Hi Again,

This car is going to be the death of me lol.

I installed a "running" 383 into my 70 Cuda. I didn't realize until now that it had an electronic distributor. All my wiring is original to the car, which had a points distributor.

Is there an easy way to wire up the distributor without having to change out my harness?

Thanks again!!
Jim

yes, get the points distributor LOL.

or get the MP ECU harness and module and attach it to the existant harness

your choice

Like Nacho said, get a points distributor, but you can go one better after you get a points distributor, and install a Pertronix conversion.

Best bang for the buck.

It's been posted that Autozone has rebuilt point dists for $40 (iirc). that'd get you up & going in no time. its summertime (cruising/racing) & you can upgrade at your leisure.

US$84.74 at Rockauto, new, Cardone.

then decide to go with Pertronix or not

with core or not ?

or:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/distributor-mopa...~FZ&vxp=mtr

just needing new points

or install the pertronix kit on it ( since it states the points needs to be replaced, well, you can make the upgrade at the time )

get the rotor and done. I think cap is the same... right ?

I think the pertronix system can be installed on the Magnetick pick up distributors setups too, right ?

I just called em (AZ) & $40.74 out the door with tax no exchange. Cardone # 30-3820. temporarily out of stock. EDIT the guy said to go to www.autozone.com & they may have one at his location. they're showing it there, 1yr warranty. the eBay used one may have worn bushings & the price is the same & there'd be the ship time too. MORE EDIT if I wasn't so dead broke I'd nab it myself (the AZ) as I have a P III on the shelf. EVEN MORE EDIT I'm assuming the rebuilds have the bushings R&R'd as that is the important part. RA wants $43.79 for the same rebuilt dist plus a $30 core deposit till you send your old one in to them. MORE EDIT I have some of the OE bushings and some of the lowes ones but their ID (lowes items) is a few thou bigger than the OE ones (but were dirt cheap so worth measureing) but I ain't got around to getting anything done with any of em yet.

I missed this: the above info I posted is for a 318 dist. my mistake

I would NOT put Cardone anything in my vehicle. and I can almost guarantee the timing curves will be nowhere near right.

when I get one I will check bushing side play & if that is OK I will buy it (if it is ordered I may have to committ to it) & take it apart & clean it & reassemble & reduce the lower shaft axial play to .005 with the speedway motors flat shim kit (a mile from me) then dial in the total with the FBO $22 plate & mix/match spring combo.

I cant remember if you'd said if you checked voltages as soon as the engine died. That would be my first step.

Go to Harbor Freight and buy a heat gun. Set your car in a comfortable place and run the engine, I suggest a fast idle. Heat the coil with the heat gun. If the engine dies you've located your problem. Do the same thing with the distributor housing.

It's interesting how one just has to type the letters MSD and the trolls come out. It's the most successful ignition company out there, nearly the only one, sponsors all sorts of racing and has persisted in building good stuff. Yet it's ragged on. Because they're successful? Is it a case of jealousy? Yup, "all their distributors (or coils, ignition boxes, etc) are made in China now" To which I say prove it. It's a knee-jerk reaction and you know who makes them.

R.

wrong thread dogdays

As far as I know all MSD stuff is made in El Paso.

There are some real close counterfeits out there that is real easy to confuse for the real thing.

Turns out you don't even have to type the letters msd for a troll to come out and start stuff in a thread not about msd anything.

Oh also and cardone is a perfect name for that company lol

MSD is made in China, they told me that on the phone, and the box says made in China.

Good Morning,

Turns out I had a front wiring harness for a Cuda with an electronic distributor. It is installed with a new ECU unit and voltage regulator.

Now my question is, can I just jumper the coil and cross the solenoid to see if it will run? I do not have any of the dash or steering column wiring installed yet. Is there something else I would have to jumper?

Thanks!!
Jim

4 terminal (dual) ballast/5 pin OE ECU with the blue wire loop on one end I am assuming. jump fire to either side of the blue wire loop and it wouldn't hurt to also jump fire directly to the positive primary terminal on the coil (then remove that one when it starts). on the starter relay, jump the male "grn" terminal to ground and jump fire to the male "ign" terminal to get it cranking OR just jump directly from the large "batt" terminal to the bolted on brown wire terminal tho the first one is much preferred for less sparks but it you do jump it from the batt stud, make the last connection to the brown wire so no sparks to damage the "batt" stud threads. if this is a 2 terminal (single) ballast then jump to the blue wire end of the ballast and it wouldn't hurt to also jump to the other end of the ballast at the same time then get it started then immediately remove the 2nd jumper from the brown wire end. especially if this is a new engine breakin, you want it to fire right away.