Possible issue with IAP type distributor

[desoto1939]

I looked at the pictures of the old and new correct rotor. I do not know how the car even ran becasue the contact point of the new end of the rotor is longer that the old incorrect one and how did it make any contact with the appropriate sparkplug contact inside the old cap.

 

This is why collecting the old cross reference catalogs as so important to make sure you have the proper working equipment for your car.  If you had purcahsed the Autolite catalog that I have then you would know all of the various Autolite items for your car and would be able to get the car running properly.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[49WINDS]

Rich - I'm honestly not sure how it ran either after seeing the comparison between the two. I think it also had the incorrect type of spark plugs, and boy you should've seen the terrible job someone did on making the wire ends! None the less, I'm glad to be putting the correct parts back onto her, and can't wait to see how much better she'll run.

 

I agree that having the factory part catalogs is a huge help. I was lucky enough to find some of them online, which is how I knew to get the right parts, but I think it may be a good investment to try and purchase one in the future.

[greg g]

This is why dist parts are ordered by dist number not by year and model.

[49WINDS]

Funny thing about that is I originally ordered parts for an IAP distributor off rock auto and when they arrived they didn't even fit! The cap was way too small and so was the rotor. I checked multiple other auto parts stores and they all showed that same wrong part. The only reason I knew how to order the correct one was by looking at an original part numbers catalog which then pointed me in the right direction.

[49WINDS]

Finally finished installing the pertronix parts as well as new plugs/wires/etc and the car runs like a dream now! I did have a little problem with it not shifting up and I started overthinking everything and checking all the wiring and switches. Every post I read on here about shifting problems with a fluid drive said to check idle-and I know the idle speed was a lot higher once I put in a properly working distributor. I don't have a tach or any way to see the RPM so I was just going off sound and how smooth it ran. I thought I had it low enough, but once I lowered it a little bit more the car shifted like normal again. Always check the easy stuff first I guess! That's one more thing I can scratch off my to-do list...except now I noticed my heater control valve is leaking inside the cab. Oh well, at least there's something to keep me busy!

 

I wanted to thank everyone again for all your help, this is a great forum and I'm loving learning so much about these old Mopars.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Deleted....NA

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by Dodgeb4ya
Wrong info

[James_Douglas]

If it were me...I would roll back and use a 1946 to 1948 Distributor. More parts and it works just the same.

 

In my 1949 Desoto I use the correct IAP as it is show car. I also put the same distributor in my 1947 Desoto as I wanted the same dizzy in both.

 

I have a couple of sets of pertronix for my cars, but still have not gotten around to installing them.  I have the 3-speed with BW overdrive in the '47 and I have to figure out the wiring for the resistor for that. 

 

I am attaching something I got from pertronix years ago which is what Don posted for anyone that wants it. Also attached is the Desoto and Chrysler Page from my 1952 Autolite Cat.

 

James.

[49WINDS]

23 minutes ago, James_Douglas said:

If it were me...I would roll back and use a 1946 to 1948 Distributor. More parts and it works just the same.

 

In my 1949 Desoto I use the correct IAP as it is show car. I also put the same distributor in my 1947 Desoto as I wanted the same dizzy in both.

 

I have a couple of sets of pertronix for my cars, but still have not gotten around to installing them.  I have the 3-speed with BW overdrive in the '47 and I have to figure out the wiring for the resistor for that. 

 

I am attaching something I got from pertronix years ago which is what Don posted for anyone that wants it. Also attached is the Desoto and Chrysler Page from my 1952 Autolite Cat.

 

James.

 

 

Thanks James, good to know that I have the option to use older distributors if needed. And those charts could definitely come in handy too.

 

I actually was able to get my stock distributor back up and running with the parts I got from the spare from the junkyard. The pertronix works great too so it was worth the investment for sure! To be honest I probably could've had it running much better by just replacing the wires and coil, as the wires looked like a kindergartner put the terminals on and I'm pretty sure the coil was bad because it was misfiring like crazy once it warmed up. Either way it's good to have all new parts on and hopefully have one less thing to worry about maintaining.

 

Best of luck to you whenever you get around to installing your sets!

 

Anton