Distributor Problems: Mopar Elec vs Dual Pnt

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A340

A340

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When I rebuilt the 340 engine 2 years ago, it had an Accel dual point distributor w/o the vaccum advance on it and ran decent. After the rebuild I installed a brand new Mopar Electronic unit in the car.(with vacuum advance) The car had only about 100 miles on when I took it to the Nationals. During the cruise night in Heath the car died and had to be towed ($$) home. The Orange electronic box had went bad, so I purchased a new one from NAPA.( Car runs OK no gas smell at the exhaust at idle. ) A year later, while leaving the Nationals once again, the car dies. Tow it home once again. Had a spare orange box but didn't work. So I pulled the distributor and put the Accel back in. Only to find the brand new MSD coil had gone bad! At this point I left the Accel in, timed the car back to 32 degrees, and the car seems to have a little more power at take off than the Mopar unit had. (No vacuum advance) Now the problem is the car stinks like crazy at idle from the exhaust. If you walk behind the car you will smell like gas all day. So do I take a chance and put the electronic unit back in and cross my fingers, or am I better off leaving the dual point in and hoping someone can tell me how I need to correct the gas smell from the exhaust at idle? Haven't wanted to mess with car that much since. Getting a little bored with winter now.
 
have you adjusted the idle mixture screws on the carb?
 
Adjust your carb with a Vacuum gauge. And all the electronic are made over seas and are junk now. Just my .02 cents.:D
 
Carb is new and adjusted to highest vacuum reading. Has to do with distributor or vacuum advance because the smell was fine with the Electronic one
 
Distributor has nothing to do with gas smell. Fuel pump, lines, and carburetor cause gas smell. Also you could have a leak at the fuel tank, fill pipe grommet, or sending unit. Depending on what year this car is the vapor return line could be rusted out.

Generally if you smell gas in tail pipe when engine is running, carburetor is dumping excess fuel at idle. If you have a Holley carburetor check for blown out power valve. These things can rupture, and dump a lot of fuel at idle.

Also check for fuel in the sump by sniffing the dip stick. Sources for gas in the sump are ruptured fuel pump, blown power valve and float level set too high or has taken on fuel causing it to sink.

As for problems with coil, and orange box, electrical stuff brakes sometimes without warning.

Are you running a ballast resister? If not, that is why the coil quit.
 
I get no exhaust gas smell when the electronic distributor is in. The carb is a new Eldelbrock Avs, all gas lines, sending unit, gas tank, seals etc are new. The car does NOT have the vapor return lines. Checked the dipstick, no gas smell. And yes I am running a ballast resistor. No gas smell at the carb when idling, spark plugs look decent. I'm thinking the vaccum advance on the electronic one is changing the timing enough to cure the problem but I'm not sure. Need to find different solution. Will probably put electronic back in and hope for the best.
 
I love Heath. They just about shut down Brice Rd. Police are petty cool there as long as you dont just act crazy. They also have a Dart police car.
 
You should not HAVE any vacuum advance at idle.
 
OR, I bought a used dual point factory dist. off EBay a couple of years ago for $40 which has vacuum advance. Personally, I can't tell any difference when I switch from the Mopar
electronic(orange box) to the dual point. Nice to have the dual point around for troubleshooting and it's an easy swap over(to avoid those towing charges)
 
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