Could someone help me understand the difference between upgrading your points to an electronic ignition compared to installing a coil/ignition box

[Don Frelier]

Outboards are capacitive discharge where most automotive are inductive both are electronic but apples and oranges.

 

[ynst]

Please explain the source of the engine fire.

He was on a road trip and the shop that tried to replace his distributor after the vehicle got towed off the highway disturbed the fuel line in the process and it went un-noticed until he was on the highway a day and a half later and flames were coming out from under the hood.

The orange box wires went behind the alternator right next to the fuel line (383) then over the lower right side of the engine.

The distributor had to be replaced because the counterweight springs failed and jammed everything up under the pick-up. Pieces were floating around everywhere under the distributor cap. The bearings were pretty tired as well.

 

[Don Frelier]

He was on a road trip and the shop that tried to replace his distributor after the vehicle got towed off the highway disturbed the fuel line in the process and it went un-noticed until he was on the highway a day and a half later and flames were coming out from under the hood.

The orange box wires went behind the alternator right next to the fuel line (383) then over the lower right side of the engine.

The distributor had to be replaced because the counterweight springs failed and jammed everything up under the pick-up. Pieces were floating around everywhere under the distributor cap. The bearings were pretty tired as well.

Okay but I don't see the electronic ignition as the cause which seemed to be your indication earlier.

 

[mountain33]

Bob would be stuck on, " WTH is a dizzy??"

What happened to Bob? Now that you mentioned it. I haven't seen any snarky comments lately. I mean if it's the Bob I'm thinking about.

 

[ynst]

The electronic ignition was a direct cause of the failure because EVERYONE believes that they are indestructible. Had these owners performed routine maintenance on them, neither would have had catastrophic failures on the highway.

I've never had a problem with a Kettering distributor that couldn't be remedied on the shoulder and got me on my way.

My 5 Volares and two C-bodies, on the other hand, were always breaking down and I always had to carry spare parts in the back of the wagons or in the trunks so that they could be repaired.

I changed my caps and rotors regularly and always checked the counterweights and bearing slop just like I do with my Kettering distributors.

Both of those failures were due to the owners having believed the fallacy that electronic ignitions are indestructible and when you get some tow truck jockey trying to fix the problem(s), you're bound to be in for a costly bottom line.

Hell, my '72 Dart has a '79 engine in it but I retrofitted the '72 points distributor into it in the early eighties when I installed the newer engine.

My daughter is still driving the car to this day.

 

[dadsbee]

What happened to Bob? Now that you mentioned it. I haven't seen any snarky comments lately. I mean if it's the Bob I'm thinking about.

Bob died a month back.

 

[mountain33]

Oh crap. Thanks for info. Here I figured he got himself thrown out of the site somehow. He was entertaining. If it's the Bob I'm thinking of. I'll actually miss him