Looks like you have the earliest style distributor which actually takes different points than the one that Doug has. Its uses "left hand" points instead of "right hand" I recently found out about this difference because I ordered a pertronix kit and when I went to install it, it was not a bolt in to the distributor I had and realized there were a couple variations in the D-jet distributors through the years.
I'd try to pickup a set of std points and throw them in there. You are the 2nd person that has commented the pertronix did not play nice with the D-jet, it may be the pertronix kit is clocked in a weird way which although it can be compensated for as Jordan mentioned (a very good method he pointed out to follow by the way) it may put it out of phase with the D-jet pickup which is right below? Just a thought..

Also, confirm the markings on the flywheel are correct, those look strange and if the flywheel was lightened it is possible that the markings were redone incorrectly (though that seems unlikely)

I was gonna point out that the 2 distributors looked different. The vac advances are opposite.

i noticed the wiring was different...my build date on the car is 12-1972

Luke wrote:Looks like you have the earliest style distributor which actually takes different points than the one that Doug has. Its uses "left hand" points instead of "right hand" I recently found out about this difference because I ordered a pertronix kit and when I went to install it, it was not a bolt in to the distributor I had and realized there were a couple variations in the D-jet distributors through the years.

Well damn.... another thing that could be wrong with my car as well....

Wow, I guess they are different, but setting timing should still be the same.

My car has a build date if 03/73, but that doesn't really matter as far as the parts I have installed. Most of them came from a '74EMS that I drove for years, then parted out because of rust. That car even had a amalgamation of parts thrown together that all worked - we had a dozen parts cars to pick from. I'm not sure where my '73 distributor is right at the moment to verify the bosch number.

The service manual dated 11/72 only lists one bosch distributor for a 2.0 injected engine, which must be the one he has 0 231 163 025. The one I have is 0 231 179 001 and I can't find it listed in any book in my collection. The points I'm using are the same ones that fit Gary Stottlers '77EMS - bosch 1 237 013 121. I bought ten sets off ebay a few years ago, so I figured I'd be set forever.

I'm still going to preach dwell angle. You can set points gaps with a feeler gauge to get it close, but without checking dwell on a meter, you have no idea if you are set to specs - it's more accurate than a gap. That even pertains to his pertronix, and the car will run like crap(sound familiar) if dwell is too high or too low. Case in point coming back from Carlisle - point gap came out of adjustment while driving, car backfired, then proceeded to run on two cylinders if idling. If I kept the RPMs above 3000 it ran much better - just the opposite of where he's at.

if the pertronix is looking for an evenly spaced (4 cyl- 90*) pick up from the hall effect to fire the coil would it matter where the contact or point would be? left or right because the original cam lobes are just that they kinda don't care so long as they open and close.....also going out to pick up a set of points can anybody tell me how the originals are wired? ..the pertronix is neg side of coil and to the ballast resistor on my car

On the Pertronix I don't believe that dwell is adjustable - as long as the pickup is the correct distance from the trigger ring it does everything else internally.

They come with a little tab of plastic that you stick between the pickup and sleeve to set the gap between them, but that's it.

It's the little clear bit of plastic in this photo:

Chris, make sure that you have it wired correctly for starters:


http://www.pertronix.com/support/manual ... 12vneg.pdf

Can you just throw a set of points in without also installing a condensor? The points plug into the condensor, then the condensor wire goes the negative side of the coil.

I read a post from a VW guy who was running pertronix, and he said dwell changed when he moved the gap of the pick up. Who's to say the makers of that kit know what's best for our Saabs? It's still something I would check - it takes a few minutes to do if you had a meter.

i was just out at the car and whoever installed this kit (po) has the one lead going to the balast resistor..going out to move the wire and drive i'll be back

Just for reference, it looks like there is also a grounding wire from the condensor that is soldered to the plate just below the center shaft. It probably was removed when the pertronix kit was installed - not needed for that application.

( I really need to pull my distributor and clean that rusty thing up - kind of embarrassing posting these pictures)

no it was installed correctly..if i pull the dist. and move it the 1 tooth for 1 it wont start for 2 it has that slow out of time cranking sound..you can see the burn marks on the dist cap that it's firing at the edges of the contacts...wierd that if i set the car up the proper way and with common sense the car wont run but if it's jacked up it starts and runs (not well)..is it right that i can see my timing marks with the light in the window on the cover? to me it seems that it should be so far off they shouldn't register with the timing light

Lets forget about timing and pertronix for a second, and focus on another important setting that must be verified.

Fault tracing hint: engine not reaching full power - fuel pressure too low. 28psi is what you need to see. Buy a gauge or borrow one.

The distributor in my white '73 is a 0 231 163 025, and looks like the one in Chris' EMS, with the points on the other side from the later ones.

Regarding Luke's comment about the timing marks stamped into the flywheel, mine looks the same, I just forgot to grab a photo while I was rummaging this evening.










This is where mine is lined up with the flywheel at TDC, right on the indexing mark:






And the #'s on the Pertronix magnetic trigger ring:

thats just great i was hoping to find something wrong but that is the same distrib. number and pertronix numbers i have...i have no clue why mine wont run when lined up tdc