Electronic ignition or not?

I would say it's worth the $130. You will notice improved throttle response.

I once spoke to guy who spent most of his life wrenching on PCM's. He said the two best things you can do to get the most out of a stock 351 are: (in this order) electronic ignition and an OJ prop.

I suppose you can debate the prop choice, but the electronic ignition seems like a gimme.

Mike

What brand of tunable ones out there are the best? I figure if I'm spending the cash now I may as well buy the best for future engine mods that are planned. I too am wondering about where I can get a convert kit for $130.00. If I can score one that cheap I may hold off on a tunable one. Brian

SkiDIM sells the Prestolite EI conversion for $150. Subtract our 10% discount and youre at $135. They sell the Pertronix cheaper, but Ive heard its more problematic. The Prestolite ran great in my boat up until my high output coil killed the module.

I just had to pull my pertronix kit out. Engine was missing/ breaking up at high rpms (above 4,200). Put the points back in and it's all good.
The manufacturer says it's a defective part.
Will know for sure when the replacement part shows up.
There have been others on here who have had issues with the Pertronix electronic ignition conversion kits-
-Brad

I don't find dealing with points and a condensor a problem. I put about 50 hours/year on the boat and I only change them every 4 or 5 years. I just changed them 2 weeks ago and hadn't touched them since 2002.

do you get some performance benefit on going from points to electronic ignition?

is it the same to get a conversion kit than a eletronic distributor?

From experince don't waste your time and money. I have tried pertronix with a flame thower coil miss fires at high rpm $130 wasted 3 years ago. Just put the prestolite kit in tonight 4hrs changing 3 coils ran great for two hours now its missing out of the hole. Spoke to Vince at Skidim Wayne at Silver Spray sports Michigan. And the last guy was a marine mechanic at my local marina who gave me thew best advice if the boat didn't come with electronic leave the points in it. These guys work on the old woodies to the 40' lakers and have not had good luck with conversions. I told Vince I would call him in the morning if it didn't work so it's going back. Take your $150 and buy something for the wife it will be in your best interest. All this was done on an 85 Natique with 600hrs and its mint amd soon forsale with points. Sorry for being so blunt but I could be skiing not testing electronic kits.

If you don't like the idea of the conversion then just buy a breakerlss distributor, it really is not that much more.

I installed the Prestolite kit just a while back. It took me a while to get it to perform right and had to upgrade to the EI coil DIM sells. As far as better throttle response.... I do not see it, in fact it feels a little sluggish to me. Seems like I am having to give more throttle input to get it to run like before. It also seems to burn more fuel. I am still not sold on it.

Mark

sounds like nautique1 and nautique2 both need to set some timing.best thing i have done besides prop change. try http://www.vintageperformance.com/retrorockets/

And the other issue about burning coils up? well that's because you didn't read the fine print about checking to see if you could or could not by-pass the ballast resistor?