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Crown Electronic Dist Or Pertronix?

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Dan Lockwood, Dec 12, 2021.

  1. Dec 13, 2021
    SFaulken

    SFaulken Active Member

    Bellevue, WA
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    Well aren't you lucky. I'm glad that you never have problems with your points, or condenser. And that when you do need to replace them, you've a good supply of quality, well made replacement parts, that aren't ever bad right out of the box, and don't leave you on the side the road, trying to hitch a ride to the parts store, because you didn't have a spare in the glove box.

    That's not been my experience with anything with points. And before you start pulling that condescending "Well you just don't know how to adjust and maintain points, youngster" crap, save it. I'm bloody tired of hearing it.
     
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  2. Dec 13, 2021
    fhoehle

    fhoehle Sponsor

    Harford Township, PA
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    Well, I will straddle the fence here. I have a Pertronix in the Dauntless and points in the Farmalls, John Deere loader, CJ2A and CJ5 and the Cub Cadets. The F600 has some bastardized looking HEI. The Farmall tractors run daily, the John Deere loader at least a few times a week, the Cubs sometimes not for two weeks or multiple times a day. The Jeep is run regularly all Spring summer and fall, sometimes winter. The 2A and 5 not for months at a time. I have no issues with the electronics or the points. I put in new points and condenser whenever I got a new piece of iron. I guess I have been lucky.
     
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  3. Dec 13, 2021
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    So there is one thing to be aware of with Pertronix. Don't leave the key on without the engine running for any long(ish) period. You might get stuck on the side of a mountain. AMHIK
     
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  4. Dec 13, 2021
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

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    This story seems familiar somehow....
    :lol:
     
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  5. Dec 13, 2021
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

    East Tennessee
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    Wow, I didn't know this was a touchy issue.

    I have no comment about whatever trouble someone else has had with a points ignition. I have experienced the poor quality of the imported parts sold by many of the Jeep parts suppliers when a condenser went bad in a very short time of use. That kit came in an unmarked box.

    I have since bought "Blue Streak" branded points and condenser sets from CMV and have not had any trouble out of them.
     
    fhoehle likes this.
  6. Dec 13, 2021
    Dan Lockwood

    Dan Lockwood New Member

    Mid-Michigan
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    WOW! Didn't think I would get this kind of reaction on this subject, but thanks for all the input and experiences.

    I'm 72 and have done my share of point/condenser jobs over the many years of running crap cars, couldn't afford better at the time. I'll say that I didn't have many issues back then with the points etc, but with the electronics of today, I think I'll go with the PerTronix in the stock distributor. My Jeep shows almost 19k miles on the ticker and the speedo is still working. I highly doubt it's been rolled over once before, so I'm going with the assumption of a low mileage motor etc. I know I know, never assume!

    Thanks again for the great replies.

    Just a side note, in general, are Crown products just cheap Chinese clones? I see they sell lots of driveline items; any thoughts on quality in general for Crown?

    Dan
     
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  7. Dec 13, 2021
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

    East Tennessee
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    Crown used to be a pretty safe bet on quality parts, but in the last few years a lot of the stuff they sell is Asian import, some of it good quality, some not so much.
     
  8. Dec 13, 2021
    WYOMIKE

    WYOMIKE Oct 1971 pic

    Parkman, Wyoming
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    I still have old fashion points in my jeep that I bought back in 1971 and have had no problems whatsoever. Will admit that I am old fashion and just used to the old ways of changing out the points and rotor every now and then, I suppose there a lot of time that they did not need changing, but I did it out of habit. And I still carry a spare set in my jeep but have never needed it. Why some folks have bad luck and others like me have had no problem I have no idea why. Luck, weather where the jeep is driven, who knows. One thing to keep in mind is if you keep the old points you have to have a dwell meter to set the points up each time you change them and I presume with the newer electronic dist. you do not need a dwell meter, but must admit I have not kept up on the newer to me stuff used now a days. Just going to keep with what I am used to and can work on. Sometimes the old saying you can't teach old dogs new tricks is true for better or worst.
    Mike
     
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  9. Dec 13, 2021
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    A simple feeler gauge will work fine. Or a matchbook cover, which used to be the gold standard for gapping points.
     
