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Triumph TR6 - Electronic Ignition

Just got a Pertronix Electronic Ignition kit, for my '73 TR6. Sounds easy to install. My question is with the new system do I need to change my plugs, and plug wires? Right now I'm running NGK(BPR6ES) plugs, and 7mm plug wires.
Thanks,
Phillip
Phillip

Hi Phillip. The Pertonix is some of the best money you'll ever spend. No, you don't HAVE to change plugs or wires. I would, however, open the plug gap up to around 0.035 - 0.040 and see how it goes. I believe that wires should be upgraded to performance ones and I recommend a set of magnecore's [www.magnecore.com]. I'm going to get a set of their 8.5mm race wires ($70!!!). But after you do some reading on wires, you'll understand the benefits of these seemingly expensive upgrade.

Be careful routing the Pertronix wires under the cap. Leave plenty of room so the wires don't get caught in the spinning rotor! Since the wire length was excessive from the distributor to the coil, I clipped mine.

Rick O.
72 TR6
CC80171U(O)
Rick Orthen

Hi Phillip
Agreed...I also have the pertronics. Also go to higher ouput coil to take full advantage of the electronic ignition. Yes, very easy to install. I went with 9mm wire set. 7mm wire set will probably work but Rick O and I both have a set that will last us for rest of our life and will handle the higher voltage. Plugs?? I have seen up here in the "great white north" a set of IRIDIUM core (NGK)plugs for $20.00 a pair!!! The NGK BPRs (PLATINUM) are $7.00 per pair. I think the IRIDIUM plugs would be best if my 6 was to be operated in outer space. Like...what's next...a 4 bladed razor that does MACH 10?
Rick C
Rick Crawford

A friend of mine bought a petronix electric ignition for his '66 mustang. Unfortunately, it was totaled before instalation. I was wondering how I could find out if it is compatable with my '73 tr6, since he has offered to sell it cheap. I beleive it is called an ignitor, and I know I've seen the Ignitor II in the parts catalogue.
BTW it hit 70 F today I just took a little trip with the top down. Try to fight the jealousy ;)

Any help would be great. Thanks guys.
Armand Allaire

Phillip-
The following is a tech tip I found in the company advertising on the top of the page.Hope it helps on installation as per Rick o."s concern

I have been using the Pertronix Ignitor Electronic Ignition for a few years now in my '68 MGB. I think that they are a great little unit; however, when installing care must be taken to make sure that there is enough play in the wires inside the distributer so that the vacuum advance is not hindered. Having been careful to do this, unfortunately I had a little too much wire and the insulation on one of them got "nipped" upon putting the distributor cap back on. This cause the unit to short out.

To avoid this in the future, I installed a new unit and placed the wires around the inside of the distributor. Then with a felt tip pen, I made a mark outside of the grommet (which may need to be trimmed some depending on the distributor cap for a good fit - jz) where the wires exit the distributor. Now the wires can be pulled through the grommet so they move well away from the side of the distributor for installation of the cap. Once the cap is in place, the wires are pushed back into the distributor so the mark lines up once again with the grommet. I tried this a few times and each time I opened the distributor, the wires were nestled comfortable against the side of the distributor with the maximum amount of clearance for the motion of the advancing mechanism.
DON KELLY

Quick question on this...I inherited an Allison XR700 electronic ignition I've yet to install. When I do, do you guys think the same advice regarding upgraded wires, plugs, and coil would apply as well? I think Allison goes under another name, but I thought it was Crane.
I noticed recently my predecessor had gapped the plugs closer to .040 than the .025 listed in the manual, even with the standard ignition setup. Are folks finding that's an improvement in general?

Mark H

Armand
Call pertronix 800-827-3758 California (no e-mail on their web page) and ask question. I think PN for TR6 application is P-LU-166A...got this off of an invoice ,could not find the empty box.
For anyone interested..Pertronix has come out with new product called IGNITOR 11..check it out at www.pertronix.com (NEWS)POINT here is if someone is buying new then make sure you get the NEW/IMPROVED one.
Mark, I would say yes, The CRANE EI would work best with the upgraded parts.Gap of .040 sounds like a lot though. Improvement is a question that I think can only be answered via a dyno test. I do beleive that at least going to EI is an improvement in HP when the rest of the components in the ignition system are upgraded also. Let us not forget the right side of the engine also.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

First of all thanks for all the help. Installing was easy, the car cranked right up. I'm for sure going to up-grade the plug wires. My question now goes to the ballast vs. non ballast coil. Everything I've been reading states that TR6's did'nt start using the ballast until '74, mine is a '73. With the ignition switch on, using my volt meter I'm only getting about 8 volts at the coil, where as at the fuse block on the white wire (where you would tie in for a sports coil) I'm getting 12 volts. I know I need to up-grade the coil to take full advantage of the new electronic ignition, but I guess my question is with these volt readings does it sound like my TR has a ballast coil?

Thanks'
Phillip
Phillip

Hello,
I have a pertronix on my 73 as well which works great. In conjunction with the pertronix I have recently installed an MSD 6A CD performance ignition - the results are a really noticeable improvement in pickup at low RPM and rev readiness at high RPM!
Michael McLaughlin

Phillip

All this stuff about ballasted v. non-ballasted ignitions can be confusing. So When I replaced my original factory coil with the Lucas super-duper gold, all I did was check that the resistance through both coils was identical. The resistance was the same, and I was good to go. No probelemo!!

Rick O.
Rick Orthen

This thread was discussed between 28/01/2002 and 31/01/2002

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