I don't want to step on anyones toe's or feelings, or restart any Pertronix wars, I have Pertronix units in eight of my point type cars, some close to or more than 10 trouble free years. I think the biggest mistakes I have found people make, is running them at low voltage through the ballast resister. Pertronix units run on 12v, and will start crapping out at 8v or less. I have never tested it, but it would make sense that as engine compartment temps go up resistance in the resistor will increase, lowering voltage even further to the Pertronix unit leaving you on the side of the road because there is not enough volts to run it. To keep a stock look I recycle old defective ballast resistors and solder a jumper wire across the two leads from behind. When reinstalled, it looks stock, but the neat little unseen secret is your 12v in & 12v out across the resistor. One other issue is the adjustment slot is to short for some distributors and needs to be lengthened with a small round file. I believe that problem is a distributor quality control related issue and not a pertronix issue. People open the gap as far as they can and just leave it out of adjustment with too small of a gap. I'm by no means saying Pertronix units are bullet proof, but I have retrieved several presumed defective units from friends trash cans, when properly installed, they have worked just fine for me. And then again my cars were running fine with points before the conversion. I like the idea of not having to adjust points or timing when tuning my cars now. If this is of any significance, I get a matching pertronix coil and remove their label to keep a stock look on all my installs. I do get quicker starts, a little better performance and better gas mileage using Pertronix set-up's.
I am rather perplexed about people not seeing any Pertronix units used on LA, Wedges or HEMI's................I guess your saying, because You, have not seen one, the installs just don't exist?? Much to my surprise I have A, LA, B & a HEMI running Pertronix units. Now if your talking about LA Wedge & Gen III HEMIs a Pertronix unit is impossible to be used on G III HEMIs & for the most part impractical on any LA newer than 1970. Another reason you don't see them, there is nothing to see looking at the surface, it's all internal. I believe it has been covered but Pertronix units replace points, they don't fix other mechanical issues present before it's installation, so it sounds like your buddy has bigger issues that need to be rectified especially if his Pertronix unit was properly installed. Thems Just my 2¢
BTW my biggest reason for using Pertronix & single field Alternators is I want my cars to look like Mom MoPar intended for them to look when I open my hood. Not with extra goofy psychedelic colored boxes hanging any kind of way under my hood (-; OK that's Me, and You own your car and can do anything to it that brings joy to your heart, Ma MoPar be dammed.
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