distributor interchange question

[Rolling_Thunder]

Alright people - I have a electronic 440 distributor and a points style 383 distributor...     I need a electronic 383 distributor....      Is it possible to swap the main shaft from the 383 to the 440 distributor making is the correct length for the 383 but also electronic ?   

[A383Wing]

No...that's the difference is the shaft length....440 is longer.

383 & 400 will interchange, not the RB blocks

[Rolling_Thunder]

I know that man !   haha       what I am asking is can I disassemble the electronic distributor from the 440 and disassemble the points 383 distributor...     with them disassembled - can I swap just the main shafts from the 383 dizzy into the 440 distributor -  therefore making the electronic distributor have the 383 length shaft. 

That was I could use it in my 383

[y3chargerrt]

Mopar performance makes an adapter. But for 60 bucks I'd jsut get a new 440 distributor.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DCC-3690275/

[A383Wing]

He needs a 383 electronic dist......

I don't think the electronic stuff will interchange with the shafts...

Best bet would be to get a reman 400 dist

[Rolling_Thunder]

got it...     will do

[69fuchs]

The shaft WILL interchange as long as you are not interchanging a newer mp (mallory) with a factory style.  

A reman is only about $55 from advance w/core charge so how valuable is your time?

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Distributor-Cardone_5630630-P_218_R%7CGRPTUNEAMS_516428569___

[Rolling_Thunder]

Advanced Auto Parts...    hmmmm    Its about the same price from AutoZone....   plus my 20% discount...   

But my distributor needs to be cleaned anyway - so I figure I'm going to disassemble one so I can bead black the housing and stuff...    diassembling the other will take a whole 5 minutes...           

Thanks for the reply though   

[RD]

o'reilly's $49.99

I could get it for about $29 bux on my discount hehehehehe

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/A1C0/303897.oap?year=1973&make=Dodge&model=Charger&vi=1079524&keyword=distributors&pt=02780&ppt=C0334

[frederick]

No need to swap the main shaft.
You can swap over the base plate complete with the centrifugal weights.
Just did this on a tach drive dizzy with points.
Biggest trouble is getting the small clip off under the rotor.

[b5blue]

DO NOT GET A RE-MAN DIST. FROM A-! CARDONE!!!!! I bought 2 and they are crap!!! Horrible! All they do is clean them up and slap them back together! None of my friends with shops will use a-1 Cardone anymore, they are trying to be the cheapest and quality is a huge issue! Both of these had huge issues and were WAY OUT of spec. bad bushings, sloppy advance action, old springs, if anyone needs one for a 440 for parts I'm still stuck with one you can have for shipping but be warned it has issues. I bought the new Mopar Performance one and it is sweet, I highly recommend investing in a new unit as it's the hart of your motors performance. 

[Ghoste]

Why not just use a spacer under the base of the 440 dist and stab it in there?  IIRC, Mopar at one time even sold spacers the correct diamter and length to allow you to do exactly this.

[RD]

funny, i have never had an issue with A-1 Cardone pieces.. and well, you could say I have lots of experiences with them too.  Not saying your experience is not legitimate, but your experience does not account for all experiences.  And to label something junk just because you had a bad experience does not mean that ALL their products are crap. 

I was a ISS with O'Reilly's and none of the shops I worked with ever complained of the quality of the pieces so much they never wanted one.  You will get your bad products every once and a while, that happens with all businesses, but the whole line is not crap because of those.  Just those.

[69fuchs]

No need to swap the main shaft.
You can swap over the base plate complete with the centrifugal weights.
Just did this on a tach drive dizzy with points.
Biggest trouble is getting the small clip off under the rotor.

The points dist. has a very small round hole for a single wire to go through the housing, electronic housings have a u shaped groove for 2 wires and a grommet.  The electronic housing will make a cleaner install.

