauntless.
     
  15. Jul 24, 2011
    napaguy

    napaguy Banned

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    There is two adjustments

    One is washers under the module to bring it closer to the ring

    One goes between the distributor gear and housing which will close the other gap
     
  16. Jul 24, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    Actually the shim under the gear only adjusts end play..
     
  17. Jul 24, 2011
    napaguy

    napaguy Banned

    goldendale wa
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    My point was it is still one adjustment that can be made when installing pertronix
     
  18. Jul 25, 2011
    napaguy

    napaguy Banned

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    I emailed pertronix this weekend and heard back

    They say just use a metal feeler gauge

    Thanks for the replies
     
  19. Jul 25, 2011
    billybbean

    billybbean Member

    Kemmerer, Wyoming
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    I have an older Sears engine analyzer I use to set the dwell and to check points resistance. Get dwell right and the gap may not be right anyway but the dwell will set your points right. Up in the hills an old match book cover works to get a guy home. As far as the metalic feeler gauge, it was always a no no in my Grandpa's shop. Never asked why, I just have never used them.
     
  20. Jul 25, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    I know how to adjust points, as I've been a mechanic for over 20 years. Still not sure how this relates to adjusting the air gap on the Pertronix...
     
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