Fuel pumps and Pertronix

Unknown

I found out that the '54 Hornet was STARVING for fuel. Apparently the source of my problem was the original fuel pump. I replaced it with the AMC pump and I guess I got a bad one....it started BANGING shortly after start up and the best explanation I could come up with was...."IT BROKE". We returned the faulty pump and installed the second one, dropped the fuel tank and inspected (clean as a whistle), blew out the fuel lines, and installed my PERTRONIX. I was able to go for a very enjoyable, trouble free ride this afternoon:)

The Pertronix installation went fairly smooth....just a couple of glitches I'll share so that others don't learn like I did.

GLITCH #1: There WAS one modification my instructions didn't mention....having to drill out the two rivets where the screw terminal is.....I figured this was because the kit was listed as being for MOPAR and I was dealing with a Hudson.

GLITCH #2: The sensor came with a piece of tape with a part number over it that I removed. The magnetic ring also hade a green piece of tap wrapped around it.....DO NOT REMOVE THAT TAPE!!! I'm probably the only DUMB@SS that has ever removed that piece of tape, and I'm telling you...it wasn't fun. The tape , as I learned, holds six little magnets in place. And if you don't get them back in right...it develops QUITE THE MISS! I finally was able to get them all going the same way with the help of a refrigerator magnet.

GLITCH #3: This one was definitely my stupidity, but I'll mention it anyway. I had to run a section of wire from the (+) side of the coil to the chassis...so I routed it around to the fender well and was going to use the screw that holds a "cendensor looking thing" that is attached to my voltage regulator. I wasn't paying attention and the wire got pinched under the screw. It WOULD run, but it would not charge.

All in all, I'm calling this one a productive day!

[Deleted User]

Tommy, There is NOT one person on this Forum that can say they have NEVER Had a problem with some part, or misread the instructions or didn't read the instructions, or just generally fouled up, and I, have done most of those things. Have fun with the car. We all make mistakes
Bob

MikeWA

Sometimes my days get so "productive" that I have to quit, before I start hurting myself (in addition to screwing up even more innocent auto parts). Welcome to the club! BTW, I printed out your post, in case I ever get a Pertronix. I have discovered that one way to prevent problems is to be armed with as many "experiences of others" as I can. I find I am smarter now than I was back in the days when I knew everything.

mars55

Tommy T wrote:

I found out that the '54 Hornet was STARVING for fuel. Apparently the source of my problem was the original fuel pump. I replaced it with the AMC pump and I guess I got a bad one....it started BANGING shortly after start up ...

If your AMC pump is knocking or banging try increasing the spacer width. My AMC pump was knocking so I increased the spacer width by 1/8" and the knock went away and it has work fine ever since.

464Saloon

Only problem I had with my Pertronix install is that I went with the 45,000 volt coil of their'sinstead of the 40,000. Well the 45 is for the Ignitor 2 which has a different ohm resistance. They only make the Ignitor 1 for the Hudson. Well it ran for 30 seconds before frying the module. Fortunately Pertronix was very nice about it as I at the time didn't know what happened. They told me it was an honest mistake and to return it to the speed shop for another module and the 40 coil. Never had a problem since then and I am a happy Pertronix customer. I also had my AMC pump start knocking right after I got my new engine running. I used the new gasket stack that came with the Best Gasket Kit especially for the Hudson 308. It seemed thinner than my old gaskets I had from when I replaced the pump a year ago, but I thought new is new. I took the pump back to the parts store and they replaced it. Wasn't a year old yet.Not knocking now.

Geoff

Murphy's Law, corollary 42, sub clause 5, states " Vital instructions will be either (a) missing, (b) incomplete, or (c), completely unintelligible." Sub clause 6 states "Vital instructions will inevitably be received too late," and sub clause 6 states "If anything is written so clearly nobody can misunderstand, somebody will.