Problems with 360 LA distributor

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uber cool

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Im having problems getting a consistent 8 thou gap with my 360 LA distributor. I've tried a new pickup and reluctor but the base plate is not very secure and the gap keep changing to the point where it's either touching the reluctor or too large and no spark. Seems there is a little shaft wobble that is not helping. So any tips on improving the existing mopar dizzy or suggestions on fitting a replacement appreciated.

I've seen this one for sale locally, but not sure if it will fit the it has a purple ID tag number 375521, mine has a green tag 360xxx

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Sounds like a bent upper shaft to me. I have tons what are you looking for exact fit or a curve? Do you have the full tag number on both I can look up the curves for you.
 
When I stripped the dizzy for inspection it was noticeable the top part that locates on the dizzy shaft and mechanical weight was quite a slack fit. I did wonder if this can be sleeved?

Not sure what you mean be exact fit or curve, assume its to do with advance curve?

Is it normal that when you pull off the rotor arm you pull the top part of the shaft up and out of the mechanical advance weight and then need to mess around relocating it. Or is the a rookie mistake and once learned you hold the reluctor down whilst pulling the rotor arm?
 
There should be a clip that holds the advance cam onto the main shaft, It is under the rotor. Curve is what the ignition is set to run the engine the best. That one in the pic is probably a whole different curve since the numbers are so far apart. It might run ok or be a dog. Kind of a crapshoot without looking it up. Let me find a picture of the clip. Sleaving that I doubt it. It is machined to tolerance. I have never done it just not worth it to me since I have access to the parts. Bet there are not to many over there to choose from.
 
Ok thanks, now I do have that clip on my dizzy and I did remove it when stripping it. I must not have put it back on properly or else the top part wouldn't lift when removing the rotor arm. I wonder if that making the wobble worse!!!!

Let me go and strip mine (its on the bench) and compare, thanks for info and yes you are right not many parts over here, this one is about 20 miles away and not much money, so I might buy just for parts, see ebay link below.
CHRYSLER HEMI 5.2 360cid 5.9 V8 DISTRIBUTOR PLYMOUTH DODGE 1972-89 | eBay

Or a may just go for a new one from here .
Hi-Po Electronic Ignition Distributor LA Engine Tan Cap 340 318 360 Dodge | eBay

or here
1972-1989 Chysler Dodge Plymouth 318 360 V8 New Distributor Lifetime Warranty! | eBay

any knowledge or experience of these ones?
 
uber cool said:
Im having problems getting a consistent 8 thou gap with my 360 LA distributor. I've tried a new pickup and reluctor but the base plate is not very secure and the gap keep changing to the point where it's either touching the reluctor or too large and no spark. Seems there is a little shaft wobble that is not helping. So any tips on improving the existing mopar dizzy or suggestions on fitting a replacement appreciated.I've seen this one for sale locally, but not sure if it will fit the it has a purple ID tag number 375521, mine has a green tag 360xxx
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Hello uber cool,
Just as a note "halifaxhops" is the expert on Mopar distributors.
You cant go wrong with his rebuilds, knowledge, or advice.
He has helped us all out at some point in time.
Happy Mopar :)
Arron
 
uber cool said:
Ok thanks, now I do have that clip on my dizzy and I did remove it when stripping it. I must not have put it back on properly or else the top part wouldn't lift when removing the rotor arm. I wonder if that making the wobble worse!!!!

Let me go and strip mine (its on the bench) and compare, thanks for info and yes you are right not many parts over here, this one is about 20 miles away and not much money, so I might buy just for parts, see ebay link below.
CHRYSLER HEMI 5.2 360cid 5.9 V8 DISTRIBUTOR PLYMOUTH DODGE 1972-89 | eBay

Or a may just go for a new one from here .
Hi-Po Electronic Ignition Distributor LA Engine Tan Cap 340 318 360 Dodge | eBay

or here
1972-1989 Chysler Dodge Plymouth 318 360 V8 New Distributor Lifetime Warranty! | eBay

any knowledge or experience of these ones?
Click to expand...
LOL I rebuild them. I could prob build one or have one what is your application? Year, Carb, Thrans. Shipping might kill it though.
 
