Help with distributor, 1970 Dodge A-100 (real answers only please)?

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Sarah S

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I need to replace the distributor on my 1970 Dodge A100 Van. Right now it has the original stock mechanical one, but I would like to replace it with a new electronic one. Does anyone know a website where I can get the approx. price? Or what would you say the approx. price would be for one of these?

I have found these... http://www.carpartswholesale.com/parts/dodge/a100/distributor.html
but I don't know how to tell if they are electronic on mechicanical. I'm new to working on cars, this is my first vehicle and it needs some work. So if anyone can help me out, I would really appreciate it. I only shop at CarQuest, but I haven't checked their yet. I'm going to tomorrow, just trying to get an estimate on how much one would cost.

Also, this website I posted here has "distributor caps", but I need the whole thing. Just to let you know.

Or if someone might tell me what is wrong with my car. It hesitates real bad sometimes to get going on startup. I'll start it, let it warm up for 10 minutes sometimes and then I'll put it in reverse or drive and it will just stop. I check the choke on it and its up, not slanted or anything. Sometimes when I'm driving and come to a stop at a stop sign or a light it will also just stop and I'll need to start it up again. It starts up fine though and takes off. It never gives out when I'm driving, nor hesitate at all when im driving, only when I let off the gas to turn it does sometimes, but not so much. Only when i've fully come to a stop at a light or when im starting it up, never when im driving though. I adjusted the carburetor, but not the floats, thats my next step after the distributor, because it needs a new one anyways. Anyone have any suggestions on what i should check? Someone told me the catalytic convertor, but this van doesnt have one, its a 1970.
Thanks for your guys' help =]
i have a rebuilt carburetor with less than 100 miles on it, so i doubt it has anything to do with the carb. being old.

so in your peoples opinions, it sounds like i should stick with a point type distributor. what all would i have to do to convert it to have a electronic one, because the one i have now is a point type. and would it even be worth it?

in answer to your question dodgeman, yes i put a new spring on the carburetor which leads to the gas pedal and ran about a half tank of new gas through it already and added some carburetor/fuel injection cleaner.

my father in law says its either the distributor because its over 30 years old already i guess or the carburetor floats, but he really thinks its the distributor after test driving it.

thanks for the answers guys =]
 
You need to find a good mechanic.Throwing parts at it,is gonna cost you.
Check for vacuum leaks very good.And next the timing chain slack, on to the parts replacing the carburetor can be found rebuilt and is less of a head ache than overhauling a good one.Fun to learn but dollars are running away.
 
You need someone who knows how to do an old school tune up. You probably don't need a new distributor, but you may need a new set of points in your distributor. Those normally wear out once a year.

If you do decide to get a distributor, just get the original style unit like this: http://cpwstore.carpartswholesale.com/catalog/?Ntt=dodge+a100+a1+cardone+distributor+303610

It's relatively cheap, and the breakerless ones start at $350 and require additional modifications.

Don't attempt this repair yourself unless your are familiar with setting ignition timing, and points gap, and dwell. Otherwise you probably won't get it started again, or at very least, it will run worse.
 
It would be best to replace the distributor with a mechanical one because the electronic ones need sensors to tell it when to fire. Also, it sounds like you have a bad choke along with a bad accelerator pump in the carburetor.
 
in 1970 those was still points ignition so it doesn't have electronic ignition on it unless someone put it on it later on in the years,chrysler was the first to come out with this in 1971 but yours shouldn't have it,the hesitation your talking about can be anything from the timing to the gas that's in it,and a worn distributor will cause it,you have to get the one for points type ignition though,unless you have a late model 70 and its possible it has electronic on it,if it does have electronic ignition you,ll see a control box mounted on the fender well for it,if it doesn't have that it is a point type ignition so unless you want to convert it over you,ll have to have the point type for it,i remember answering a question about this truck for you and you said it had old gas in it, did you get all that out of it ,because that will cause it to clog the carb up on it and cause the problem your having,but you will need to old type distributor for this one,good luck.
 
o.k i do not not know what engine you have btu here goes points go to auto parts store spend about $70 buy petronic ignitor replace points comes w/instructions if your dist bearing are bad go to auto recycler spend 35 get used one also set choke right wth engine cold check choke pull off to make sure its working how long since your last tune-up and lastly to checkfor a vacuum leak get a can of carb cleaner spray at base of carb and listen for a change in rpm this is the cheapest repair i know and it converts points to electronic these can also be ordred onlne and last forever I have had one on my car for over ten years as long as your dist is good and buy a book to help find no.1 and set the timing do away with those points then start from there

Petronics ignitor keep your distributor throw the points away takes less than hour!!! any auto parts store
 
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