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I'm thinking about getting one, since I'm doing the HEI + ext. coil.
Can I swap it onto a KLDE? Is it any better than screwing a power tower into the stock one? Can I find a cap for it, continually? If so, Is it more than the stock one?
Thanks for enduring my questions, and especially for answers!

Here is a link to mod required for external coil http://www.atlantamx3.com/mocaforum/vie ... 022f92a409

With the ZE disty the cap mod is not necessary as it is already there

Mine is nicer.


You should never really need to replace the cap unless by some freak accident it gets broken. There are several threads on Probetalk about the ZE disty on the DE. This is the one which gave me the most information.

http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?t=1701116801" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you very much!

about replacing the cap, with an older car it can't hurt. I cleaned the contacts in mine on a number of occasions, and the last time I had ignition issues I found the cap was leaking voltage between terminals internally. It's pretty easy to check for with a digital multimeter. The cap was 16 years old though.

How do you check it with a digital meter?

Connect the dots and look for continuity...which there should NOT be. IF there is it means that some of the voltage whihc is supposed to go to one point in the cap is going to another.

If you did have to replace your ZE cap you'd have a bit of trouble, because you'd have to find another ZE cap. But there is no physical contact in the cap so it doesn't wear, but it may corrode if you don't keep it clean. Inspect it every year and use a brass brush to keep the terminals nice and shiny.

You need a megger to get resistance reading on this one. So it is as good as it gets.

wytbishop wrote:http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?t=1701116801

I checked that thread and I looked at the diagrams but I'm still a little confused and I want to make sure I do this right!





after looking at these 3 diagrams it looks like I don't need to change the order of the wires in the plug I just need to swap them in the same order to the 4 pin plug from the 6 pin plug... I'm writing this down for anyone who does this in the future....

I'm not electronically inclined so it took me a while to figure it out... I'm such a n00b

Yeah, dude. That's why I plugged the 1st 4 pins of my MX-3 6 pin pinout directly into the ZE 4 pin pinout, and ran the G wire into the 6 pin pinout. Works great! The only possible drawback is: If it gets wet, it's not as protected as it would be if I wired in the 4pin. But, if my engine got that soaked, there would be some other problem.

cool that's what I was thinking! thanks for the confirmation... I used the cell phone pics I took of your setup as reference as well but with your motor being different in other aspects I wasn't sure if your wiring harness was different too - thus the hesitation on my part

Yeah I checked on my dual setup when Jesse had the same question and the wire which is int he front on the stock disty is in the back on the JDM disty.

What is the effect of this modification?

On the stock distributor the ignition coil and ignitor are located in the housing of the disty which, being bolted to the head of the engine, you can imagine gets pretty hot. It is very common for the coil and/or ignitor to fail and since the disty costs about $400 to replace, the HEI conversion is the preferred fix. The 7 nipple JDM distributor is nice because it's cleaner than modifying the existing cap to accomodate an external coil.

There are many threads regarding this mod. Start in the V6 FAQ.

MX-3-Tom wrote:What is the effect of this modification?

For me, I went with the ZE disty so I could plug the MSD blaster SS (now Pertronix) coil directly into the extra nipple without the coil wire, so there's less resistance, and more spark at the plugs. Also, my HEI module and all the wiring is within 2" of the distibutor.