Electronic Ignition

Jim,
So, what happened to the point set that was missing? They sure didn't disappear on their own!! Do you know what happened to them?

Thanks for the welcome Pete (I hope that's right).

It's kinda funny, I've owned my '75 for almost 7 years now and just changed the sea water pump impeller and points/condensor for the first time. I tried to order the Pertronix conversion kit last summer and to my dismay discovered it was not in anyway compatible with my distributor (Mercruiser 233R, completely original). I set/cleaned the points, replaced the cap and rotor (standard motorcraft pre-1975 auto parts, and yes they are the "correct" marine parts also)and kept on boating.

Went to start up the boat this spring and cranked and cranked and cranked.... So I start looking, check for fuel, yup, got that, check for spark...nothing! Thinking the points had given up I open up the distributor and....no friggin points or condenser, apparently they grew legs and walked away!!

I spent 2 days trying to figure what replacement points to buy, 2 local Mercury dealerships were useless, I finally ended up talking to a woman at a local bumper to bumper that still had an old marine catalog, sure enough they had a listing for my engine, the woman recognized the part numbers as being Holley parts, cross referenced them to some old Chrysler parts and sure enough, the points are Holley parts that are also used on older Chrysler motors. And luckily they had one of each in stock, back on the water in 20 minutes after installing points/condenser and setting the dwell and timing!

The next day I ordered a new mallory Billet electronic distributor, it should be here middle of next week. I didn't buy the mallory unit because I think points are unreliable either, I did it because I don't want to have to go searching for points the next time some @%$^$ decides they need them more than me, for some reason neither of the two local Mercury dealerships, both of which have been around 20 years or more, have a clue about parts for my motor, I'll be waiting longer for the spare set of points I ordered last weekend than for the Mallory distributor, which I had to buy out of the states (I am in western Canada).

Jim,
It's some of the conversions that aren't reliable.

28 years or about 600 hours. Never replaced a condensor. Never needed to clean up the point set even on spring start up. Never needed to adjust the dwell. BTW, the Y block ran great and always turned it's WOT 4400. I just felt it was time for a tune up one day after thinking about how many years it had been!!

I did have a problem with my 54, 20 years after I did the engine rebuild but it wasn't the point set or condensor. The plug wire ends in the distributor cap had turned green with copper oxide. A new cap, new plug wires and some dielectric grease solved that issue!

Welcome to CCfan!

Stan - You give up to easy!     Diversity is a good thing for any organization, otherwise it gets tunnel vision.

Stay engaged.   FWIW I like my Prestolite EI, plugs stay much cleaner than with points & it starts on the first piston up.

Yea your right maybe I do need to calm down. Think I'll go for a boat ride tonight. Finally got the motor and tranny back in and and had a test ride this afternoon.. No hard feelings and sorry to you as well.. If I;m still allowed I will continue to bounce around CC fan . Maybe I just won't have any input.. Thanks

Gary S wrote: surroundsound64 wrote: Don't get one of the conversion kits, such as ignitor. I've used 3 different makes and they all worked for about 20 hours before becoming unreliable I have a theory on this,I think it's down to distributor grounding. My Dads Shamrock was going thru condencers like crazy.Being a center consol it was hard to work on. He finally decided to go with a pertronix so he pulled the distributor to make it easier and found the clamp and the base of the distributor rusty.He cleaned it up and also ran a seperate ground from the distributor body to the block, and then installed the pertronix unit.1100 hours later when he sold it,it was still running strong. He also carried the parts and tools to change back to the points should he have a failure. By the way I too am still running points,I like the retro look of my Mallory YL mechanical tach drive flatcap distributor.

Hum... May be! Hadn't thought of that. Either way, I have the DUI now and love it. Boat never started so easy or accelerated so smoothly.

Tony that set up was the one Billy was recommending.I went to put one on my Mallory YL,but I could not get the points cam to come off and didn't want to wreck anything,so I'm back to the points.

Pete,
    Don't worry about it. I know that without this website probably I won't be able to have a boat. People like you, Boat Dr, Tim, and others have helped me a lot. Everybody has different opinions but I think everybody offer a good solution after all, is free advice and really good. Even Chris, 79Nautique, helped me a lot even though he had a "STRONG" opinion sometimes. Those who know how, know, but clueless people like me this has been a gold mine of information and great friends. I was blown away the first time Boat Dr. would call me to help out and like him I had similar experience of people helping me. How about Luchog that is in the other end of the world and he is always helping. I dislike when people get a little personal. Is uneccessary IMO but I guess are entitle to comment.

You will find that a lot of people around here will give you their best advice and the reasons for it. Pete has been one of foundation pilar to this website and his advice comes with a lot of experience. After all, everybody got their reason. They will give you the best advice but at the end you make your own decision. I was told the same thing about point and they have a strong valid point. At the end I wanted changed them anyways. Somebody recommended the Mallory E-Spark optical conversion. I have it for three years and I am extremely happy with it. Just my 2 cents. The DUI is perfect but it comes with a price. The Mallory conversion was around $100.

I'm really glad for you that you know someone from the factory,wish I did. The next time you have trouble,why don't you ask them to help?

surroundsound64 wrote: Don't get one of the conversion kits, such as ignitor. I've used 3 different makes and they all worked for about 20 hours before becoming unreliable

I have a theory on this,I think it's down to distributor grounding. My Dads Shamrock was going thru condencers like crazy.Being a center consol it was hard to work on. He finally decided to go with a pertronix so he pulled the distributor to make it easier and found the clamp and the base of the distributor rusty.He cleaned it up and also ran a seperate ground from the distributor body to the block, and then installed the pertronix unit.1100 hours later when he sold it,it was still running strong. He also carried the parts and tools to change back to the points should he have a failure. By the way I too am still running points,I like the retro look of my Mallory YL mechanical tach drive flatcap distributor.

Oh yea one more thing Pete I have heard you got 28 years on a points set . Thats awesome..... Bring your dingy down here for a month and see how your breakerless system works in the rain for a year..

You are right Keith, I am a backyard hack, Florida Cracker that works on " Marine equipment " underneath an oak tree. Also I am new to this forum you die hard grand pubas seem too so much want to control via your response . So sorry my " 1/2 a$$ advice " with link attached was so over the top for you.... So I will tell you how all the cars made it through the last 100 years with " breakers ".. Because the system is good but not perfect and it has   been proven over time. However technology seems to catch up to us. So sorry my advice on " automotive " equipment was so upsetting to you and this forum. I kind of thought the " marine equipment " you so highly speak of is based on the automotive technology and the progress over time. Hey thats fine you keep your " points" to yourself.. Hey I'm also sorry the hyperlink was not attached properly. I'll do my best to figure out how to do a proper link to this site. BTW what car company manufactures   a breakerless system these days? No more advice, and that is advice with a " c " just in case you did not know how to spell will be coming from me since the opinions on this forum will be scrutinized so strongly from the master that you are.. Hey BTW thanks for all the info from everyone regarding the rear main seal on the 82 nautiqe. Keep shooting that film in your camera...

8122pbrainard wrote: And I went 28 years on a point set. Never touched them, never had a starting problem, never had a performance problem so I never was stuck out on the lake! The point being is a point set is reliable and has been for years. A point set can be cleaned up out on the lake - You can't do that with a burnt out module so you need to carry a spare. Electronics can and are problematic.

Pete, I've seen a Mallory (YL?) series electronic distributor, it's just a conventional distributor with the mallory EI conversion from factory... dont see why it would be superior to a conversion kit yet, besides the fact it's new and not 30 years worn.