Electronic ignition conversion

[384xray]

Hey community members, I just picked up a 1975 620 regular cab, AZ truck, straight and virtually rust free. Is there a recommended way to convert to electronic ignition? I did it to my 79 Rx7 years back and used an 1981 setup. Thank you in advance. Would also like to join a local club or network with local enthusiasts.

[datzenmike]

Type EI conversion or matchbox dizzy conversion into the search function.

 

There were two style the 'remote igniter' and the 'matchbox'. The remote igniter is wired under the dash, the matchbox has the box miniaturized and mounted on the side of the dizzy. All '78 had the remote and some California models had them from '75. All trucks and cars after '78 had the matchbox style.

[distributorguy]

The matchbox is actually a little better, because of the advance curve in the distributor, not because of the electronics.  

The points work fine too.  The only improvement you'll see by install the matchbox distributor is from the advance curve.  If you have that advance curve put into your single points distributor, it will perform better yet.  The dual point distributor wasn't as good.  

[red13]

There are different ways to do electronic, the gm hei. I went with the nissan prw2 ignition module and gm coil

[REBELRIDER]

Can you remove the internal parts from a 79 A series matchbox and put it all in a 77 L20B  single points dist. ? before I take it all apart , just to put it all back together.

[red13]

Can you remove the internal parts from a 79 A series matchbox and put it all in a 77 L20B  single points dist. ? before I take it all apart , just to put it all back together.

Dont think that sounds like a good idea

[REBELRIDER]

they seem to share the same reluctor and pickup coil  as the 79 L series is the reason I'm asking.

[Doctor510]

The matchbox is actually a little better, because of the advance curve in the distributor, not because of the electronics.  

The points work fine too.  The only improvement you'll see by install the matchbox distributor is from the advance curve.  If you have that advance curve put into your single points distributor, it will perform better yet.  The dual point distributor wasn't as good.  

I think that you'll find the ignition adv,retard only the the Z Turbo ICM.  Not in the 620 trucks.

[datzenmike]

they seem to share the same reluctor and pickup coil  as the 79 L series is the reason I'm asking.

 

The A series drive gear needs to be removed from the bottom. I think you just knock out the roll pin. You will need the bottom part from an L series distributor that slips over the end of the drive spindle. They should all be the same.

 

[REBELRIDER]

Thank you, I thought they looked too much alike to me .

[distributorguy]

I think that you'll find the ignition adv,retard only the the Z Turbo ICM.  Not in the 620 trucks.

 

I think you misunderstood my post.  The factory electronic distributor has a better advance curve than the factory points distributor for the 620.  The factory points distributor can be recurved to perform better than the 1980 electronic version in stock form.  

I work on 240/260/280Z distributors every week, all year, every year.  I know the differences between them and the 620 distributors - all too well.  

 

Those 90 day warranty aftermarket China's Finest brand distributors aren't worth their weight in peanuts.  If I ask the manufacturer, I can likely buy them for $19 each.  That's the going rate.  

[REBELRIDER]

what I was wanting to do was pull the shaft and all working parts from the A14  matchbox and transplant it all in the L20B points dist. case so that the vacuum advance and adjustments would still be in the right place . So that will not work ?

[datzenmike]

The A series drive gear needs to be removed from the bottom. I think you just knock out the roll pin. You will need the bottom part from an L series distributor that slips over the end of the drive spindle. They should all be the same.

 

 

Just make it an L series and run it.

[distributorguy]

what I was wanting to do was pull the shaft and all working parts from the A14  matchbox and transplant it all in the L20B points dist. case so that the vacuum advance and adjustments would still be in the right place . So that will not work ?

 

Unfortunately, there are enough differences between the two castings that you can't do that, at least not without some serious modifications.  You can go the other way and put a points shaft into a matchbox though.  There's nowhere to mount the module.