sorry first off if this is already been talked over, well i have a 72 240z and found out that the distributor i have is for an automatic transmission, currently there is a manual transmission in the car, if i use the distributor as is what would i have to do in order to get it to run smoothly?

- thanks adam

The distributor specs. are in the Factory Service Manual. But there's really no reason the engine shouldn't run smoothly with either. I looked and it seems that the distributors are actually the same but the initial timing setting is different. How do you know that you have an "automatic" distributor?

p.s. Texting (with the e.e.cummings writing style) isn't really popular on this forum. Classiczcars.com likes classic writing style.

Won't make a sprap of difference.

Capitals and punctuation make for easier reading.

Edited July 14, 201410 yr by olzed

I know because the repair manual states automatic transmissions use a duel point distributor and manuals use a single point.

The function of the dual point distributor is to retard the timing when the air temperature is below 32F. This helps the engine maintain the idle load of the automatic transmission when cold. Should have no drivability issues for a manual transmission.

Here's a spread sheet on the distributors with some good information Mr Moore made out, http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/attachments/electrical-s30/29404d1240455807-280zx-distributor-advance-curve-reference-distributor-advance-curves.xls

Edited July 14, 201410 yr by siteunseen

They used dual point or dual electronic pickup distributors in the manual transmission cars also. Nissan wasn't 100% clear about why, some say it was for emissions, but Nissan described sit in Engine Fuel. It actually advances timing about 6 degrees when cold (at least in 1976 it did), which raises idle speed.

Good that you're looking at it before you have problems. What you really want to do though is take the distributor out, disassemble it, and make sure the vacuum advance breaker plate mechanism works correctly. Most of them, even in the 80's ZX's, are rusted and bound up. This can cause your timing to get stuck in the wrong place, or react slowly, leaving it advanced when it should be retarded.

If you only have the wires for one set of points you can just leave the other set in and run it. If your engine isn't running right, it's probably not because of the extra set of points.