Two questions re: pertronix and spicer 18

I did some thinking today. :? (yep, I know how dangerous that can be) and I came up with the following questions:

A) Those of you with Pertronix conversions, do you think the engine would NOT start and run if the spark plugs were gapped at the normal, points type gap?

Maybe that was my problem. I never got the Pertronix unit to fire even though the conversion was 100 percent correct, and triple checked. I remember thinking I just wanted it to fire then I would re-gap the plugs.

B) We all know how Spicer 18s leak oil. Even with fresh seals and gaskets. I am starting to wonder if the bulk of the leakage is coming from the breather on the top of the front cap?

When the oil inside gets hot and is flying around couldnt alot of it come out of there? Anyone have a remote breather hooked up and noticed less bleeding of gear lube?

 

The breather is not the leaking area it is the shims at the rear of the transfercase and the thru bolt holes in the bottom pan. The pan can be sealed by putting thread sealer on the bolts when everything is clean. The shims can be sprayed with spray on permatex gasket sealer upon reassembly and stop most of the leaking if not all.

 

Pertronix, I just gapped the plugs as normal. I wasn't running a high output coil, so I put in new plugs gapped to factory spec.

As far as the transfer case, I dealt with this by making one shim the proper thickness out of a piece of aluminum. I chucked it in the lathe and cut some grooves, and followed the oil hole around with the Dremel tool. Put it together with some copper gasket goop. The thinking was that with only one shim and the grooves with good sealer in them, that would reduce the chance of it leaking. 370 miles and no leaks yet.