Need more power- should I fit a pertronix II?

[Monkfish]

I was wondering if it is worth getting the Pertronix igniter II for my 65 912 to give it a bit more power?

Currently it runs the Weber conversion and 050 distributor with points and blue coil, otherwise, it's stock. I have set up the timing and the valve adjustment is good. It runs really well, it always starts first time from hot or cold, runs smoothly with no flat spots or stutters.

I really shouldn't complain, but I feel it should have more power than it does. It will cruise all day at 80 (if you have earplugs), but on steep roads and pulling away from the line it is slow. My wifes old 96 Honda Civic can easily outdrag it.

I was driving some steep twisty roads last weekend (about 4000ft elevation) and I was having to drop to 2nd gear on some of the turns.. it kind of spoiled the fun (though going back down was a blast).

I guess my question what can I do to improve things? Will the pertronix II help or does anyone have other suggestions (besides fitting a WRX engine)?

[Jeff Winter]

Comparing by today`s standards is unfair especially since the 912 was a bit on the slow side even when new. The `new` 901 body style added a good bit of weight over the 356 so it`s was expected to be a tad slower............ but it looked waaay kool! True, my wife`s Corolla will blow off my 68 912 but I could care less. I do like driving my time machine. If it went as fast as my old `69 911E I would just lose my liscense again.

The best improvement I made on mine was to build a custom exhaust. The rest is totally stock ........right down to the monster steering wheel.

Happy motoring! Jeff Winter Denver, colorado

[teleski42]

Are you sure you have full compression and that at 4000 ft your jetting was correct and the engine was not starved? The Pertronix II will not be a big bump. Enjoy the 912 for what is was intended or get a 911 if you need to pin your ears back. Good luck, Jim '66 5 spd, 1720cc w/Webers 912, '59 A Coupe race car

[Jaems]

First you need to drop the 050. It is good for a get me home distributor. But for power you need a better advance curve. The 031, 061(converted from a vacuum to a 031) a 022 or a RS00012 from CSP. Will give the correct curve for a 912. The 050 is another distributor for a VW and was never meant for a 912. However, it is better than a 009 for the street. Beside the manufacture procedure's or final products are rather poor.

The pertronix's will not give you any more power. It just save you from installing points and continually adjusting them. Also the timing will almost never need adjustment just check once it in awhile. This of course would depend on how worn you are parts.

[teleski42]

Jaems, your comment about the .050 is just plain unfounded. May Harry Pellow rest in peace. While the .009 is not suitable for the 912/356 application (except for racing) the .050 is despite it's flatter advance curve. Gee, I don't think I ever disagreed with on the 912Registry BBS in all of your posts! James

[teleski42]

Jaems, your comment about the .050 is just plain unfounded. May Harry Pellow rest in peace. While the .009 is not suitable for the 912/356 application (except for racing) the .050 is despite it's flatter advance curve. Gee, I don't think I ever disagreed with on the 912Registry BBS in all of your posts! James

[Jaems]

Teleski42, Actually there are a lot of grounds for my comments. Harry although a very good engineer and very funny was not perfect. Most of the racing community didn't even know who he was. He was well known in the 356 registry community with his column in the monthly magazine. I always enjoyed all of his stories.

Harry used the 050 as a cheap alternative to rebuilding a factory distributor with a cost of only $35 compared to the price of a rebuilt 022,031 or 061. He was good enough of a engineer with a lot of common sense to design a cam grind to go with the 050. However, this grind was lost with his passing.

Monkfish asked about increasing his power. I told him that the pertronix's will not do really do that. If'n he wanted more power he would need to drop the 050 and get one of the better curved distributors. I have used the 009 and the 050 with points and with the pertronix's. I still have one of the original 050 sitting in my garage. Which is a lot better than the ones that are made today. I found when I went to a 031. It was like a difference between night and day. I also now have it with pertronx's and added their coil and CD box. On a chassis dyno at approx 5800 I produce 103 hp and 101 lbs of torque at the rear wheels.

If you looked at all the test charts at the Registry. You would see that the advance curves were better in the 022, 031, 061 and the CSP's RS00012. (which is a reworked and recurved 009 by Benton Engineering). You will never get the performance like the original 912's with a 050 . But it will get you by and is a cheap alternative to one of the factory distributor.

[Monkfish]

Thanks for the responses.

So, how difficult is it to get hold of an 031 distrib.. and what's it (or any of the other alternatives) likely to cost?

Just to clarify my earlier post, I was not trying to make a direct comparison between a car built in 1965 a (relatively) modern car, the point I was trying to make was that the 912 feels a little flat during acceleration, almost as if it is strangled/restricted somehow. Not having driven any other 912s I don't know for sure that it's down on power, but it can't keep up with a friends 1964 Sunbeam Alpine. To me it just feels as if it has more power to give, that's why I was asking about the igniter II.

I'm going to re-check the timing tonight, change the fuel filter and take a look at the state of the plugs.

[Jaems]

Monkfish, It could be your carbs adjustments or even timing. However, the advance curves make a lot of difference in acceleration. That is why I said drop the 050. The RS0012 from CSP has made a big difference to those that had been using the 050. If you go on the www.912bbs.org and ask the members there what they think of the 0012 compared to the 050. You then can read their testimonies of why they changed and the improvements over the 050. The 0012 is much cheaper than going to the 031, 022, or 061. I prefer the 031 and used it. As far as keeping up with a 64 Sunbeam. They would be hard put trying keeping up to me. In fact, on curvy roads and short straights the 911 has a hard time trying to loose me. The street 911's through 89 can pull me in a straight line but not enough to loose me. I have a good strong street motor. A well tuned 912 is much faster than most folks realize.

Just try the 912 BBS