new distributor

[Matt Conlan]

Putting in a new distributor from Ricks Mopars, and it isn't lining up with the old one. What am I missing. The one at left is the original at TDC and the rotor is pointing at #1 terminal on the cap. The tongue to fit into the engine is at the same location on both. Any ideas?

 

[Matt Conlan]

Can I just physically move the slot in the oil pump shaft to line up where I want it? Why would it be different from the old distributor?

 

[Slap Stick]

When you pulled the old dizzy out the oil pump shaft may have come out and dropped back in a tooth off.
Where is the slot in the shaft pointing?

 

[thethee]

[Could be reluctor is out of phase. Those can be mounted in two ways for stock style right? Are they the same for both distributors?]
This is wrong and has nothing to do with your issue, my bad.

Did you check with old distributor - new distributor - old distributor? If so and they are still pointing different directions I don't think problem is with your intermediate shaft

 

[gyknot]

why it doesn't line up I don't know but it doesn't really matter. When you bring up #1 to TDC, check which plug tower it lines up with and start #1 there and work your way around. The car won't know the difference no matter where its pointing.

 

[Big_John]

IMHO, you are kind of comparing apples and oranges. Looks like a points distributor with Pertronix conversion on the left. Lot's of things could be going on there.

Point it to #1 and adjust it using a timing light and you are done.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Put the distributor in with the advance in a good position for adjustments, mark outside the unit where the rotor is pointed, put cap on, load wires starting at your mark, you may need to adjust to get a post to line up with the mark.

Right idea (I ended up rotating the drive gear and starting over, same idea, different mark)

Alan

 

[patinated_imperial]

Interesting - as I am also waiting for a distributor from him. (second try actually - the first one was lost/is stock in customs in Amsterdam getting into EU)
I would not have thought to check for a "new" no. 1 cylinder on the cap, if it was not the this thread. So thank you.
The only phasing we can change must be the reluctor wheel's position relative to the rotor (and probably not relevant here)
The cap and rotor design must be able to accept some angular misalignment: Think about how the position of the rotor relative to the cap starts to change when the advance kicks in.
Following the guides, I guess you also need to sure cyl 1 is at it's compression stroke and not it's exhaust stroke.

 

[Matt Conlan]

Thanks for all the info, guys. I started from TDC again, and got the distributor rotor pointed at #1 cap at 8 degrees BTDC, so I think we'd be good, but I don't get any spark. I've got 12 volts on the +terminal on the coil with the key on start, but when I turn it over, it drops to about 4. Ballast resistor is good. Does that matter? Is my timing just so far off it won't start?

 

[Matt Conlan]

I suppose hold the plug wire up to the block and see if we have a spark at all?

 

[Big_John]

Thanks for all the info, guys. I started from TDC again, and got the distributor rotor pointed at #1 cap at 8 degrees BTDC, so I think we'd be good, but I don't get any spark. I've got 12 volts on the +terminal on the coil with the key on start, but when I turn it over, it drops to about 4. Ballast resistor is good. Does that matter? Is my timing just so far off it won't start?

I'm gonna ask this question...

I see it was a Pertronix converted points distributor you took out.

You haven't mention what ECU you put in or how you wired the new distributor and ECU that you would need to replace the old parts.

 

[Matt Conlan]

I put in the HiRev 7500 ECU that was matched with the new distributor from Mr. Ehrenberg. The thing confusing me about the wiring is there seem to be too many wires coming out of the feed side of the ballast resistor. Both the dark blue and the red carry 12 volts with the battery on. Im thinking only one should power the coil. The light blue line goes to the new distributor.

 

[polara71]

Two pin ballast or four?

 

[Matt Conlan]

Two as in the pic above

 

[Big_John]

I put in the HiRev 7500 ECU that was matched with the new distributor from Mr. Ehrenberg. The thing confusing me about the wiring is there seem to be too many wires coming out of the feed side of the ballast resistor. Both the dark blue and the red carry 12 volts with the battery on. Im thinking only one should power the coil. The light blue line goes to the new distributor.View attachment 464152

This is how it should be wired. Yes, there will be 12 volts on both sides of the ballast resistor because the ballast resistor conducts electricity. One side will drop voltage once there's a load (read up on Ohm's law and other things like that) but that's not important now.

Next question. Did you turn the engine over with the distributor out? TDC for #1 comes around twice and you can put the distributor in 180 degrees out. TDC for #1 HAS to be on the compression stroke.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Turn the reluctor wheel over. It pulls off and is aligned with a pin. It will go on either way and change the phasing.
Or just move the wires one tower over and it should be in the relative same position as the old one.

 

[Matt Conlan]

Big John, I turned the engine by hand and had the valve covers off so both valves on #1 piston were closed. That should be top of compression, right? It lined up directly with the TDC mark on the damper (I redid the timing chain last year). Set it to 8 degrees BTDC, and the rotor lined up directly with #1 on the cap. Lot of wiring in there from other peoples projects, jumpers and stuff, but I think I cleared it all out. How do I make sure I'm not 180 off. Do it all again?

 

[Big_John]

Big John, I turned the engine by hand and had the valve covers off so both valves on #1 piston were closed. That should be top of compression, right? It lined up directly with the TDC mark on the damper (I redid the timing chain last year). Set it to 8 degrees BTDC, and the rotor lined up directly with #1 on the cap. Lot of wiring in there from other peoples projects, jumpers and stuff, but I think I cleared it all out. How do I make sure I'm not 180 off. Do it all again?

It sounds like you've got it right, but the way I do it is to pull the spark plug and stick my thumb over the opening. When it starts to get compression, I bring it up to TDC and there we are.

But again, I think you have it right if they were closed as you were coming up to TDC.

The problem when you have other people's left over wiring messes always complicates things.

And just to make sure, this car ran before you started working on this, correct?

Somewhere, I had a simpler version of this diagnostic procedure, but can't find it now. This might help.

Dave's Place - Chrysler Electronic Ignition System Test

 

[Matt Conlan]

Yep, the car was running, but was a hard start, and would intermittently shut off at idle. I figured this was a bad coil, and just decided to replace everything. I talked to Rick Ehrenberg on the phone who manufactures these parts, and he asked me some questions (it was only getting a single spark from the coil each time I cranked it) and voltages and determined it might be a bad ECM (whether I blew it up, or it was bad at shipping I guess we don't know) but he's sending a new one. So, I guess I'll close this thread until I get a new one. Ill report back on how it works.

 

[patinated_imperial]

Thanks for all the info, guys. I started from TDC again, and got the distributor rotor pointed at #1 cap at 8 degrees BTDC, so I think we'd be good, but I don't get any spark. I've got 12 volts on the +terminal on the coil with the key on start, but when I turn it over, it drops to about 4. Ballast resistor is good. Does that matter? Is my timing just so far off it won't start?

Without being an expert; 4 volts at the coil during cranking sounds very low.

Are you sure this part of the wiring is connected correctly?
Could S and R be switched at the ballast resistor? That would give you a full 12V at the coil with the key in run position and voltage drop through ballast resistor (and a voltage drop from the huge current draw from the starter) during cranking.