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So, I've been chasing a variety of issues that have started simply enough with lack of power at high RPM on my 2302-5, along with no charge from the generator. On the fuel side, I'm running a 6v Carter rotary fuel pump. On the spark side, I'm running a Pertronix ignitor. The car is otherwise stock.

In chasing the spark side, I've been working on all the grounds, cleaning connections. I found my rotor pretty well charred, and the cap is in similar shape, so I'm going to replace those, along with suppression plug wires (running Champion RJ8C spark plugs - those look OK and I'll continue to run them), all from Brillman.

I finally arrived at the voltage regulator and took that apart to clean the contact points. Upon opening the case, I found the points for the armature and field completely misaligned (as seen in the photos), and there was no discernable spark. I started playing with the armature points (they move side to side) and got it to where I began seeing a very small spark, and the ammeter on the gauge began registering a charge. To my shock (ha), in order to achieve that result, the pictures show the alignment (or lack thereof) that actually worked to get the battery and generator talking again.

So I apologize if these are dumb questions, but surely that can't be right? I would assume that the points in the regulator should a. Line up the same way they would in the distributor, and b. I would see a more consistent, discernable spark between the contacts. Would the faulty regulator have anything to do with effecting the spark or performance of the ignitor (already knowing that it was definitely getting in the way of the generator doing its job)? As far as Google says, I don't have any flickering/dimming lights, so I didn't even think to look here.


I ordered a new regulator as well with the new spark components, assuming that what I have is defective. Is there anything that I could've done to damage the regulator? It's less than a year old, came from one of the reputable parts vendors, and aside from being mounted to the firewall, has never been apart. Just scratching my head here. Thanks in advance.

Joe

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While waiting for am answer on the regulator, you might talk with Pertronix before adding suppression plug wires as I seem to recall they said not to use that type. I may be mistaken, though.

Great suggestion. Sent a message in to them. Thanks so much!

I would very much recommend against using both resister spark plugs and resister ignition wiring.

You might want to check older posts about the reliability of Pertronix in 6-volt positive ground systems when battery voltage is less than ideal. Many owners have reverted back to conventional points and condenser for better reliability. Not making a recommendation one way or the other, just that you make or have made an informed choice.

Yes, those regular points should be in alignment!! Is that an OEM or aftermarket unit? Brand?

That makes sense, and I wondered about this. Brillman's site says you have to use suppression wiring with electronic ignition. But I also do know those Champions are resistor plugs, too, and wondered about this as it relates to the efficacy of the spark. I've read that generally, it's suggested to use resistor plugs and non-resistor wire. In this case (using electronic ignition), would you suggest pursuing a non-resistor plug, or should I revise my order for the copper core wire and keep my plugs?

Joe; In the FAQ section of the PerTronix’s website they make a statement “With all PerTronix ignitions we recommend that a suppression style spark plug wire (also called carbon core) be used.” That said, the majority of the answer references electromagnetic interference and how that might be detrimental to ignition systems (i.e. their product).

I did run my 6+ volt ’48 with a PerTronix ignitor module, their 1.5 ohm coil, and ‘solid’ ignition wires. I didn’t have a problem with that set-up, but switched to resistor wires as a trouble-shooting A/B test. The car seems to run just fine with either wire set. The car was left in the resistor wire configuration for the last 3-4 years. I have zero experience with resistor type spark plugs in that car.

dp

I thought about trying the points again, I have a new set in the trunk...

The voltage regulator came from Max Merritt. Beyond that, I'm not sure where they sourced it.

I use stainless wires. No problem with pertronics.

I also use diodes .

Alright, here's what we're going to try. With the new plug wires, cap, rotor, and voltage regulator from Brillman, I'm also going to switch from the Champion RJ8C to Autolite 295's (their site lists the plug for all "All Packard's with 14mm thread"). It's a non-resistor copper core plug, so, hoping this helps.

In the meantime, I tested some older RJ8C's I took off the engine last fall to check for resistance. Of the 8, only 2 fell within the resistance range Champion lists for this plug. I haven't pulled any of the current plugs, but I'd be willing to bet some of these plugs are experiencing similar issues with resistance exceeding spec.

If anyone has any additional any insights thoughts on the whole subject, please share! I'll let y'all know what I find out. Thanks, everyone!

I'm a long-time fan of Autolite 303 plugs in all Packards using 14mm plugs.