Distributer, points or electric
 

Alright, i'm stupid about older cars. the inside looks new so i was wondering if maybe the distributor had been switched to electronic.

and second

Jeremy,
I am not sure what your question is? The only RX to come with the old points style distributor was the 79 model. In 80 they switched to electronic distributors with the ignitors mounted seperately. In 81 they upgraded the distributor with the ignitors mounted on the distributor.
hope this helps,
hanman

mine is a 79. it originally would have had points. but this dizzy looks newer. i don't know how to tell the difference so i posted pics for you gurus to tell me which it is.

No ignitors, so it's either a '79 or '80....take a photo like your first one, but pull the rotor off. If it's got paddles on the shaft and a sensor close but not touching the paddle ears, it's electronic. If it has two thingeys (gotta love the scientific language...:p: ) with little blocks that actually touch the center distributor shaft, then you've got the stock old school points system. Ditch it as fast as you can if that's the case, amigo!!:cool:

ah i see. i gotta take off the spinner. does it just pull off?

It'll resist a little, but yes, it pops right off. When you go to putting it back on, make sure you have the "D" shape of the shaft and the spinner's hole lined up before you shove it back down.

gotcha

Updating that to a electronic is very easy. Its just 4 wires and a new dizzy. I think the coils may be the same ? Not sure?

yeah i think the coils are the same,
it just has the ignitors soemwhere by them,
instead of on the sides of the dizzy,

i would actually prefer a dizzy like that for a direct fire setup,

i still dotn feel to comfortable with the wires going to my leading ignitor:(

Yeah, thats points:D I know cause I have seen both the type of rotors:D The electronic rotor is taller, and the points look like the on in the pics. Plus the lettering on the cap is different between the two. The 79 looks like the one in the pic, and 80 looks like the one in my 79:D

LATERZ, Andrew

ok, kilr, you get to help me set up a direct fire when you get down here. :D

which dizzy are you refering to?

I think he means a dizzy without the ignitor pads cast in it...

bingo,

reread my post,
you will understand

no problem,
we gotta get you a new dizzy if your is points though,
i wander if the one on the doner will fit???

search?

anyway here is my check list before i can make the trip,


get msd wires "should have on tuesday"

rewire the whole back half of my car "just redid the whole part under the dash on driver side and a ton in the engine bay, should have from the seats back done by thursday,depending on weather"

install my new racing beat exhaust "one problem though,my new muffler is a dtm style, im afraid that when i put on that rear bumper off the doner it may interfere with my muffler"

install new rear sway bar

install new trailing arm lower link

reprime car in black

get license back "a must"

get some stuff mailed out to buyers on ebay "they will be pissed if i wait till i get back"

oh and im also going to need to yank those struts when i come down,
the only way im gonna get that body kit back is if i install it,
my front end sits about 1.5" off the ground,
i wouldnt even make it down the road,so i will ned to raise it back to stock height with the doner struts

im rushing to get this all done in a week,

i have acomplished quite alot in the past couple days,
im on a pretty good roll.

everyone wish me luck

V8Kilr and Mike P-28:
The coils are not the same. I read on the mazspeed site that if you use old 9 volt coils, the new current or voltage needed by the electronic distributor will fry them. The site says to pick up MSD Blaster coils for $33 a piece and save yourself the long walk home.
"The journey of a thousand miles...starts with a broken fan belt and a flat tire"

Remember, this is what I read at mazspeed. I am waiting on a donor engine to do this to my car, so I am not speaking from personal experience.

i have a jacobs street kit. control unit and a large 30k volt plus coil. i just didn't want to deal with the wiring it in points sytle. i actually i just didn't want to deal with wiring it in period but last time i did it it was on an electronic distributor. the leading coil was oozing goo when i bought the car.

damn kilr, thats a lot of shit to do. if the rear valance doesn't clear the muffler then we'll just adapt the hangers and lower your exhaust in the rear.