Car just stalled while driving .

Since you are not a parts hoarder like many of us you can do what traintech is saying by just buying a replacement pick up coil and plugging it in at dist connection and waving something steel by the pick up if it turns out not to be the pick up you then have your carry spare. However giving more thought to the idea of just carrying a whole spare dist(easier to just drop in) than R&Ring/gapping a pick up coil in a parking lot.
 
Here's a quick and dirty check for the pickup. Instead of pulling the distributor, you can just turn the engine over. Checking the coil starts about half way through the video.

 
Big_John said:
Here's a quick and dirty check for the pickup. Instead of pulling the distributor, you can just turn the engine over. Checking the coil starts about half way through the video.

Click to expand...

Yes this is a great way to check the pick up coil, if you have a multi meter. Either way he is going to have to get a meter, or a used distributor to know for sure. Because his dist. has vacuum advance they like to break between the wire holder in the case and the pickup. Especially when hot and the wire expands.
 
70bigblockdodge said:
Since you are not a parts hoarder like many of us you can do what traintech is saying by just buying a replacement pick up coil and plugging it in at dist connection and waving something steel by the pick up if it turns out not to be the pick up you then have your carry spare. However giving more thought to the idea of just carrying a whole spare dist(easier to just drop in) than R&Ring/gapping a pick up coil in a parking lot.
Click to expand...

Thanks bigblock. The car is too new to me to have stashed parts at this point. Which is where Carlisle and other swap meets will come in handy. Just got the car July of last year and this is the first issue of any kind I've had with it. Mechanical stuff I can fix all day long, when it comes to electrical I'm clueless.
 
So! Turns out to be the pick up coil as most of you thought. I didn't mind replacing a few of the other smaller ignition components as they were cheap enough anyway. So now my question is! Can I replace the Pick-up coil with the disturber still in the motor? or do I need to pull up? My mechanical skills are average enough to be able to figure it out either way. Was just looking for the most time saving way.
 
Pull it would be easier, sometimes hard to get tips to line up to set the gap. Most of the replacements are rivited to the lower/vacuum advance plate original Chrysler pieces just sat on a locating pin like points. If you remove your old ones, and it has a pin then just drill the rivet out on the new one and put just the pick up coil on the pin otherwise you have to pull the reluctor two screw drivers on either side pry up on just the spiked reluctor wheel watch for roll pin the keys it mark which way is up before you remove also.
 
70bigblockdodge said:
Pull it would be easier, sometimes hard to get tips to line up to set the gap. Most of the replacements are rivited to the lower/vacuum advance plate original Chrysler pieces just sat on a locating pin like points. If you remove your old ones, and it has a pin then just drill the rivet out on the new one and put just the pick up coil on the pin otherwise you have to pull the reluctor two screw drivers on either side pry up on just the spiked reluctor wheel watch for roll pin the keys it mark which way is up before you remove also.
Click to expand...

Great info.. Just what I needed. Thank you.
 
Gap is .008" and you want to set that with a brass feeler gage.

You can do it in the car, loosen the distributor clamp so you can turn the distributor and align the gap. I prefer to pull the distributor myself... I'm just giving another method.

I'd also check where the timing is set before you pull anything apart. The car is running OK where it's set now (except for the hot stall) and you might want to set the timing right back where it was. The harmonic balancer is known to turn also... and screw up the marks for setting the timing. I figure that you have to get the timing light out anyway.... This isn't any more work and it can save you tearing your hair out later.
 
image.jpeg
I decided to pull the distributor. Easier to work on the table that way. Look! Here's the little bastard now!!
 
image.jpeg
Having the distributor out give me a quick peek at the cam and the gear., not too bad for 92,000 miles., i've certainly seen worse. Disregard all the grunge on the block, i've cleaned it up since I took the picture.
 
Since I have the distributor out, any word to the wise as to what I should replace while it's out? I have a new pick up coil and a new vacuum advance. Thoughts / comments?
 
Big_John said:
Gap is .008" and you want to set that with a brass feeler gage.

You can do it in the car, loosen the distributor clamp so you can turn the distributor and align the gap. I prefer to pull the distributor myself... I'm just giving another method.

I'd also check where the timing is set before you pull anything apart. The car is running OK where it's set now (except for the hot stall) and you might want to set the timing right back where it was. The harmonic balancer is known to turn also... and screw up the marks for setting the timing. I figure that you have to get the timing light out anyway.... This isn't any more work and it can save you tearing your hair out later.
Click to expand...

Thanks big John..
 
Contrary to what others have said, PULL THE DISTRIBUTOR OUT BEFORE YOU START TO WORK ON IT. If you accidently drop one of the screws in the dist. you will have to pull it to get it out or when it jams, it WILL break the locating tab at the base of the shaft. 1. Mark your rotor location, and general distributor location. Pull the distributor, remove the vacuum advance unit, Pull the reluctor, (Be very careful of the roll pin), then remove the pick up plate. Reassembly is the exact opposite of the above procedure. after you get it put back together, set the air gap with a NON METALIC FEELER GAGE. Then put it back in the car and reset the timing.
 
say boss, while you are there...

what seal was around that dist base? a flat paper, or a rubber o ring? or nothing?

ive got an oil leak here, and was wondering how to attack it...

try not to die -

- saylor
 
Make sure the shaft is not loose side to side up and down it will move a lot, that's normal. Vacuum advance is either good or not I would not change it just because but I am also very cheap so I'll leave that to you:)
 
saylor said:
say boss, while you are there...

what seal was around that dist base? a flat paper, or a rubber o ring? or nothing?

ive got an oil leak here, and was wondering how to attack it...

try not to die -

- saylor
Click to expand...

Looks to be a rubber O ring, guess I should replace that too huh! Good call, I'll get one tomorrow.
 
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