I'm in safe hands then ,thanks for that. As you can appreciate parts and knowledge not too common over here.
I got sick of taking it in and out the engine to test, so it's currently set up on the bench with a battery, coil and 8 spark plugs, so much easier to adjust and set up than in the car. I've converted it to a GM HEI unit and fine tuned the phasing by shimming the vac advance, see video here
 
I love the GM Hi. Actually tying to fit some into the oem ecu boxes. Just have to get the dam potting out without destroying the plugs. That your car?
 
uber cool said:
so it doesn't matter which way round it goes on the cam pegs?
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You mean on the weights? No they ae 180 out. Since you have it apart take the main shaft and put it the housing and see if the upper shaft has any wobble, the small part. Also see if the shaft has any side play in the housing. .002 is my limit.
 
halifaxhops said:
LOL I rebuild them. I could prob build one or have one what is your application? Year, Carb, Thrans. Shipping might kill it though.
Click to expand...
well its an option, as everything I buy I need to pay shipping and import duties from USA. the 2 im looking at on ebay are approx $80 plus another $40 for shipping and import duties. so lets not rule that option out. Right im off to the garage to have a look armed with this info, I'll report back later, thanks so far.
 
Just looked at those distributors you posted. No curve info and they fit a wide spread of motors and years. Hit or miss if it would work well. That's one of the problems with those. Usually they are made well. What is the shipping on one of those from here to there? I get the local rate.
 
I use the GM module on my distributor machine and definitely see a sharper signal out.
 
halifaxhops said:
Just looked at those distributors you posted. No curve info and they fit a wide spread of motors and years. Hit or miss if it would work well. That's one of the problems with those. Usually they are made well. What is the shipping on one of those from here to there? I get the local rate.
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I know what you mean, its like when a carb is sold as 'jetted' to your engine. How do they now what cam, CR header carb etc you have.

I think mine is a stock 360 LA engine date stamped 1980. As in stock cam and heads. I'll get a photo of the dizzy ID tag
 
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Even the Mopar performance are like that. Some you can adjust but most just have a longer slot and light springs. I use them to set curves with different parts.
 
halifaxhops said:
Just looked at those distributors you posted. No curve info and they fit a wide spread of motors and years. Hit or miss if it would work well. That's one of the problems with those. Usually they are made well. What is the shipping on one of those from here to there? I get the local rate.
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one has the shipping at $15 and the other $30
 
That's actually sounds pretty cheap. I have shipped stuff there just remember it was pretty high. Sweeden is crazy then they get the tarrifs!
 
uber cool said:
green tag 360xxx
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H'm. Green tag made think it was mopar performance but those are 3690403

uber cool said:
When I stripped the dizzy for inspection it was noticeable the top part that locates on the dizzy shaft and mechanical weight was quite a slack fit. I did wonder if this can be sleeved?
Click to expand...
Had similar on one I bought used. It was so bad I couldn't get a stable timing when spinning it up on a machine. If there's too much play in the top shaft, then its probably better costwise to replace than remachine. I'm sure machining and sleeving is possible but ....

uber cool said:
Not sure what you mean be exact fit or curve, assume its to do with advance curve?
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Yes that's what he's talking about.

uber cool said:
so I might buy just for parts, see ebay link below.
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Seems like a high price for something that hit or dropped hard enough to break the rotor. I'd be afraid the upper shaft was bent.

If you want to buy new, and the engine is slightly hotted up, the ones Erhenburg sells on e-bay are supposed to have a curve similar to the Chrysler built Mopar Performance distributors. And its got the same guts as your current distributor.

uber cool said:
I got sick of taking it in and out the engine to test, so it's currently set up on the bench with a battery, coil and 8 spark plugs, so much easier to adjust and set up than in the car.
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Haven't watched yet but that's pretty awsome thing to do. You're halfway to making your own distributor machine if you have a scope or datalogger with inductive pickup and rpm. A few years back there was a guy who did something like that. Pictures are gone now.

halifaxhops said:
Since you have it apart take the main shaft and put it the housing and see if the upper shaft has any wobble, the small part. Also see if the shaft has any side play in the housing. .002 is my limit.
Click to expand...
That would seem to be the place to start!
 
So stripped and rebuilt the dizzy. Dizzy number is 3690430.
Shaft all ok and running true. Think I found the problem the pin and the hole on the new pickup I fitted has the vac advance hole too large and the pin is too small, causing it to float around on the base plate. see image below. So I've put the old ones that is on the RHS back in. It's rebuilt now and got an even 8 to 10 thou variation all the way round. I've made a short video of it stripped and bench tested so I'll post this up later. Just shows how poor a quality some of the parts we buy are. It was a Standard part from Rock Autos, made in china!

Dart running again now, but I still have the poor running issue that plagued me since getting the car. I'm not sure what is causing this problem and have gone through everything other than check cam timing, However this is a different topic so I'll post a fresh thread about that.360 engine vibration

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