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MG MGA - PerTronix

Finally got my MGA back up and running after a very frustrating problem of fighting two faults at the same time. Bad coil and loose wire on ignition switch.
Since I am into it I am going to go ahead and put in the pertronix in. I thought it would only be switching the wires on the coil with the ones on the unit. But I think I have to run one to the ignition switch and a ground from the positive terminal on the coil. Is that correct?
Mike Razor

Mike,
The Pertronix has two wires - one red and one black. The red goes to + on the coil, and the black goes to -on the coil. You have to double up the spade connectors on the coil to add these wires. That's it.
You have to have the right Pertonix for your car - they are different for positive and negative ground systems.
You can read a tech article on this on NAMGAR.com.
Peter.
P. Tilbury

I have a black wire and a black with white stripe. I thought it was that simple as well but looking at the diagram it has a wire going to the chasis from the positive post the black and white wire going to the negative post and the solid black going to the ignition switch wire.
Mike Razor

Mike, two questions...
1) Is your car is wired for positive ground?
2) Is your Pertronix Ignitor a positive ground model?

If your answers to both of the above questions were not the same, you have the wrong model ignitor for your car.
The negative ground ignitor model is wired as Peter suggested but I believe the positive ground model is wired as you stated, differently from the negative ground model.
Andy Bounsall

All is well. I wired the way I had thought and at first it did not start. Moved the ground wire to another spot, little sandpaper and varoom. My car is positive ground and I did have to splice into the ignition wire..
Mike Razor

This thread was discussed between 22/06/2011 and 23/06/2011

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This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.