PerTronix D179600 User Manual

For Part Numbers:

D178600 D178609 D179600

Recommended Flame-Thrower & HV Coils:

Application Primary resistance Chrome Black Epoxy

Ignitor Only 3.0 ohm 40501 40511 40611

Ignitor Only 3.0 ohm E-Core HV Coil 60130

NOTE: REMOVE OR BYPASS EXTERNAL BALLAST RESISTOR OR RESISTANCE WIRE WHEN

INSTALLING THE RECOMMENDED FLAME-THROWER OR HV E-CORE COIL.

LIMITED WARRANTY

PerTronix, Inc. warrants to the original Purchaser of its Flame-Thrower billet dis­tributor that the product shall be free from defects in material and workmanship (nor­mal wear and tear excluded) for a period of 12 months from the date of
purchase.
If within the period of the foregoing warranty PerTronix finds, after inspection, that
the product or any component thereof is defective, PerTronix will, at its option, repair
such products or component or replace them with identical or similar parts PROVIDED
that within such period Purchaser:

1. Promptly notifies PerTronix, in writing, of such defects.

2. Delivers the defective product or component to
PerTronix (Attn: Warranty) with proof of purchase date; and

3. Has installed and used the product in a normal and proper
manner, consistent with PerTronix printed instructions

THE FOREGOING LIMITED WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF
ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY
IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THE FURNISHING OF A REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT COMPONENT
OR COMPONENTS SHALL CONSTITUTE THE SOLE REMEDY OF PURCHASER
AND THE SOLE LIABILITY OF PerTronix WHETHER ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT
OR FOR NEGLIGENCE, AND IN NO EVENT WILL PerTronix BE LIABLE FOR
MONEY DAMAGES WHETHER DIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL.

DISTRIBUTOR INSTALLATION
INSTRUCTIONS FOR:

BRITISH DISTRIBUTORS

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. IMPORTANT: Read all instructions before starting installation.

2. For 12-volt positive ground systems only.

3. New spark plug wires may be required.

4. Solid core spark plug wires MUST NOT be used.

DISTRIBUTOR REMOVAL

1. Crank the engine until the first cylinder in the firing order is at TDC "Top Dead
Center" on its compression stroke. The timing indicator should point to TDC or 0.

2. Remove the distributor cap, and make sure that the rotor is pointing towards the
contact on the distributor cap for the first cylinder in the firing order.

3. Disconnect the battery cable.

4. Disconnect all wires and hoses attached to the distributor.

5. Remove the distributor hold down bolt.

6. Remove the distributor from the engine.

7. Check the distributor drive for signs of excess wear, or potential problems.

DISTRIBUTOR INSTALLATION

Note: Original hold down clamp must be used with new Flame-Thrower
distributor. Hold down bracket must be free of paint and corrosion, this will insure
that a proper ground is made to the engine block.

1. Remove the Flame-Thrower distributor cap.

2. Turn the shaft so that when the distributor is placed into the engine, the rotor
position matches that of the original distributor.

3. Press the distributor down into the engine block. Make sure that the drive dog
lines up and is engaged fully. Misalignment can cause permanent damage to the
engine as well as the distributor.

4. Place the distributor cap onto the housing.

5. Turn the distributor housing so that the terminal that represents the first cylinder
in the firing order, lines up with the rotor contact terminal.

6. Tighten the distributor clamp and hold down bolts to the engine.

7. Clip the cap into place and install the spark plug wires in the proper firing order.

440 East Arrow Highway

San Dimas, CA 91773

909-599-5955

www.pertronix.com

8. For Vacuum advance distributors:

Locate the vacuum hose that was previously attached to the vacuum advance
canister. This hose should originate at a ported vacuum source. Some applica­tions have vacuum advance hoses attached to a manifold vacuum source, due
to the performance advance curve, we recommend that you relocate this hose

0017-00442110-13

to a ported vacuum source. After setting initial timing the hose will be unplugged
and attached to the vacuum advance on the distributor.

For Non-vacuum advance distributors:

Locate the vacuum hose that was previously attached to the vacuum advance
canister. Remove the vacuum hose and plug the vacuum port.

WIRING

The Flame-Thrower distributor can be used in conjunction with most
Ignition coils rated at 3.0 ohms or greater. For optimum performance
purchase and install a 3.0 ohm Flame-Thrower or 3.0 ohm HV high

performance coil.

Ignitor COMMON QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. What is the first thing I should check if the engine would not start?
A. Make certain all wires are connected securely to the proper terminals.

Q. The engine will not start or runs rough. Are there any tests I can do?
A. Yes, remove the black wire from the ignition switch wire. Connect jumper wire from the
negative (-) side of battery to the Ignitor black wire. If the engine starts and runs well, you may
have high resistance thru your Ignition switch. This is just a test. Not intended for permanent
installation.

Q. How can I fix a high resistance problem?
A. High resistance can be caused by an external ballast resistor, resistance wire or in some
cases a resisted ignition switch. If the proper coil is used, remove or bypass all external resis­tors.

1. NOTE: A BALLAST RESISTOR OR RESISTOR WIRE MAY OR MAY NOT BE

INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT.

2. Remove the ignition switch wire from the negative coil terminal. Connect the black

Ignitor wire directly to the ignition switch wire.

3. Connect the Ignitor black/white wire to negative (-) side of the ignition coil.

4. Connect an insulated, AWG 20 copper stranded wire from the positive coil terminal to

the positive battery or chassis.

5. The black/white Ignitor wire and the AWG 20 copper wire should be the only wires con-

nected to the coil.

6. Make sure all wires are connected correctly, and reconnect battery.

Q. Should I remove the starter bypass wire?
A. No, the starter bypass wire is needed for starting the engine.

Q. What type of coil do I need?
A. The ignitor is compatible only with a “points type” coil. Four & six cylinder engines require a
minimum of 3.0 Ohms of resistance (primary).

Q. How do I check my coil for resistance?
A. First you need an ohmmeter. Remove all the wires from the coil. Attach the ohmmeter to
both the positive and negative terminals. The reading should be 3.0 ohms or greater for four &
six cylinder engines. (Your local auto parts store can do this for you, if you don’t have an ohm-

meter). See chart for compatible Flame-Thrower coils.

Q. What do I do if my coil does not have enough resistance?
A. You may purchase and install a ballast resistor from your local auto par ts store. You may
also choose to purchase a Flamethrower 40,000-volt coil, which provides resistance internally.
Note: Many vehicles come with resistor wire or a ballast resistor. These applications do not
need an additional resistor.

Q. What happens if you leave the ignition switch on when the engine is not running?
A. This can cause your coil to overheat, which may cause permanent damage to the coil and
the ignitor.

Q. May I modify the length of the wires?
A. Yes, you can cut the wires to any length your application may require. You may also add
length of wire if needed (20-gauge wire). Please make sure all wire splice are clean and con­nections are secure.

Q. How can I get additional help?
A. Call our tech line (909-547-9058) for any further instructions or questions.

FINAL ADJUSTMENTS

1. Start the engine and set the initial timing.

2. Tighten the distributor hold down clamp.

3. For vacuum advance distributors, connect the vacuum hose to the vacuum
advance canister.