Removing the reluctor from Mopar Electronic Ignition Kit Distributor on a 340

[392 Cuda]

Now that I have the 392 running in the '74 Cuda, my '69 Barracuda decided to stop starting.

I think I have narrowed it down to the magnetic pickup, and purchased a new one.

How do I get the reluctor off?

I heard I just pry it off with a screwdriver. I tried that, just short of snapping the screwdriver in half, and it is not budging.

Is there a pin or clip I need to remove first?

[Rich G.]

Nothing holding it on. Just a press fit if I remember correctly.

[1 Wild R/T]

Hit it with penetrating oil...  Are you sure the air gap is small enough? Very common problem... The spec is .008-.012 but there are plenty of no starts in the .010-.012 range.. I set them closer to .006..... Plus the fact you must use a brass feeler gauge, not steel... Then the fact that the slightest angle will totally throw you reading off, don't know how many times back in the 70's & 80's when these things were common a tech in the next stall would have a no start & when you ask if he checked the reluctor you'd get "it's fine" then 30 minutes later when the guy is cussing up a storm I'd look at the reluctor gap & it would be in the .012-.020.... Set the gap & the car fires right up...

Do not pry on the tips of the reluctor only in the valleys....

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

It WILL just pry off, and takes a bit of force the first time... You are doing it right prying on both sides at the same time!   

There IS a pin between reluctor and dizzy shaft... and two slots in the reluctor, used depending on rotation... the slot closest to the clock-wise arrow has to line up with the slot in dizzy shaft on the 340... If you were able to pry the reluctor up a little, and then it stopped, it may be the pin is binding in dizzy slot (I can't remember if it's a woodruff cut slot [rounded up at the upper end] or just straight cut...

Like 1 Wild recommends, just pry on the valleys, not the tips...

[Chryco Psycho]

it is a short roll pin

[392 Cuda]

Late report back... I've been concentrating on the e-body lately.

It turned out to be just stuck on there really good. I got it off with a small puller, and really had to crank on it..

After replacing the pickup (which should have come with better instructions), it starts again!

Now onto the next issue... The idle jumping around like I have a vacuum leak. Fun!

[Chryco Psycho]

AT least you got it apart finally 

[b5cuda]

Coincidentally, I have similar cars ('69 cuda 340 and a '73 cuda Gen 3 hemi project) and am currently going through a similar drill with my 340 distributor to improve the timing.   

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

  Glad you were able to get the reluctor off!

2 questions...

1. Is it the 'idle' jumping around, or the 'timing'?

2. Is there a vacuum advance on your dizzy, and did you hook it up?

The reason I'm asking is that once I put a slightly more aggressive cam in, the increase in idle speed to have it idle smooth put dizzy speed just into the mechanical advance curve... My timing was jumping around 5-10 degrees just at idle. Vacuum advance aggravated the issue, so I went with recommendations from other smarter members here to just disconnect it.

I was going to put in the FBO advance limiter plate, but it leaves the advance spring tension the same as stock, just limits how far it can advance, so you still are bouncing around at idle. Every setting on the FBO plate has same 'starting' point spring tension.

I made a plate similar to the FBO, with slots that were half the length of original, except I shortened them up on the INNER side of the slots, which put more tension on the stock spring, shifting start of advance up to around 1300 (was about 950). Initial timing is set at 18, and slot length limits it to 35 degrees all in at 3000 rpm.

Best modification I've made to my engine... solid timing at idle, stays same no matter temp or humidity, and adjusting idle mix screws doesn't end up changing timing, compounding setup problems.

I could not find a spring to put in place of the stock that provides the 'dual' curve provided by the short and long springs in stock dizzy setup.

[Chryco Psycho]

Smart modification , if you could mass produce them I bet you could sell a lot of them , it is clearly a better way to do the advance plate , when welding the slots to limit advance I have been welding the inner side of the slot for the same reason 
I generally never use the vacuum advance , you get a shorter & more stable curve using mechanical only

[RUNCHARGER]

Yes: I always weld the inner side as well.

[71383bee]

Glad you figured it out. 

Overall I'm not as impressed with the MP distributor and feel they need a good solid inspection before running.  I just troubleshooted a very similar issue with a buddy's 383 super bee a few weekends ago.  He had a brand new MP ignition kit put on his newly rebuilt 383 for break in.  it did run but ran rough and would not hold an idle.  Eventually it would not start with no spark.  We spent an afternoon troubleshooting the whole system which was checking out ok until i pulled the cap and poured out brass fillings from what i believe to be the rotor hitting the terminals on the cap.  The reluctor gap was also large enough to drive a truck through it.  After resetting it it fired right up and we then proceeded to warm it up and get a tune on it.  Every time I set the timing I'd rev and re check and it would be off 4-5 degrees.  I had to twerk with it for a while to settle down.  I eventually got it set around 16 initial and 35 total.  It also bounced around a little while watching it and I was pointing out that for a new distributor it should not do that.  The response was it was unwrapped and dropped into the motor.   In any case buyer beware and it pays to do some checking before you drop in one of these.   

[Topcat]

All of the Mopar Electronic Distributors now  are made in China.   

Find a salvage yard or swap meet one and re build it and clean up.

4 seconds flat.com does a very thorough job making sure there's no run out and gaps are correct.

Rick Ehrenberg offers this as well.
Has some good stuff I've bought before and stands behind it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Mopar-Electronic-Ignition-Distributor-A-Engine-340-318-360-Smallblock-Dodge/323774857532?hash=item4b627c413c:g:xLcAAOSwzTFcE8Ro:sc:USPSPriorityFlatRateBox!94536!US!-1

Here is a re clocked reluctor he offers you to install.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-Electronic-Ignition-MISFIRE-FIX-Modd-Distributor-Reluctor-440-340-Hemi/223473580069?hash=item3408103825:g:xqUAAOSwBahVGW~j:sc:USPSFirstClass!94536!US!-1

[kawahonda]

I wouldn't touch the mopar performance dizzys with a 10 foot pole....my distributor guy said he would disown me if I bought one.....

There is nothing wrong with a made in the US Chrysler dizzy from the 70s. They can be re-worked to do what you need them to do...

[Topcat]

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