Obvious things first. Re-adjust the timing and see how it runs. It's almost 99% guaranteed your timing has changed.
The low idle and the rough running and the fact you changed the guts of the distributor make that the most likely scenario.

Nothing wrong with checking the new parts of course, but the most likely culprit is also the most likely one you need to check anyway. Even if you had not changed the distributor, checking the timing is usually a good thing even with electronic ignitions that don't change timing like the old points styles did.

Paul

 

I agree on the timing being off.

If you ain't got a timing light, you can still do it by ear.

The rotor spins counter-clockwise, so turning the distributor housing clockwise will advance it. When you advance it, the idle will come up. When you find that spot, back it off enough to drop at least half of those gained RPMs, and go for a drive and see if you hear any pinging. If you hear pinging, you'll need to retard the timing. If there's no pinging and still some power missing, then advance it.
Basically you want to advance until it pings, and then back it off enough to stop the pinging.

You don't want it too advanced because that will cause pinging, and it can cause the starter to drag down as if the battery were almost dead.

 

 

Should not matter what another one is, yours should still fall within the same 400 to 700 (or 400 to 800?) ohm range.
Did you pop the distributor cap off and check the wires themselves to make sure they're still intact? Are you using the proper OHM setting on your meter?

I suppose if you don't get an answer in time you could take your meter down to the local parts store and ask them if you can test a new one. Then compare to yours. Might not be an issue, depending on the people at the store.

Good luck. Hope it's that simple too. They're a bit of a hassle to install, but not near as bad as somethings, and not that expensive either.

Paul

 

No I'll try and check tonight, been busy. Depends on what time I get home tonight.

 

.563 k ohms is what my meter is showing.

 

Well, should be 563 ohms if it's good. But not 563k which would be way out of line.
But given the different meter's ways of reading things, could it be just a straight 563?

If so, it's right in the middle and is good.
If it's for sure in the thousands, then it's toast.

Never seen one read that high myself, but doesn't mean it can't happen. A bad reading would be 900 or maybe 300 ohms.
Maybe someone else can pipe in on that.

Paul

 

It might be my meter. It auto ranges and when I chose manual..
"Normal" ohms I don't recall it displaying anything, next options were M or K which were the only setting that displayed anything.
but I read .563 k as 563 ohms if any number was before the decimal I would have read it as being in the thousands. such as 5.63 k
If that makes any sense...
I should have checked with my analog, I'll try and do that tomorrow.

 

No, I think you're on it. It's all about the decimal point.
Then again, it never hurts to confirm. Digital is cool, but I still like my analog meters.

Paul

 

So I'm reading up on the duraspark ignition and it talks about the reluctor having 2 sides which can be flipped.
I haven't gone out to look yet but I think I may have put the reluctor on, in the wrong position?
I really didn't pay attention, I thought it didn't matter, I'm pretty sure there was only 1 slotted side for the pin.
So maybe I flipped it?
Thoughts on this? It sounds like if I flipped it, it could be enough to put it out of timing.

 

Never heard of putting one on upside-down, or what it might do (if anything) to the way things work.
I would imagine it can be put on either way physically, as far as the dowel pin is concerned. And that theoretically, poles not withstanding, it would not matter to the magnetic pickup. But I thought it could not actually fit the distributor properly when upside down?
But hey, I've never run into that. It always looks proper with the arms sticking up.

So how is yours oriented? Are the "extensions" of the posts facing up towards the cap? Or are they aimed down towards the plate?
Or by "flipped" are you saying that there are two grooves/slots and you can get it on backwards that way? Even still that would not keep it from firing the coil. Yes, it would be out of time, but it would be out of time just replacing the components. That's what happens anytime you replace anything inside a distributor, whether it's old points or modern magnetic trigger. Which is why you have to check and set the timing after working on the distributor no matter what you do. Other than replacing the cap and rotor alone, but even then it does not hurt to check timing!

If you're saying it's still running, but running like it's not timed correctly, then check and adjust the timing.
Simple as that.

