Please help troubleshoot a Pertronix install

[Dangermouse]

But why it is only when you use the Pertronix baffels me.

I don't think that the problem only happens when the pertronix is on there, its more that breaker points are more forgiving of low voltage than the electronic unit. With the points, even with low voltage you still get some class of spark and apparently enough to fire the engine whereas with the pertronix its all or nothing and low voltage equals no spark at all.

I think putting the pertronix on has brought to light a problem that has probably always been there so this is a good opportunity to put it right.

Going to try and have the battery load tested today, if I can find a place that can test a 6v battery...

[Dangermouse]

Ta-Daaah!

I brought my battery to the (reputedly) best auto-electrics shop in town and asked them to load test it for me; it came up as falling back to 4V under a 200A load, which they seemed to think was actually pretty good and they didn't think I needed a replacement. But overall they weren't terribly interested in my 6V irrelevancies.

So I brought it to another place and a guy who has apparently worked on acvws for donkeys years (although he was a cranky, ill-mannered, curmudgeonous sod, seems to go with the territory... ). Anyway, he declared my battery toast (and apparently it was a wholly inapproriate battery for the car anyway, a deep-cycle battery (?), even though it hadn't caused any trouble in the six years it had been in there) and let me test out the system with a new battery in place, damn thing started right up.

I'm going to leave the car with him on Friday and he says he's going to make my voltage drop go away too.

I bought the battery on the spot. I think it will even fit my battery cover.

So there you have it - looks like it was a tired old battery that was having trouble keeping up and was probably on its way out anyway.

Many thanks to all for your troubleshooting and suggestions.

- DM

keywords for future searchers: 6V, pertronix, electronic points replacement, irritating, test your battery first

[vw1303s]

hi, I have thesame problem but I have 12v and no regulator, how can I hot wire mine with no regulator?thanks