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has anyone here installed a Petronix on a 356 straight-eight were you able to use the stock coil? were there any other issues?

Yes, I used the Pertronix Ignitor on my 1940 160 Touring Sedan. I liked it. It ran great until it burned up. I used the stock coil.
With no gas in my carburetor, the engine kept cranking until it had gas and would start. With gas in the carburetor, the engine would start real easy. With all the cranking, the Ignitor got hot and burned up.
I had the same problem with my 1955 Packard Clipper.
Both ran for a few years, 3,000 (40 Packard) to 30,000 miles (55 Clipper) before they both burned up. Luckily I was at home.
If your carburetor always has gas in it, then do it.

I have several friends who tried a Pertronix on their 356-engined Packards. They all converted back to conventional points and condenser after repeated failures to start, unless at absolute peak voltage the 6-volt system just doesn't have enough reserve to enable the Petronix to trigger. I later found this was a well-known problem and at least one of the Packard vendors stopped selling the Pertronix for 6-volt systems.

Yes, they all used the standard coil, no problems in that regard.

I had one on my 41 160. Works great if you have 6 volts to the coil. I ran a dedicated wire with a toggle switch from the battery to the coil.

Quote:

Having a solid and stable 6v to the coil and module seems to be the secret with the Pertronix and so many issues with hard starting -- even with points -- can be traced to a dirty or falling apart electrical system. 6v ignition is not very forgiving and just a small amount of voltage drop can seriously weaken the spark. Almost all those who have reported issues with the 6v Pertronix had other varied problems that could be electrical while those who have reported no problems seem to have had a very well maintained car including the electrical system or had installed new wiring.

Running a short 14ga wire or maybe one step heavier wire directly from the battery terminal on the solenoid to the Pertronix module and coil might solve a lot of issues. It would be relatively easy to do a simple version as a trial following Mr. Iaccino's example. In the stock car the coil supply voltage goes thru about 10 ft of wire plus several terminal connections and the ign switch which is also feeding other items. If the trial provides better results, then for a permanent job the shorter the wire run the better so keeping a cut off device close to the coil would be better than running it inside. Leaving it a toggle switch in the engine compt is a bit awkward for turning off the engine though so a 6v relay could be installed instead. Use the old coil feed wire from the ign switch to power the 6v relay. Newark Electronics sells 6v automotive 30 amp cube type relays as does at least one of the wire loom suppliers.

Okay, my '46 is hard to start if it's sat for a week or two. It'll fire right away on starter fluid, which I'm loathe to use because of potential cylinder wall scoring - or maybe that's some diesel engine myth, but anyway. My carb seems to lose fuel, as I have seen mentioned in above posts. My theory is, there's a fuel leak somewhere between the pump and the carb which allows the column to fall backward/down, and it has to crank too much to bring the column back to the carb. I'll investigate as soon as I get a chance.


Meanwhile, if the fuel thing isn't an issue, the the Pertronix ignition makes more sense and would require no extra wiring if the car fires off rather promptly, which mine does on restarts on the day it gets driven.


And maybe a hotter coil would help, too. Then the plug gap could be opened up a bit. Who knows, maybe the anvil gets perky in its old age.

If you're using E10, very likely the loss of fuel in carb bowl on standing is simple evaporation.

I agree with Owen...Miss Pricess, our 49, is stock and she will fire up 'Right Now' if she is driven every other day or so. Let her sit for a week and she will fire on the fourth four second cranking session...it takes that long to pump gas from the tank to the carburetor...PS...We like to drove Owen crazy with questions when Miss Princess arrived in our driveway in 2012. He politly answered every question. Ernie in Arizona

Evaporation. Through the leak.


Please forgive me if I conduct my own experiment.


And I'll be the first to admit that I'm wrong, after I have demonstrated it to myself beyond the proverbial shadow.

Listen to these guys. I bought a Pertronix unit for my '47's 356 20 years ago. My ex-War II motor pool chief, ex-Packard, Hudson, GM postwar dealership mechanic's mechanic took one look at it, pronounced it "Okie," his term for anything subpar, shoddy.

Stick with quality Echlin points, condenser from any NAPA store, make sure your coil's healthy, that there's no slop in your distributor bushing.

If you want a no-butchering improvement, get a six-volt, positive ground 55-amp bolt-in alternator from Jim's Battery Mfg., Youngstown, OH (800) 426-7580. Tell Jim and Dolores a pair of '47 Packard Super Clippers in Walnut Creek, CA and British Columbia sent you.

Easier starting, faster battery recovery, bright head and tail lights at dusk, night. Optima Red Top 6-volt batteries are best, 800 cold cranking amps enough for a Cad V-16. Got nearly a decade from my previous one, know of a '41 Cad that got 14 years.

Make sure you've got double aught (00) solid copper battery cables ends both crimped and soldered, that your battery disconnect switch rated higher than the amps your gear-reduction starter draws. We like the brass, marine grade Cole Hersee units from NAPA.

1940 Packards were the lightest, tho' "weight is the enemy" seems to be lost concept on most old domestic car owners, another reason for Optima and an alternator.

But skip the Pertonix, per the above gentlemen's experiences. With points, you can always limp home.

Dislike sounding like a broken record with the above, but have noted dear few here gathered bother to use the Search box at the above right of this terrific site's homepage, because all this has been covered in octuplicate on these knowledgeable forums.