  10. Dec 13, 2021
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

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    I have been tuning up old cars for well over fifty years without a dwell meter, and like Pete I have done it in a pinch using a matchbook cover or even just eyeballing it. Most of the time one quits is because the screw wasn't tight enough and the points close up. The tool box I carry in my Jeep has a set of feeler gauges, and a points file. I also carry a spare set of points, condenser, rotor and cap but have never had to use them.
     
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  11. Dec 13, 2021
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

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    Harder to find than a quality condenser LOL!
     
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  12. Dec 13, 2021
    Jw60

    Jw60 Sitting up n buckled down. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    But In the Pertronix vs HEI thread we found the issue to be Pertronix or coil.
    If you are comfortable with points and have access to good replacement parts then no sense changing anything.

    Others just love them as much as 9"drums and vacuum wipers on a rainy day.

    I'm curious as to which system will operate at the lowest voltage?
    ie push to start (as in push the jeep down the hill)
     
  13. Dec 13, 2021
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

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    Both systems simply provide a trigger for the spark, with the same coil the level of voltage would be the same whether the ignitor is a set of points, or the electronic module. This may be a contrary opinion to the popular idea that an electronic distributor produces a "hotter" spark, but I don't see how that is possible.
     
  14. Dec 13, 2021
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

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    Thats true of an electronic distributor like the GM HEI. The Pertronix unit (unless combined with a higher output coil) doesn't provide hotter spark. One thing to remember though - a set of points gradually wears down and degrades performance over time, the Pertronix does not.
     
  15. Dec 13, 2021
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    In the case for you and I...... How low of voltage will the fuel pump run on...
     
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  16. Dec 13, 2021
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

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    That is why I said "with the same coil". I agree that a set of points "wears down", that is why I do a tune up every 3,500 miles or so. I guess the biggest reason I prefer a breaker points ignition is I understand them better and can fix anything that goes wrong with it whether I am home or out in the boonies. Hardly ever had any problems, but most failures can be fixed with minimal tools. Heck, most problems can be fixed with a pocket knife.

    Sure, you can do the same thing with an electronic ignition if you carry a replacement.
     
  17. Dec 13, 2021
    WYOMIKE

    WYOMIKE Oct 1971 pic

    Parkman, Wyoming
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    Yep, forgot about that old standby method. (y)
    Mike
     
  18. Dec 13, 2021
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    From a performance point of view the stock HEI unit that many here are running in their V6's is actually a downgrade from points.
    From a maintenance point of view any HEI or Pertronix is an upgrade over the points unit.
    Unless you fork over the big$$ for the D.U.I unit, you will notice no difference between stock HEI and Pertronix.
    A GM stock HEI is only 25k-30k volts. The Pertronix is 40k volts.
    I have run stock HEI and Pertronix in the same afternoon. I found no difference in response, startup ect.....
    Here is a Motor Trend dyno test to back up what I have said above.
    https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/ccrp-9812-ignition-performance-test/
     
  19. Dec 13, 2021
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

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    Electronic ignition, electric fuel pump, and electronic fuel injection. Are these upgrades, or just a new set of possible problems?

    When I was a teenager I drove a 56 Chevy without a battery for two weeks until I could afford to buy a new one. Had to always park it on a hill.

    In my twenties I once drove an old truck with a bad fuel pump thirty miles out of the mountains where I hunted. The fuel was gravity fed from a "Jerry rigged" can taped and tied to the fender. It was plumbed to the carburetor using hose scavenged from a propane stove. We had to stop every few miles and syphon more gas out of the tank to fill the can, but we got out of the mountains and into town.
     
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  20. Dec 13, 2021
    timsresort

    timsresort Active Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    South Lake Tahoe CA
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    We got off the trail once with a bad pump by rigging a small compressor and air hose into the filler neck. Pressurized fuel delivery.
     
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