LUVTruck.com

Ive got a CA '80 Luv with stock motor. I;ve got a link to a site with distrubtors for sale. I am wondering if I can put in the dual point in my motor. The dual point is listed for the 72-73 and has a ND Single Vacum
where as 76-80 has single vac control.

http://www.tpmpinc.com/import_distributors1.htm#CHEVROLET-GEO

I have to ask... Why do you want to go with a points-type ignition? The motor you have has electronic ignition capabilities. The more common mod is to get electronic ignition installed to an older points type motor. 2 sets of points is a lot of extra hassle to set up and maintain compaired to electronic. If it were me, i'd go with an electronic distributor.

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

I want to go with a hotter igntion on my engine. Plus the I found a points distriubtor for cheap. How does the electronic igntion compare when it comes to how hot the ingtion is? Or What if I change I was to just change hotter coil and spark plugs?

There really isn't much of a benefit of upgrading the ignition with a stock-block motor. Even with a weber carb, modified intake and a header, the stock electronic ignition will do the job with a lot less hassle than a points-type system. The better gain is to go with good plug wires, cap, rotor and Bosch Platinum spark plugs. If the dual point system was better, everyone would have tried to get the older distributor for their newer truck and the price would be higher that it is. The norm is that once you start modifying the stock motor, eventually it will wear out or even grenade itself and all your left with is a carb, header, alternator and ignition system. Stick with the stock electronic setup. It's more precise than the older version.

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

Perhaps its a matter of prefrence. Points aren't that difficult to change in my opinion. When the electronic goes out, it goes out all the way. Though it sounds cheaper to go with the better wires and plugs. I am acutally going to rebuild my 4cyl vs putting in a V8 I live in Ca where gas runs about 2.10/gal for 89 Octane and its going to keep going up.
I also have a mechanic/machinst who is going to give me a good deal
on all the maching work needed.

i agree with meanie, electronic ignition is alot better, if you want a hotter spark go with something like a accel super stock coil. points are a pain in the @$$ so dual points would be double pain in the @$$. i've heard someone on here say they had the dual point setup and didn't like it. i think they switched to electronic ignition. i can't remember who it was.

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1980 chevy luv 4x4 1.8 liter
1979 luv long bed parts truck
1984 2wd isuzu pup parts truck

"A man who says it can't be done shouldn't interrupt a man doing it."

I would definately go with the electronic ignition. The parts for mine will be here next week. The electronic ignition is more accurate, is easier to maintain, and for an '80, easy to find parts for.

Two main issues come to my mind:

a) I'm not certain the dual point disti will even fit the later style motor. (I'm not certain it won't either, but it jumps right out at me) The motor styles are pretty radically different, even if the distributors look pretty similar. I recall someone here modding a 75 or older to an electronic disti but I couldn't find anything in a quick search, so the two may well be cross compatible.
b) I don't see any gain over the single point disti, much less the electronic. The dual point system was used as part of the emissions control system and the 76 and later motors have other completely different methods and systems that accomplish the same thing. It changes the timing in coasting conditions, where the new motor changes the mixture with the coasting richer solenoid.

Points are easy and cheap to replace compared to the electronic distributor. If anyone doubts the cost issue just price a pickup module or a full disti for an 81-82 LUV on http://www.rockauto.com and then check the points and disti for a 79 or 80. However, points are always self adjusting themselves (by wear) the entire time you are driving the truck. The electronic distributor, when working, is going to remain the same. It works or doesn't. You don't have to worry about how far off it has worn to and when it is time to readjust or replace the points. I had an 83 PUP with the electronic and all you had to do was time it and it just ran. My 79 and 77 LUVs you have to replace and gap the points, retime it, regap the points if its still not right, then retime again and then the end result is still a sorta steady idle. That 83 idled dead on hot or cold, and I never had to replace any of the disti parts.

Plugs and wires will do a lot if you are replacing old ones, and if the disti goes out down the road they'll still work fine with either electronic or points. My first shopping trip on a newly purchased LUV would be points, condensor, cap, rotor, bosch plat (just plats not plus4) plugs and a set of plug wires. (Well, add fuel/air/oil filters ) An upgrade to the coil will also probably bring some gains (never tried it myself) and will also work with either points or elec.

I was told that the distributer shafts were different from '75 to '78. I don't believe that the distributer will fit.

how hard is it to change from a points system to electronic? and what is involved in the change over?

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I said no to drugs....But they just wouldn't listen!

No matter how good she looks, some other guy is sick and tired of putting up with her crap!

check this out. http://www.luvtruck.com/pdf/LUVignitswap.pdf

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1980 chevy luv 4x4 1.8 liter
1979 luv long bed parts truck
1984 2wd isuzu pup parts truck

"A man who says it can't be done shouldn't interrupt a man doing it."

Really it depends on the year. If it is newer than '75 then you could go with the '82 electronic setup. But if it is '75 or older you would either have to go with PerTronix, or the Mallory Unilite.

its a 73

_________________
I said no to drugs....But they just wouldn't listen!

No matter how good she looks, some other guy is sick and tired of putting up with her crap!

being a '73 you would most likely have to go with the Unilite by Mallory. It runs about $290 u.s. I am not sure if the PerTronix setup will work on the '73, but I know that you could swap in a distributer from up to '75 so it should work. The PerTronix runs about $110 u.s.

PerTronix
http://www.vintageperformance.com/retro ... vrole2.htm

Mallory Unilite
http://www.centuryperformance.com/detai ... AL-4760901

thanks, ill look in to it

_________________
I said no to drugs....But they just wouldn't listen!

No matter how good she looks, some other guy is sick and tired of putting up with her crap!