Need distributor help

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Darrell Keith

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Joined
Apr 2, 2019
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Location
owenton Kentucky
My 69 Dart has an electronic distributor with a part number DST 3890 on the base. When I look that number up on the internet it says it is for a 1972 to 1989 Chrysler. My car has the orange control box that is wired to the distributor. What looks wrong is it has a coil that needs to be used with a blast resistor, I have never seen this with an electronic distributor. The car has a 1972 340 and the car misses at higher rpm
 
Your car would have origionally had points.

It looks to have been converted at some time in its life.

The Chrysler electronics ignition just replaces mechanical points with electronic ones so the coil still needs a ballast resister to keep it from burning up.
 
Yes there is a ballast resistor. Car has a miss/surges at a steady speed. Hard miss at higher rpm a ND hard st start after it gets up to temperature. Kinda seems like a weak coil?

What is the static timing? Do you know when the advance comes in, like at what RPM? Might be fuel related too.
 
My 69 Dart has an electronic distributor with a part number DST 3890 on the base. When I look that number up on the internet it says it is for a 1972 to 1989 Chrysler. My car has the orange control box that is wired to the distributor. What looks wrong is it has a coil that needs to be used with a blast resistor, I have never seen this with an electronic distributor. The car has a 1972 340 and the car misses at higher rpm
Um, ALL pre-Lean Burn factory Chrysler electronic ignitions used a ballast resistor. Check your reluctor gap in the distributor. Should be about .008, checked with a non-magnetic feeler gauge.
 
Um, ALL pre-Lean Burn factory Chrysler electronic ignitions used a ballast resistor. Check your reluctor gap in the distributor. Should be about .008, checked with a non-magnetic feeler gauge.
Will check the gap later today. Busy relocating the furniture in 2 rooms. I love it when she has a day off. Thanks
 
Yes there is a ballast resistor. Car has a miss/surges at a steady speed. Hard miss at higher rpm a ND hard st start after it gets up to temperature. Kinda seems like a weak coil?
Anybodys guess. That is good as any. Intermittents are difficult

Check coil voltage as well as "how solid" is the power to the ballast. Check that box is securely grounded, ACTUALLY grounded. Pull box and distributor connectors in/ out several time to scrub terminals and to "feel" for tightness.
 
Anybodys guess. That is good as any. Intermittents are difficult

Check coil voltage as well as "how solid" is the power to the ballast. Check that box is securely grounded, ACTUALLY grounded. Pull box and distributor connectors in/ out several time to scrub terminals and to "feel" for tightness.
Will do. Thanks
 
Even plain jane coils are sometimes marked for use with a bal res. Have you checked it?
 
just remember when you go to buy parts that you have a 69 but are working on a 72-89
 
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