Prestolite # 496004C91 Distributor

Travis

Member
I picked up this dist. Prestolite # 496004c91 it was on ebay and stated its for a 345 78. Will it be fine for my 72 345. Thanks
 
Travis, that prestolite electronic unit should be just fine for your use. It's actually a prestolite idn-4002r model for m/y '79 304 or 345 inna Scout II. Excellent that ya have the ihc p/n for reference!

The advance curve is slightly different from what your '72 345 would have run but not enough to cause any drivability issue. How do I know? I looked the specs up in a cts2313 manual and compared to the same data for a Holley distributor inna '72 sii/345. The design characteristics of the vacuum advance unit/system is virtually identical to the earlier Holley unit.

The end play should not be any more than 0.045", I'd prefer to set it (by shimming) at 0.025">0.035" for accurate timing.

Your existing coil will work fine. However, the resistance feed needs to be eliminated and a switched b+ is all that's required to power the unit to the coil positive terminal. These distributor/coil units do not require a "ballasted" ignition feed. The "third" wire (the white one) on that distributor will not be connected to anything, the red wire will go to coil positive, the brown wire to coil negative.
 
Do you know the part # for a cap and rotor kit for this. I picked up a f2100g kit but the rotor did not fit.

Also I only have a red and brown wire, no white one like in this picture

7504prestoliteelectronic.jpg
 
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I looked up the following info for the 4002r in the online rock auto parts catalog:

acdelco "generic" prestolite

c357 cap
c444 rotor

but,

for the 4002r

there is another acdelco rotor -- f414

airtex parts for 4002r

5d1176 cap
4r1103 rotor

assume your parts store can "cross" the numbers -- rock auto also listed standard numbers al482 cap (aluminum) and al171 rotor.

Do not know anything about the specifics of IH distributors, so I cannot answer your wire question...
 
For the cap the neihoff # is ih66, borgwarner c200, standard al 482 and for the rotor neihoff ih44, bw d177, standard al171. Your local store should be able to reference one of those #'s. I have used the neihoff before. It sounds like you got a "Ford" set which will work on the Holley dist, and the cap will kinda sorta but not really fit right on the prestolite while the rotor is a no way since the Ford/Holley uses a slot in a round shaft while the prestolite uses a "d" shape shaft.

The white wire was only used on rigs that were equipped with a dtm (deceleration throttle modulator) to provide it a rpm signal. So unless you have a dtm and are using it (like to pass visual emission inspections) there is no need for the white wire.
 
I have a 1979 International Scout with 304 v8 and 4 speed manual transmission that has a prestolite idn-4002r distributor in it (IH p/n: ih496004c91). As you are no doubt aware, this distributor has the electronic ignition controller located inside of the distributor body itself beneath a dust cover that is beneath the rotor. Years ago, my local napa store was able to get for me a replacement ignition controller that was an exact duplicate for the original in this distributor. It was supplied by standard motor products, inc. Long island city, ny 11101 as standard motor’s p/n lx-411 “elextron solid state electronic ignition module.” is there any way I can get a similar new replacement controller for this distributor today? If not, what would be your recommendation in getting this car back on the road again – preferably under its own power.
 
I'm currently working on sourcing the prestolite electronic modules right now directly from a regional prestolite warehouse distributor. I have some information about that but we're not ready to go public with it quite yet.

Many parts like this that have been readily available for years have disappeared from warehouse distributor inventory in the last 18 months...there is just no demand/movement to justify keeping this stuff going...much of this issue is the continuing economic disaster in this country afflicting the automotive parts business in general.

There "might" be some inventory of this stuff still around in some warehouses, standard parts is the big gun in dealing in this type stuff,...wells May still have coverage on this item also. Many wholesale sources /online look-ups "claim" to have these parts, but when it comes down to pulling one off the shelf and shipping, they always blow smoke and mirrors.

The current workaround for a faulty prestolite electronic module is swapping in a pertronix p/n 1483a. Those are "hall effect" triggers, similar in design to the prestolite item. There is no interface between the p-tron and the prestolite module however, the conversion is a stand-alone deal and no other module or electronic amplifier is needed. Your existing ignition coil will work perfectly as well with the p-tron, it is the correct primary resistance value.
 
Ok, michael. I'm game, but I'm not sure I completely understand. Is the pertronix 1483a a complete replacement distributor or ?? I'm guessing it must be, since you indicate it to be a "stand alone conversion" ... If indeed this is the case, where can I get one and how much is it gonna set me back?

Editorial comment: re: "continuing economic disaster." seems like everywhere I go these days no matter what I am trying to get done I run up against more grief created by this spoiled narssistic little twirp of a "president" and his collection of boot-licks called "congress." god do I ever pine for the days when this was a free country with leaders who at least pretended to be adults.
 
ok, michael. I'm game, but I'm not sure I completely understand. Is the pertronix 1483a a complete replacement distributor or ?? I'm guessing it must be, since you indicate it to be a "stand alone conversion" ... If indeed this is the case, where can I get one and how much is it gonna set me back?

Editorial comment: re: "continuing economic disaster." seems like everywhere I go these days no matter what I am trying to get done I run up against more grief created by this spoiled narssistic little twirp of a "president" and his collection of boot-licks called "congress." god do I ever pine for the days when this was a free country with leaders who at least pretended to be adults.

A pertronix unit replaces all the oem electronic guts in the distributor...including that little plastic "trigger module" you see mounted on the top of the breaker plate in your prestolite. The actual "amplifier" that is the brains of the prestolite is that electronic circuitry that hangs down below the breaker plate...and above the mechanical advance mechanism.

All you will find in the pertronix kit is the replacement trigger unit...and a black plastic "magnet wheel" which has eight magnets embedded in it. That magnet wheel simply slides down over the existing reluctor in your distributor. The p-tron trigger mounts in place of the prestolite trigger. The stuff below the breaker plate is simply disconnected and left dead-headed.

We handle the pertronix line here at ihon, but I'm not certain if Jeff keeps a 1483a on the shelf or not...not much demand for those as the prestolite electronic unit is known for it's reliability!

pertronix performance products

Many of us around here share your political leanings...if ya think the current automotive parts sitch is bleak, wait until that taxpayer-funded new car giveaway fallout hits the fan in the remanufactured auto parts business in about fourteen more months. The trickledown of that gummintbs program has yet to be fully realized, all you got right now is the fact that you helped pay for new cars and trucks for folks who will become repo bandits by mid-2010.
 
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