Plug wiring for distributor 1974 260z

[russo]

My 260z distributor is acting up.  I purchased a rebuilt unit but it has a 3 prong plug and the original distributor had a 2 prong.  Does anyone know how to wire in the new plug?  I need to alter the stock plug on the car to a 3 prong but need to know where they go.

[Zed Head]

Might be in here.  Engine Electrical chapter.  Three wires is a good place to start studying wiring.

https://www.classiczcars.com/files/category/12-260z/

[SteveJ]

The 3-wire plug is for an automatic. The bullet size is different from pretty much all of the other bullets I have in my collection, too.

[SteveJ]

FYI: Here is a listing for a manual transmission distributor. It says "Not in Stock". I don't know if that means they can or cannot get it. Some of us tried to order windshields through Summit a couple of years ago, and that turned out to be vaporware.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaz-31-615/make/nissan/model/260z/year/1974

[Zed Head]

I thought the three-wire plug from the distributor would be for a dual pickup distributor. He should able to just use one pickup, right?  Find the common wire and use one of the others. 

Take the cap off and see how many pickups there are.

[SteveJ]

3 hours ago, Zed Head said:

I thought the three-wire plug from the distributor would be for a dual pickup distributor. He should able to just use one pickup, right?  Find the common wire and use one of the others. 

Take the cap off and see how many pickups there are.

 

The three wire distributor is for a dual pickup...for an automatic transmission 260Z. In theory, the OP could cut the plug off his wiring harness and off the new distributor to wire them correctly.  I wasn't sure if he wanted to cut connectors off. Finding the common wire isn't difficult. Finding the wire that goes to the correct pickup is more of a challenge. There is no place to put a meter probe to find out, so you have to trace the wire by hand. Here's a photo of a dual pickup distributor.

I did some examination of this distributor and it looks like the female terminal by my thumb is for the pickup closest to the vacuum advance.

[Zed Head]

So you're saying he's got a chance?!   He could probably just connect a wire and if it runs it's right.  Right?  If he has a manual transmission.

The real question might be "what does 'acting up' mean?"

7 hours ago, russo said:

My 260z distributor is acting up

 

[russo]

By acting up I mean vacuum advance does not work, does not idle well until warmed up, runs poorly when driving, poor power, stumbles acts like  a few cylinders are not firing.  Can pull plug wires and nothing changes.

[Zed Head]

The new distributor will certainly fix the vacuum advance issue.  Not so sure about the other problems.  Of course, you could also have a centrifugal advance problem too, so that might help.

Anyway, if you have a manual transmission car then you can just use one of the pickups in the distributor and let the other one ride along.  They will both put out a voltage pulse but only one will be used.

One step on a long path.  But it's a good hike.  Good luck.

[Captain Obvious]

If both the pickups are moved by the vacuum advance plate, then it really doesn't matter which one he uses. Just set the timing with a light and everything else should come out in the wash, right?

The two pickups never change with respect to eachother. They're a fixed delta under all conditions.

[SteveJ]

Quite possible, CO. It may affect the range of adjustment of the distributor. Of course, I may find out if I choose to go with that distributor in the future. I would use an HEI with it in the 73.