Okay here is the deal. With the help of Chris from Prolinefuel I got my ignition installed and wired (help meaning wiring instructions).

I installed the orange ECU and electronic distributor and got the car running on the second key turn.

here is what I noticed in order:

1) Cap from points-style dist. didnt go on well my new dist.
- Do I need a new one specifically for this new dist?

2) When installing the dist. I couldnt get the rotor to line up with the referrence marks I made on the engine. no matter what adjustments I made
- The car is running fine and I timed it "by ear" but it is turned all the way counterclockwise. will this affect any adjustments I make in the future? ie. tomorrow when I set timing with timing light?

that is it, those are my questions, plus one more: do i need a new cap and rotor for my dist? I got a "1973 electronic distributor" from the parts store (that is what I said to them word for word) should I just go and ask for cap and rotor to same one? I know I should have done that to begin with (I sometimes overlook the simple obvious things while focussing on the difficult).

thanks guys.

caesar

You'll want to spend some time looking at the advance behavior of your (presumably rebuilt) distributor, since these rebuilt units come from all different years and models and what you get as far as vacuum and mechanical advance is up to the fates.

The distributor cap is the same, and so is the rotor, but it's nice to have new ones if yours are worn or deteriorated.

It can be tough to get the rotor to point exactly the same when swapping distributors, but there's enough adjustment range that all you need to do is get it in the ballpark on initial installation. There is a second adjustment bolt -- it holds the distributor clamp plate to the underside of the distributor body. If you have run out of adjustment, loosen this second bolt, move the clamp plate relative to the distributor body to "buy" yourself some more adjustment on the distributor-to-block bolt, and retighten the plate-to-distributor bolt. There is a special tool for accessing the 2nd bolt (Vim #V103) but usually not worth buying because you'd only use it once or twice.

Not all of the distributors have the secondary adjustment plate. If yours doesn't, just remove the distributor and replace it one distributor gear tooth before the current position. With a little trial and error, everything will eventually get dialed in.

Errrrr...I've certainly not seen every \6 distributor ever made, but I've seen a lot of 'em, from '60 through '87 models, and every single one of them had the clamp plate held to the distributor body with a bolt in a slot, whether the distributor was made by Chrysler, Prestolite, Bosch, or Mallory.

What \6 distributor have you seen that did not have the second bolt? Sounds like an interesting setup.

All 3 of my trucks, '82, '84, '87, don't have the secondary plate. They use a clamp to hold the dist, like the V8 motors have.

Cecil

Ditto on what Slant Cecil says.
I have two dists for my \6 79 Volare. One Made in USA and one Hecho en México; neither one has the secondary clamp. Just the clamp to hold the distributor down...

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Rafa

Hecho en México

But if you turn over a distributor such as you describe, you will find the ring against which the V8-style clamp exerts its clamping force...is held on by a bolt under the distributor!

Not really an issue with that setup, because you can turn the distributor much further in each direction than with the earlier-style plate.