Distributor Rebuild
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,703
Likes: 167
From: Western Washington
Distributor Rebuild
I'm rebuilding a distributor and was wondering about the packing under the breaker plate. Is it really needed? It is below the plastic cup washer and felt.
POSSE ZR-1 Driver
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,980
Likes: 139
From: Groton CT
I just did mine today. I just re-oiled the stuff. It's really fine sawdust.
If its all dried up and coming out, you can uses a 3X3 gauze pad stuffed in the cavity soaked with 20W oil. Then put the plastic disk back over it. Then comes the felt washer, also soaked in 20W oil.
I'm not real sure what the oil soaked stuff in the well is for. Maybe it keeps the upper bushing lubricated.
If its all dried up and coming out, you can uses a 3X3 gauze pad stuffed in the cavity soaked with 20W oil. Then put the plastic disk back over it. Then comes the felt washer, also soaked in 20W oil.
I'm not real sure what the oil soaked stuff in the well is for. Maybe it keeps the upper bushing lubricated.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,703
Likes: 167
From: Western Washington
Thanks, I was just wondering the purpose as it just looks like it sits in the pocket below the breaker plate. I pulled apart another distributor that I had laying around and it didn't have it.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
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From: Washington Michigan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 5,401
Likes: 986
From: Itasca IL
I soaked mine overnight in cleaner to loosen up the petrified grease and then removed it all. I repacked the well with synthetic grease after painting the body and reassembling. There is a hole in the upper bronze bushing through which the grease can travel to lubricate the upper bushing. I would take the extra time to remove, clean and fully re-grease this area.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,703
Likes: 167
From: Western Washington
Thanks everyone. It's already cleaned up. I just like to know why I'm doing things. When I tore it apart and the filler material in the cavity was below the hole in the bushing so I couldn't understand that it would lubricate the upper bushing (even though it looks good). I'll fill it to a level to feed through the hole and should be ok.
