73 Dart Ignition Questions

[DartVadar]

So I'm about to throw in my freshly rebuilt LA 360 for my 73 dart swinger. But i'm wondering what to do about the distributor and the ignition system. The car has a running 318 currently, the electrical is in good shape as far as I know. What distributor should I use? the one that currently in the 318? or the one that came with my 360 before the rebuild, and the 360 also ran pretty good before as well. Are there any differences between the two? The 360 came out of an 81 dodge pickup. I'm kinda leaning towards the 318 dizzy because if I do that I really didn't change anything besides the motor.

I'm going to go through the electrical to make sure everything is in working order, but i'm sure its fine. I'm planning on potentially upgrading everything ignition wise at a later date but not quite yet (I'm a university student who didn't know how much an engine rebuild is! lol)

And I'm pretty sure the stock ignition in the 73 dart was the first year of the new electronic ignition system (Could be wrong). I've read that it is pretty good in stock form, and if so, is an upgraded ignition system really needed? My car is essentially just a street car that will rarely see the track.

 

[67Dart273]

Either distributor will have a fairly long, slow "smog" advance curve which could be improved upon. The cheap way out, although I don't know how good / bad they are, is the limiter plate kit from FBO ignition

Only other two ways to improve a Mopar curve is to buy an aftermarket dist. with a performance curve, or tear one of 'em down, weld up the slots in the distributor advance, and buy a spring kit.

There's about a zillion and a half (I'm not kidding) threads on this subject

an article which pretty much covers it

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/...mopar_electronic_ignition_system/viewall.html

 

[DartVadar]

Although I could modify one, It may just be easier and better in the long run to buy a new one. But I don't know, since I have two I may tinker around with them and weld up the slots for the advance. The article was good as well, seems pretty easy.

 

[67Dart273]

Probably the hardest part of recurving is getting and selecting new, weaker, springs. If you can get crackedback wound up on here, he's surely more current on this than I.

 

[Saetun]

The FBO plate is crazy easy to use & gives several options to limit the mechanical curve. Get a spring kit & curve that bad boy yourself. Its a fun quick project & easily at the novice/beginner skill level.

 

[airgrabber]

No need to get a spring kit. Just disassemble both distributors and use the two light weight stock distributor springs in one of them. Just be prepared to tune the vac advance unit some and don't go too crazy on the timing. It will wake things up. But watch out for detonation and death rattles/pings. The higher the compression ratio and the crummier the octane of the gas the more it will tend to rattle. A stock 360 should be around 8 1/2 to 1 compression so I'd give it a try.