[DeTomaso] GUMBALL PANTERA BREAKS DOWN OVER WEEKEND

Wed Sep 7 21:34:32 EDT 2011

Big difference between the optical pickup version and the magnetic pickup
version. First one only useful as a paperweight. Second one is fine. Based
on personal experience with both.

Doug

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "SG" <sdlgibson at sbcglobal.net>
To: <LEVITT1946 at aol.com>; <detomaso at realbig.com>; "Jim Gray"
<grayjim at att.net>
Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2011 8:16 PM
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] GUMBALL PANTERA BREAKS DOWN OVER WEEKEND

> I agree on the Unilite...mine failed a number of years ago in the middle
of a race, I gave it away and went to a different dist. SG
>
> --- On Wed, 9/7/11, Jim Gray <grayjim at att.net> wrote:
>
>
> From: Jim Gray <grayjim at att.net>
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] GUMBALL PANTERA BREAKS DOWN OVER WEEKEND
> To: LEVITT1946 at aol.com, detomaso at realbig.com
> Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 3:42 PM
>
>
> Bob,
>
> I hate to tell you this but I have had the exact same Mallory distributor
> failure in two differnt Panteras that I have owned. Whatever they say
about the
> wires I would not drive across the street with a Mallory distributor
UNLESS I
> had a spare module in the glove box.
>
> Just my experience.
>
> Jim Gray
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: "LEVITT1946 at aol.com" <LEVITT1946 at aol.com>
> To: detomaso at realbig.com
> Sent: Wed, September 7, 2011 3:25:26 PM
> Subject: [DeTomaso] GUMBALL PANTERA BREAKS DOWN OVER WEEKEND
>
>
> Hello Friends ,
>
> I thought compelled to tell the group what transpired over this past
> weekend with the Gumball Pantera .
>
> Just before the Gumball in May of 2009 I made the following improvements
> in the engine compartment.
>
> New Spark Plug Wires MSD PART #31199
>
> NEW HOLLEY 650 DP
>
> NEW MALLORY COIL
> NEW MALLORY BALLAST RESISTER
>
> NEW ROTOR AND CAP FOR MY MALLORY UNILITE DISTRIBUTOR
>
> NEW AUTOLITE SPARK PLUGS PLUGS
>
> I set out this past Sunday for a 2.5 Hr ride to Lime Rock Raceway in
> Connecticut. The car was humming like it usually does for the first 100
miles
> and then while moving at about 60 mph the car shut off and I rolled into
the
> nearby gas station. I thought it was a stuck float in my holley 650 so i
> tapped the adjusting screw and the car started right up and then shut off.
>
> I removed the float adjusting rod and put all back together. Still the car
> would not run. I decided to try and limp to Lime Rock since there were
> mechanics on hand . I got 1/2 mile and the car shut off again.
>
> I called a flat bed and was taken to the track . Mechanics at the track
> replaced the coil and the ballast resister .
>
> The car fired right up and I thought this was the end to my nightmare. I
> also noticed that the fuel pressure was very high at 9.5 to 10.The
> mechanics said that the carb could handle that pressure..So I believed .
>
> At 4:30 I got back into my car followed by a 1973 Pantera Buddy from the
> Long Island Pantera Club.
>
> One hour later the car was down for the count again. Thinking this was a
> dirt in the carb fuel issue I removed the carb turned it over and dumped
out
> all the fuel in the carb. She started up, but this time I noticed that the
> tachometer was flying all over the place. Now I knew this was not a fuel
> issue but something wrong in the ignition/electrical system . I was stuck
in
> the middle of nowhere .
>
> After waiting 4 1/2 hrs for a flatbed to arrive we loaded the car once
> again and I took the car to Danbury CT. to a friend that loves to fix
> electrical issues.
>
> The first thing my friend said after reading the Mallory Unilite
> instruction manual was WRONG WIRES ON THE CAR !
>
> He said I will bet the Module in the mallory distributor is fried .
>
> I spoke with Mallory today and confirmed that the MSD wires used are in
> fact the culprit. Over time the wires will break down the Distributor
module
> and it will eventually cease to work.
>
> I am telling you all this because if anyone is running a similar setup,GET
> RID OF THE WIRES AT ONCE.
>
> Mallory recommended the foilowing :
>
> Unilite Distributor with #30450 COIL
>
> Carbon or Graphite Core Wire ONLY (SIDEWINDER PART # 931)
>
> If the system is reading 1.4 ohms or less you need the ballast resister
.If
> above 1.4 ohms there is no need for the ballast resister.
>
> Now I also spoke to Holley and they said the fuel pump pressure is way
> to high and that the fuel pump should be replaced as well with Holley part
#
> 12-854. This mechanical pump will be 80 gph compared to the 30gph that I
> had on the car . The fuel pressure will only put out a max of 7.5. Fuel
> pressure of 10 will blow the seals of the carb.
>
> Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Best Regards,
> Bob Levitt
> Team Pantera Racing #3196
> Gumball3000 #56
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
>
> Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
>
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
>
> Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
>
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> _______________________________________________
>
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
>
> Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
>
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
>