Not so great actually. The car started fine and I drove it for about 10 minutes with no problem. After parking overnight though, it won’t start and despite the starter turning it over rapidly, it doesn’t fire. Will try hooking up the Flamethrower coil and see if it starts. If not, maybe the unit is defective or it fried because of the Lucas coil.
Im surprised its not a 3.0 ohm coil.
Double check that with petronix, does it start back up after it cools down?
Then you know its a coil issue, p.s.you did use petronix spark plug wires or solid core wires correct?
You cannot use the old copper centers, they will heat up, melt and SPIKE your petronix unit.
So check that and report.
The main thing is does she refire when cold again
Good luck
gtjoey1314
According to the directions included with the Pertronix V12 kit, #LU-1122A, it recommends using the Flamethrower 1.5 OHM coil. It states that 4,6 & 8 cylinder engines require 3 OHM coils. Nothing mentioned about replacing spark plug wires but I’ll check into that. It won’t fire even when cold so I’m afraid I fried it. Ordered a new one from XK Unlimited and they were kind enough to send me a expanded method of checking out the system. A clue mentioned is to inspect the small label on the outside of the ignitor for wrinkling or damage. Mine had wrinkled up and partially detached. Not good! Oh well try try again!
Larry
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Yes…You spiked it or shorted it.
It happens.
You need matching coil and spark plug wires along with the matching coil. The original lucas didn’t help.
If it 1.5 then it is, but the old copper wires surge and heat up.
Once you put the correct wires and new unit, it will be fine.
I had a similar issue on my db4 , the wiring was tricky with the positive ground and all.
Make sure there is NO BALLAST. as well
Your almost home
gtjoey1314
The spark plug wires are new so they should OK. I notice that the wires that come out of the ballast go to the dizzy so I have removed those but the wires leading into the ballast are, according to the electrical schematic, are for the Tach, which should now go to the negative pole of the coil with a 100 OHM resistor inline, but the other two are coming from the handbrake light, oil pressure light, low fuel light, and oil pressure gauge. Do they need to be re-wired or just cut? Thanks for your advice!
Just to update, did some tracing with my multi-meter and two of the three wires I have identified as the Ignition switch wire and the Tach input. Not sure what the third wire is yet but working on it!
Larry are they fiber optic or copper. It wont matter if they are new.
Cut the ballast off your thinking, its all moot.
Its your hot key wire you want and then the ground on the other side,thats it.
Good luck.
GTJOEY1314
Well hooked up the new Pertronix kit as per the instructions and connected the one wire in the loom that showed battery voltage with the key on but no voltage with key off to the positive post of the coil. The black wire from dizzy hooked to the negative post of the coil. Tried starting the car but no luck. After opening the dizzy discovered the magic smoke had escaped out of the ignitor! Burnt hole in back of ignitor.
Called Pertronix and discussed situation with one of their tech guys. He too is stumped but graciously sending me a new ignitor. Maybe third time lucky but losing hope.
You have a dead short/ ground issue
Your wires should be red to positive if coil and black wire to negative of coil
JET, THE HOT LEAD, DOES IT TURN OFF AND ON WITH THE KEY?
Also, if you do not have the RIGHT spark plug wires, it will burn it out as well.
Caps sorry
gtjoey1314
Yes the wire from the ignition turns off and on, 12 V, with the key. The wires are new suppression wires that Pertronix says should be fine, since the car started and ran fine the first time. Their only suggestion as a last possibility is an intermittent ground connection so planning on changing that when I get the replacement igniter from them. Fingers crossed!
good , its a short then, youll get it…
After several starts and short drives, pleased to report that the Pertronix ignitor works as advertised! Now, just have to figure out how to get the Tach working! Studied the electrical schematic in the Manual but it is unclear which wire runs the Tach. One of the threads in the Pertronix thread on this forum suggests the Blue+White wire is the correct one to attach to the Neg pole of the coil. The only wire coloured like that is part of the loom that came out of amplifier. It doesn’t trace back to the Tach so don’t want to connect to the coil since the ignitor is working so well. The wires are very dirty and hard to identify.
How did you fix the car to run?
It turned out the battery was weak under load. Installed a new fully charged battery and that solved the problem.
Great job!
Now drive that lovely Jag
gtjoey1314
Hi John, Well maybe there are not too many of us who have used a Pertronic device in the SIII “E” ! I run a Crane system, and have so done for 15 years!1
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Hi Marley, got my Series 3 E running well with the Pertronix installed. After I locate the Tach wire, (colour?), does it connect to the Positive side of the coil?
Thanks! Larry
I sure don’t claim E type expertise.
However, the tach responds to pulses.
The + on he coil does not pulse. The - does !
Draw your own conclusion…
My diagnostic process. determine the function. then how to accomplish that?
Carl
Hi Carl, just wanted to get a definitive answer as I smoked two Pertronix ignitors to date and now that I have one working, didn’t want a repeat. BTW, Pertronix replaced the last one as unable to determine why it failed.