1966 electronic ignition shuts off while driving

[rebel7254]

My 390 motor runs like a sewing machine then just shuts off when driving. Restart quickly in Neutral and runs again then just shuts off. Can repeat and eventually starts running fine. Get home and just let it run and it runs fine in Park. Thinking it has to be the Pertronix ignition. I have a 65 mustang that exhibited similar symptoms and have had to replace the Pertronix electronic ignition module 4 times. Any suggestions? I am thinking on replacing the Pertronix with MSD since I have had so many problems with Pertonix. Anybody had experience with the MSD ignition modules<
Thanks.

 

[seeker2736]

I had a MSD ignition put in a few years ago. I haven't had any issues with it

 

[mark costello]

My 390 motor runs like a sewing machine then just shuts off when driving. Restart quickly in Neutral and runs again then just shuts off. Can repeat and eventually starts running fine. Get home and just let it run and it runs fine in Park. Thinking it has to be the Pertronix ignition. I have a 65 mustang that exhibited similar symptoms and have had to replace the Pertronix electronic ignition module 4 times. Any suggestions? I am thinking on replacing the Pertronix with MSD since I have had so many problems with Pertonix. Anybody had experience with the MSD ignition modules<
Thanks.

Yep, I put the MSD system in my boat, been problem free ever since.

 

[Douglemmo]

Are you positive that you don't have a coil issue?

 

[rebel7254]

Are you positive that you don't have a coil issue?

Not positive but just last year replaced the old coil with Pertronix Flame thrower coil that I mounted vertically because I read that the horizontal mounting of the coil had been know to cause problems. So its possible it could be the coil as much as the ignition module. Just didnt think that the new coil was as likely to be the issue.

 

[Douglemmo]

Why don't you reinstall the old coil and run the car and see what happens? Keep the other coil in the trunk, if you have a problem you can easily reinstall the other coil. The orientation of the coil (vertical vs. horizontal) might make a difference with the oil filled coils (e.g. leaks), but I believe the Pertronics coil is dry so it shouldn't make any difference. Lastly, electronic devices usually fail and that it, they don't usually fail intermittently. Swapping coils as a test is also way cheaper than replacing the Pertronics.

Good Luck

 

[lvhdude]

Pertronix offers both oil filled and epoxy filled coils. The oil filled should be mounted vertically, tower up, the epoxy filled can be in any position according to pertronix. The epoxy is a bit more expensive.

 

[Critterpainer]

Wires inside the dist touching ground or stretching as breaker plate moves?

 

[rebel7254]

Why don't you reinstall the old coil and run the car and see what happens? Keep the other coil in the trunk, if you have a problem you can easily reinstall the other coil. The orientation of the coil (vertical vs. horizontal) might make a difference with the oil filled coils (e.g. leaks), but I believe the Pertronics coil is dry so it shouldn't make any difference. Lastly, electronic devices usually fail and that it, they don't usually fail intermittently. Swapping coils as a test is also way cheaper than replacing the Pertronics.

Good Luck

Put new coil in and have driven several times. Seems to have fixed the problem. Wouldnt have thought it since the one in it was only a year old. However this was the cheapest fix as you said. Thanks much for the advise.

 

[rebel7254]

My 390 motor runs like a sewing machine then just shuts off when driving. Restart quickly in Neutral and runs again then just shuts off. Can repeat and eventually starts running fine. Get home and just let it run and it runs fine in Park. Thinking it has to be the Pertronix ignition. I have a 65 mustang that exhibited similar symptoms and have had to replace the Pertronix electronic ignition module 4 times. Any suggestions? I am thinking on replacing the Pertronix with MSD since I have had so many problems with Pertonix. Anybody had experience with the MSD ignition modules<
Thanks.

Replaced Pertronix coil with an Advance Auto coil as recommended by Douglemmo and that seems to have fixed the problem. The Pertronix coil was only a year old so hadn't thought about it being the problem. But that was a cheap fix. No more Pertronix products for me. Thanks for all the replies.