Problem with a new street rod

Kctom · April 25, 2004, 07:53:30 PM

Well the motor in the 38 ran fine, started up everytime the first second you turned the key. The main fuel pump puts out 10 lbs, had a Holley reg. on it to get 7 lbs at the carb. The reg. stopped working and let the full 10 lbs. go to the carb. This flooded the engine and would not start. Took the plugs out and cleaned them with a wire brush. Still no start. Ran battery down several times, still nothing. Pulled the Mallory unilite and coil out and put a Accel set up a buddy loaned me on. Still no Fire. After 2 days of trying to get it to start was going to pull the engine out and put another one in that I have for the pontiac. Thought about it a little, took 2 of the spark plugs out and blasted them clean. Put them back in and cranked it over. It was running on 2 cylinders. Cleaned the rest and it hit on all 8. Was really happy it runs. Took the loaned stuff off and put my unilite stuff back on. No fire. I guess charging the battery and letting it run hooked up to the charger burned it mallory up. Took the unilite stuff out and put a Pertronix ignitor in the unilite, It runs so much better. Will keep a close watch on this set-up and see how it works out. Going to carry a point type in the trunk for a spare. Anyone got one you want to get rid of ? All my buds have tossed them a long time ago. I know I have done the same thing to the ones I had. So the 38 was a no show at the first show . But will make the next one.
TOM

40 Chev Coupe · April 25, 2004, 08:10:11 PM

I know the feeling of not trusting the dist. on a run. Mine cuts out on me every now and then, points style, but at least you can replace or re-set the points.

Kctom · April 25, 2004, 08:24:14 PM

Quote from: "40 Chev Coupe"I know the feeling of not trusting the dist. on a run. Mine cuts out on me every now and then, points style, but at least you can replace or re-set the points.

I'm not liking the unilite at all. Read all the bad things about them after I bought it. Just a little touchy on the voltage thing for me. Hooked it up just like the instruction sheet said. Frank has had one for a long time and no problems. He hooks them up so it runs on less voltage, sure wish I would have remembered that tip he gave a few months back about that. Only draw back I can see on the Pertonic iginitor is if you leave the key on with the engine not running you will cook it. The ignitor II does not have this problem. Would have rather installed the II, but would of had to wait for it a couple days and was able to get this one now. Wanted to make the car show that was rained out Sat.

Ed ke6bnl · April 26, 2004, 07:14:39 AM

Quote from: "Kctom1"
Quote from: "40 Chev Coupe"I know the feeling of not trusting the dist. on a run. Mine cuts out on me every now and then, points style, but at least you can replace or re-set the points.

I'm not liking the unilite at all. Read all the bad things about them after I bought it. Just a little touchy on the voltage thing for me. Hooked it up just like the instruction sheet said. Frank has had one for a long time and no problems. He hooks them up so it runs on less voltage, sure wish I would have remembered that tip he gave a few months back about that. Only draw back I can see on the Pertonic iginitor is if you leave the key on with the engine not running you will cook it. The ignitor II does not have this problem. Would have rather installed the II, but would of had to wait for it a couple days and was able to get this one now. Wanted to make the car show that was rained out Sat.

I know what you mean the ignition sw. went bad and left the ignition on. The truck started but would die after driving about 15 minutes. pertronix said it was not the problem they would work or not work no in between. well after having my boy trailer me home I finally put the points back and all has been fine. I would never get the the I only the pertronix II. from my experience

My boys truck had the Mallory unitlite and it would miss at high rpm otherwise ok changed it over to HEI and never a problem again at any rpm Ed ke6bnl

btrc · April 26, 2004, 07:30:24 AM

I wish no one would post about problems with a unilite, makes me kind of paranoid. I've got those in two cars now. No problems yet but you only need one if your on the road. I've got many thousands of miles on the Cobra with no problems and only a few (84) on the '37 but everythings working OK so far. I've got MSD units on both of them too so maybe that helps.

Bob

rumrumm · April 26, 2004, 08:31:03 AM

I would go with a MSD or a HEI distributor if the latter would fit. I have not had good luck with either Mallory or Accel distributors. But I do like an electronic distributor much better than a points unit. Just make sure you charge the battery with the cables removed.

C9 · April 26, 2004, 09:02:41 AM

Quote from: "btrc"I wish no one would post about problems with a unilite, makes me kind of paranoid. I've got those in two cars now. No problems yet but you only need one if your on the road. I've got many thousands of miles on the Cobra with no problems and only a few (84) on the '37 but everythings working OK so far. I've got MSD units on both of them too so maybe that helps.

Bob

I've been running a Unilite on my 32 for the last ten years and about 38,000 miles.
Works fine as does the MSD box that's been on there for almost the same length of time.

Having said that, my under construction 31 will use a points distributor - cuz I have a nice rebuilt one - to trigger an MSD box.

I thought of giving the MSD distributor a try.
They make one for the 455 Buick, but it doesn't have a vacuum advance can and I'm not running without one.

Jbird · April 26, 2004, 12:08:53 PM

The only problem I've ever had with a Unilite was welding on the frame without unplugging the dist., a $90 mistake that won't happen again.
Jbird