Paul

 

I was reading up on how the whole duraspark system works and I came across this.
" The reluctor arm on a Ford has two slotted sides, only one side contributes to the timing, the arm can be flipped around if more advance is needed (see pictures.) On Fords each side is stamped with a number, usually 10L and 13L; or some have 15L and 18L. These numbers refer to 1/2 of the total degrees of timing that will be obtained when using that arm. So for example a 15L arm would contribute 15 x 2= 30 degrees of timing when full against the stop. "
I'm assuming the stop is in reference to the magnet on the pickup coil.

Before I go about setting the timing and opening it back up to check the reluctor; thought I'd check and ask here first for some first hand experience with this.
Unfortunately the website I read this on, the pictures are gone, since it was a post from 2004.
I haven't had to time a vehicle in probably 30 years and don't trust my memory.
So I'm trying to figure it all out. Seeing if all I need to do is clock the distributor or if I'm going to need to do more.

 

You've got a couple of things going on there I think. Related, but different.

To me it sounds like they're referring to the part of the advance mechanism that sits under the advance plate (out of sight) and that has different length slots. Not only that, but you can buy/swap different ones with different ratings from different distributors to change your mechanical advance range.
But I don't think they're talking about the reluctor wheel itself. If by "reluctor arm" they are indeed talking about the mount for the advance flyweights, they're not talking about changing the static base timing. So you're not changing your distributor's setting, you're changing how much it is able to advance as rpm increases. Say from 30 degrees, to 32 degrees total mechanical. Not changing static timing from, for example, zero degrees BTDC to 10 degrees BTDC.

If I'm wrong, and they're talking about the reluctor wheel's posts being offset from the centerline from one slot to the next, then it would indeed change base timing by using one or the other. But that still doesn't change the fact that you have to set the base timing no matter what. Changing your base timing to something you don't know, to another value that you don't know, doesn't do anything unless you get completely lucky. But I'd rather do it right than hope for luck.
You still won't know which one is right, because you don't know where each one is.
But pop the cap and look at it and see if there is a different slot for the pin. Flip it around and see what it does.

If they're indeed referring to the plate I think they are ("reluctor arm" is not sounding the same as a "reluctor wheel" to me) that is under the advance plate, then you will not change your base timing by swapping slots around. You will only change how much total advance you get at max opening.
Don't try to avoid it, embrace it and just dive in and check your current ignition timing setting. Or as Jeff Spicoli was once told... "Read it, Learn it, Live it..." and go to the next step and do something about it.

I'm guessing you don't have a timing light? Or do you and you just haven't gotten it out yet? If not, do you know anyone with one? Does Autozone or one of the other store chains have timing lights in their loaner program? That would be cool if they did.

Paul

 

I looked around for images of the reluctor wheel that you can see under the distributor cap and rotor, but could find none that showed the entire inner circumference of the part. So can't determine if there are two slots or just the one.
There was one image showing an "A" and a "B" stamped into the wheel, and that may have some bearing here. But not sure.

I still think though, that anything that is marked with a number like "12L" is the advance arm with the weights. As you can see on the Page 2 at the link below.
Here ya go for a tutorial of what I think they're talking about: Duraspark_distributor_recurve_instructions_page-2
You can rummage around in that site and hopefully find more info on what you need.

But unless your distributor is like one of those from an '83 and up Dura Spark setup, where there is a locked position and you can't advance or retard the timing by turning the distributor body, then changing the reluctor wheel for an offset position still means nothing until you can verify the timing by matching your timing marks with a timing light at idle.
If your distributor can move inside the block (many are frozen in time (no pun intended) unfortunately) then changing the timing is like a two minute job. Takes longer to get to the clamp bolt and connect the timing light than it does to actually do the deed.

Paul

 

No I have one, I just haven't dug into it since replacing the pickup coil.
Been busy with other projects with all the nice weather we have been getting recently
and freshening up the memory before I jump into this.
Yea I understand what you're saying, I'm confusing the wheel with the arm under the plate.