Crown Electronic Dist Or Pertronix?

When I get into my Jeep, I plan on upgrading to an electronic distributor of some sorts. A PerTonix was my first thought, but for just another $30 to $40, you can get the complete new Crown distributor and it's an electronic one to boot.

Any thoughts either way? I know, I know, the old points are just as good. I have a '76 Harley Shovelhead with points from the factory. I had replaced them a couple times early in my ownership and finally a year later upgraded to an electronic module system and never looked back. After 18 years of ownership and 15 of those with the electronic upgrade, I'm still running the original plugs I put in upon my rebuild.

With an electronic upgrade, 40k volt coil is not an issue AND I'm thinking of going to the Holley Sniper Autolite 1100 FI system. It will need an electronic distributor feed for the tach and timing of the FI.

 

Depends on how you feel about quality.

I am pretty sure the "Crown" electronic distributor is the same thing as OMIX-ADA, imported from China. I had one in a CJ2A and it worked, but I rebuilt an original points distributor to replace it because I didn't trust it.

I not only have more confidence in a good points distributor but I can diagnosis and fix anything that goes wrong with it out in the woods, but that is me, and I am certainly "old school" about things like this.

Were I wanting an electronic ignition I would use the Pertronix module to convert the existing distributor. They may even make an entire distributor, but I don't know about that.

 

If your distributor core is good go with the drop in Pertronix. If the core isn't rebuild it and drop in Pertronix. I've tried the electronic distributor twice and it's not only junk that burns up it's metric and nothing is useful to keep on hand for parts.

 

I had issues with points, grounding insulator, etc so I went with a Pertronix and haven’t had an issue in 5+ years. But I kept the points pieces and keep them in the tool box, just in case I ever want/need to convert back.

 

I’ve done several Petronics from Chevy to Jeep and so far hands down have been great

 

I have a Pertronix and their coil on my 67 CJ5 and Jeepster. Both have a odd fire V6 and they have run this good. What a difference.

 

I have used the Pertronix ignition in a Chevy engine, worked fine.

I just like to keep these old Jeeps as close to original as possible, it is just part of the allure for me to have what is really an antique car running good on original design components. The original system works great once it is put into proper condition with good quality parts. My Jeeps fire right up with a pull on the choke, and two pats on the gas pedal, and I actually enjoy keeping them in tune.

And if the Soviets ever explode a nuclear bomb in the atmosphere, my Jeeps will still be running.

 

This isn't even a question, for me. I wouldn't generally give much trust to most anything Crown sells, and electronic items least of all. Do the pertronix.

 

Pertronix

when Jimmy Strauss https://www.jimmystraussjeeps.com/ rebuilt my engine for me a few winters back, even he said the Pertronix is always the way to go.

I’m at 5k feet running a Weber 2 barrel carb. My Jeep sat for 3 months this fall and I finally fired her up about 2 weeks ago. She fired right up, and has run flawlessly, even with sitting in 20-30° temps and not running. She has been running great this winter. I also run the Pertronix plug wires.

spend the money and do it right.

 

I just question why anyone automatically assumes going electronic is an "upgrade."

I've definitely had no better luck with them in OEM vehicles, and a lot harder to diagnose or fix than plain old points which served well enough for the previous 100 years.

 

Yeah, no. I'm not going back to cleaning points every fourth time I fire my jeep up. Sure, they work, but they're not worth the hassle.

My Pertronix unit has been in my oddfire for over a decade, and I've had to do *nothing* to it since the day I installed it. There are a couple of trucks back home (A Small Block Chevy, and a Ford FE, IIRC), that have had Pertronix units in them for well over 20 years (And probably close to 30 at this point, I was super young when my Father converted them), again, zero issues after installation. No more worrying about leaving the key on and burning the points up, no more having to worry about moisture under the cap corroding the points, no having to deal with crappy parts store quality points and condensers anymore.

There's lots of places where I'm not thrilled with the progress of technology in automobiles. The death of breaker points isn't one of them.

 

X2

 

On the other hand I can go years without touching mine.

 

I have never heard of anyone having to clean their points so often. Perhaps too much or the wrong kind of grease on the cam follower pad would lead to this?

I use quality components, am careful about making sure the contacts are aligned and the gap set correctly.

I have never had to clean points, in fact I don't have to touch them until it is time for a tune up which I do every 3,500 miles or so. That is a long time for a vehicle that isn't a daily driver.

 

Magical powers is a bunch of baloney, but I personally have witnessed a Pertronix bring a F134 back to life even with a thrown rod, no fuel in the tank and and all while stuck in a snow drift on MtEverest. And drove it 5000 miles that way. Barefoot, with 100 feet of snow on the ground, in 120 degree weather, uphill, both ways. And all because of Pertronix.

but your experience may vary.

 

Ah, but theres the rub...so many of the replacement parts available these days are junk. We've had other threads detailing the problems with replacement condensers. I've ran Pertronix for over 20 years with no issues.

 

Pertronix is a great unit.
Please make a thread here when you install the sniper kit.