Classic Mopar Electronic Distributor Explained

This video was created for the moderately experienced person, or the beginner to tuning classic Mopar electronic distributors and ignition.
I made a couple of mis speaks in the video.
One is where I said the part number for the timing limit plate from 4secondsflat,com and that is part J685S Timing limit plate.
This limit plate is for the small block electronic distributor.

Another is where I said to turn the whole distributor when talking about the rotor position.
Once the distributor is reassembled and going back in the motor, just turn the distributor shaft so the rotor points where it did before the distributor was removed.
Then drop it in the motor while lining up the marks on the distributor housing and engine block.
The engine will will be back within a degree or two, but always check your timing after changing anything about the ignition system just to be safe.

I also said we were going to assemble this distributor.
I'm learning though.

[garybray]

Just like my Daddy taught me 50 years ago. When as broke as we were and no dollars, we adjusted to smallest air gap possible by eyeball and not hitting reluctor. Pickups went bad and no spark. Replace pickup, adjust and ran great. You gave excellent instructions and tips.

[solidsneaker]

Thank you so much for explaining. This helped me a lot! This knowlodge is getting rare and thanks to you it doesn't get lost.

[woodhandjrable]

Im in the junk yard stuck on this dodge found your video my volume is up but i cant hsrdly hear s word your saying
So yes sir a puc is going to be worth a thousand words i cant hear thanks for video:)

[ianmorley]

Well done for your first and appreciate the effort to educate us about things like this! Keep it up!

[billsocha]

Thanks for posting this. My Charger lost all spark today and I was able to replace the spark pickup and get it running again.

[lautburns]

Good job! We have got to pass along our knowledge to the new guys and keep our hobby going.

[RustyChapman]

Greg, thanks for the look inside Mopar's electronic distributor. On my current ride, an '85 Ramcharger, a few months after I first got her, she was runnin' rough, so, 'tune up time.' I popped the cap off the distributor and it was really rusty, crusty inside. Those daggon vents in the caps. I dropped in a Proform distributor, new Blue Streak cap and rotor, and I'm back in business. Ever since those vents were first installed on the caps, I've been sealing them with silicone. I pull the vent cap off, and from the inside, I squeeze the vent full of silicone; then I fill the cap, and with my thumb on the inside vent hole, I push the cap back on the vent, compressing the silicone, providing a good seal. I've been doing that ever since those daggon vents were part of the cap, now I have proof that they are a problem. Anyways, thought I would share that with you, your distributor looked like it had a little surface rust. Thanks Rusty, add watching, liker sub.

[steve]

The one thing you left out that most people don't know about is that the vacuum advance adjustable.
Find a small allen wrench one that fits inside of the vacuum orifice and you'll find that you can loosen or tighten it which will control the diaphragm spring inside the vacuum advance unit. One thing in your explanation about how the vacuum advance works may have misled some folks, the vacuum advance doesn't rely upon RPM it relies upon a vacuum signal, so you see if you have a car that cruises at 2500 RPM another one that cruises at 3500 RPM in both cases the vacuum advance will be fully engaged, the vacuum advance goes away at wide open throttle when there is zero vacuum.

[carsondavis]

Thank you for the suggestion for the part, I just finished building my 71 duster and I was just about to have a friend weld those slots. Awesome video👍🏻

[MrWolfTickets]

Thank you so much. I've got the FBO plate and i was trying to picture how the reluctor was keyed to the shaft and now I know and I'm ready to install that plate with confidence!!

[deivysbalaguera]

Excelente video, muchas gracias!!! Era justo la información que necesitaba!!

[TonysHotRodGarage]

Good stuff man! I actually do have the .008" brass feeler gauge but that dollar bill trick has saved my butt in the past... Just like using a matchbook cover to set breaker points in a pinch! 👍👍

[barrydimatteo]

Thanks for showing the trick on how to adjust the reluctor with the dollar bill that’s cool, spend big bucks trying to find a brass feeler, is crazy .great job.

[jakekirker]

Very good how to video! Thanks you, you explained it very well. I’ve I’ve grown with everything computerized. And it’s hard to learn some of these old school cool things some times. I’ve played with my old truck trying to get a little more out of it. But it’s hard if you don’t know the tricks!

[ianwiese]

Oh man this helps a lot. Couldn't figure out how to get the pick up coil out of a 400ci in a Dodge b300. glad I didn't just start prying to hard.

[chumleye]

Thanks for the refresher you did a great job on the video and I did learn something new about that magic plate which I never knew existed. I will have to be checking into that. I come across your expertise in the A body forums (looking at the A500 swap) and see you are a very knowledgable person on Mopars. Saw your handle which showed your Youtube site and here I am. Have been through most of your vids and subbed. Thanks and keep up the great work.

[aarontr]

Thanks. Got me through my first teardown and inspection

[paulherndon]

Great video. Thank you for this. I had ordered some Mr Gasket springs and wanted to install them. This video was a great step-by-step!

[tobygonzales]

Thanks that helped me out a lot not a Mopar person but you explained a lot and in great detail

[jtbell]

Thanks for the instruction on dismantling the distributor. I think my pick up coil is bad. Now I can fix it.