electronic ignition

I have a Super WD9 and wanted to put electronic ignition on it. I ordered Pertronics kit 1142 from this site. My SWD9 is listed along with other Farmalls
The unit only produced a weak spark that wouldn't start the gas starting unit. I called the tec people at Pertronics and we went over the installation. I had done it right, but it still wouldn't fire up the engine.
AND THEN IT DAWNED ON ME....WD9's have a CCW turning distributor!!!
Why does this make any difference? Also, why is there one kit for Pos ground and another for Neg ?
Just swith wires around? Can't 12V kit become 6V with a voltage droping resister?
 
If pertonics couldn't help you to get it to work, doesn't it make you wonder what you paid the BIG bucks for?

When you put your money down and place your bet with an established company and buy the product the catalog shows, often times you expect it to work.

And swapping the red and black wires to attempt to accommodate the opposite ground just does ONE thing, it lets the reasonably expense smoke out!

YAMMV!
 
I do not think the rotation makes a difference. If the reluctor (rotating component placed on the cam) is symmetrical where it passes the sensor, there should be an adequate signal. if it has a ramp shape with a step at the point of fire, it might not. If it is asymmetric, turning it end-for-end so the ramp is reversed might work.
Another way to check the action, is to remove the distributor, and (with it grounded with a jumper) with the ignition on, rotate the drive and check the coil output in either direction.
Another possibility is that the coil is failing. Jim
 
Jan has it. Check your coil. These units are very specific about the coil you need to run. If you are using the original coil... thats where your problem is.
 
Ignitor # 1142 doe NOT require any sort of "special" coil. Do not believe it. Made to use with your standard coil. It comes in standard 12 volt negative-ground version, 6 volt positive ground, and 6 volt negative ground. I don't know which one you ordered. #1142 is made for Delco distributors used on some IHs, Allis Chalmers, and a few boat engines. Delco distributor #s 1111748 and 1111735.
 
The positive ground and negative ground units are wired differently. It's the old sinking circuit vs. sourcing circuit thing. I have installed both and they work equally well. The difficulty I had with the 6-volt unit I installed on a '48 Dodge car was that the ignition circuit voltage was pulled down too low by the starter solenoid to fire while cranking. The solution was to use a relay to apply power to the ignition module directly off the battery.
 
My friend did the same thing with a 400. It did not start with the electronic ignition. The 12 volt battery turned it over fast.We checked the voltage when cranking , it was 8.5volts. Installed a new battery and it started just fine. Just for the heck of it we checked a M with factory 6 volt and standard ignition. It started good with 4.6 volts at the coil! So apparently the electronic ignition needs a higher voltage.
 
I have a WD-6 that I installed a pertronics unit in the IH dist. a number of years ago. It made a huge improvement in the way it starts. I never did make it out to the tractor shed today to check the coil, I don't think I replaced it.

One item to check on your Super WD-9 is the manifold switch, you may be losing some voltage across that switch.
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