My 64 Dart is at a Mopar specialist in Memphis for starting/fuel delivery problems. The points are burned out on it, and I have to decide whether to replace the distributor/points or have them put in an electric ignition. Any thoughts here? I have a few hours to decide--they're strongly recommending the latter (which is about $200 more), but I'm nervous about adaptations on my baby.

Thoughts?

Many thanks,
Jeremy

If you aren't sure why your car isn't running right, why add to your problems by adding new parts into the mix? Besides, how much are points and a condenser?? About $10?? If they want you to replace you dizzy, tell them where to stick it. I mean, if a mechanic doesn't know how to replace a set of points, you don't want him working on your car.

If you are just looking for advise, get it working the way it is. You can always upgrade later.

Roger

Roger,

I know that the points are burned out, and they're happy to replace them for cheap; I'm just interested in whether switching to electronic will be less of a headache in the future, better starting, and, not to mention, less gas consumption, etc.

A set of points is less than $5 and will last 15k miles if your shaft bushings are good. I'd leave it points until you have to convert. Personally I wouldn't be suprised to find out your "mopar specialist" is just throwing parts at it. I could be wrong and you could have a honest technician working on your car, but I tend to be cynical since the techs at the dodge side of my dealership are glorified parts hangers. Cars used points ignitions for decades. With proper maintanance there is nothing wrong with a points ignition for basic driving. There are benefits to electronic, but your car should be able to be tuned properly with points.

Yeah, I'm voting the same way: Get it working correctly with stock parts, then do whatever upgrades you might want to do.

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Fair enough. Once I get my baby back, is there a good article around here giving clear directions for changing to electronic ignition (I've read through the archives, but there's so much stuff, it's all a bit confusing [pertronix/HEI/Chrysler])?

Thanks so much for your time,
Jeremy

I too am concerned they just wanting to soak you for more cash.

Installing points and gapping them takes 5 or 10 minutes. If that is the only cause of your hard starting issues (which it likely is) they could have had your points changed, your timing checked and your oil topped up in the time it too for me to type this out.

I'm not trying to discourage you from doing the swap. Electronic Ignitions are certainly hotter, more reliable, and save gas.

I'm just saying that you don't exactly know what is wrong with the engine right now. If you replace the points and it runs, then you aren't really out that much if you decide to do the swap later.

If you put in an electronic ignition and it doesn't run, then all of a sudden you are not only looking for other causes of the problem, (ballast resistor, key switch, short at the firewall, bad plug wires, plugged carb, bad fuel pump, plugged fuel filter etc, etc, etc.....) but now you have to deal with the possibility of something being wrong with the swap. Things like... Did they wire it correctly? Is the new ecu/alternator/regulator working? (just because parts are new doesn't mean they work) Even something as simple as a poorly soldered connection could be causing you trouble.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do the swap. I'm just saying you want to know everything else works before you start.

Sounds good. I just told them to do the points. Then it's on to the carb, which I'm pretty sure is the other problem. I asked about the swap, and he quoted something like $200 for the Mopar Electronic Ignition Kit, which I'm pretty sure I can get for at least half that cost. And I figure I can just make the swap myself down the road. For that matter, I would have changed the points myself had I known they were bad (in all my checking, I forgot to check them), but I do need them to work on the carb (which is beyond me), so I kinda' have to let them do the points for me.

Thanks again for the advice--I think we're in agreement.

Take care,
JEremy

The mopar conversion kit was disco'd quite some time ago. The really sad thing is that the dealer cost price of the dist was something like $12.00 before markup.

...did somebody say "Pertronix"?

D/W

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