[b5blue]

Defective new parts? Both A-1 bought 18 mo. apart from different stores, I checked the 2nd one in the store for tightness of the bushings and advance action but after installing it and adjusting what I could it still was out of spec. and it's obvious that they are dissembled cleaned and randomly thrown back together and shipped out, there is no testing or QC going on. The same thing with master cylinders, it is a crap shoot I no longer have time to play. Buy a part install it then see if it works? Sorry but both shops told me same thing unsolicited, they were both trying to help me figure out why my car was running crappy, not bitching about A-1 when this came up. It took awhile to figure out the source of these issues. Don't get me wrong I now no longer trust A-1 just like I don't trust GM products, but others do, I respect their choice, but I go by what happened to me.        

[RD]

Defective new parts? Both A-1 bought 18 mo. apart from different stores, I checked the 2nd one in the store for tightness of the bushings and advance action but after installing it and adjusting what I could it still was out of spec. and it's obvious that they are dissembled cleaned and randomly thrown back together and shipped out, there is no testing or QC going on. The same thing with master cylinders, it is a crap shoot I no longer have time to play. Buy a part install it then see if it works? Sorry but both shops told me same thing unsolicited, they were both trying to help me figure out why my car was running crappy, not bitching about A-1 when this came up. It took awhile to figure out the source of these issues. Don't get me wrong I now no longer trust A-1 just like I don't trust GM products, but others do, I respect their choice, but I go by what happened to me.       

just out of curiousity, did you get your part warrantied or your money back?  did you file a complaint with A-1?

[frederick]

The points dist. has a very small round hole for a single wire to go through the housing, electronic housings have a u shaped groove for 2 wires and a grommet.  The electronic housing will make a cleaner install.

Indeed it does have a smaller hole.
I cut the big grommet off, taking car not to damage the wires, and use a new smaller grommet.
Both wires will pass through the hole without enlarging it.
I don't see how the electronic housing will make fore a cleaner install, though.

Oh, make sure you check the phasing, mine was slightly of.

[y3chargerrt]

Mopar Performance P3690275 - Mopar Performance Distributor Adapter Sets


Distributor Adapter, Allows RB/Hemi Distributor to Fit B Block, Kit

[b5blue]

Defective new parts? Both A-1 bought 18 mo. apart from different stores, I checked the 2nd one in the store for tightness of the bushings and advance action but after installing it and adjusting what I could it still was out of spec. and it's obvious that they are dissembled cleaned and randomly thrown back together and shipped out, there is no testing or QC going on. The same thing with master cylinders, it is a crap shoot I no longer have time to play. Buy a part install it then see if it works? Sorry but both shops told me same thing unsolicited, they were both trying to help me figure out why my car was running crappy, not bitching about A-1 when this came up. It took awhile to figure out the source of these issues. Don't get me wrong I now no longer trust A-1 just like I don't trust GM products, but others do, I respect their choice, but I go by what happened to me.       

just out of curiosity, did you get your part warrantied or your money back?  did you file a complaint with A-1?

No the first one was 18 months old before I realized it was my problem and NAPA said "sorry", so I ate 90 some odd bucks and lost a good working but crappy looking core, (I had just rebuilt my 440 and stupidly thought a fresh re-manufactured one would be prudent.) #2 was returned to Auto Zone after 2 days of mapping the curve and finding it wandered all over the place from old springs and poor tolerances, better than the first as the bushings were not totally shot but still sloppy. I took Firefighter (Ron's) advice and got the new M.P. one stabbed it in and in 3 min. had a easy starting, sweet running, tire smoking, 440! (Sorry for the high-jack) 

[Rolling_Thunder]

Why not just use a spacer under the base of the 440 dist and stab it in there?  IIRC, Mopar at one time even sold spacers the correct diamter and length to allow you to do exactly this.

It has been discontinued and sells for around $80.00    for that much $$$ I'll just buy another distributor   haha   

[Ghoste]

Is it possible to get a machine shop to fab one up, affordably that is?