distributor rebuild...???
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,347
Likes: 9
From: Salinas Ca.
distributor rebuild...???
Hello gentlemen, has there been a detailed paper written on rebuilding a distributor? For some reason, I have play in one direction only. Example... say, for instance... between 12:00 and 6:00 there is slight play, but between say 7:00 and 1:00 / 5:00 and 11:00... and all other equal directions there is no play. Sure appreciate the help. Thanks! Don
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
Hello
In the Forum help topics there are several articles on distributors, timing and vacuum advance settings. I did not see one specifically on rebuilding distributors.
Check out this section and see if there is something that will help.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti....php?TopicID=3
kdf
In the Forum help topics there are several articles on distributors, timing and vacuum advance settings. I did not see one specifically on rebuilding distributors.
Check out this section and see if there is something that will help.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti....php?TopicID=3
kdf
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 86
From: Putnam county NY
2025 c3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by Muddywaters
Hello gentlemen, has there been a detailed paper written on rebuilding a distributor? For some reason, I have play in one direction only. Example... say, for instance... between 12:00 and 6:00 there is slight play, but between say 7:00 and 1:00 / 5:00 and 11:00... and all other equal directions there is no play. Sure appreciate the help. Thanks! Don
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Rotational Play:
While dist installed in car ... if you grasp rotor and try to turn it COUNTERclockwise there should be only very slight play ... but if you turn it CLOCKwise there should be lotsa play because of the mechanical/centrifugal advance's movement ... expect about 1/8 of a turn.
Side-to-side Play:
The cam gear is located directly to side of dist gear ... that's probably why you have noticeable play when you're not engaging against root of gears. When at 12/6 you're not engaging gears' roots ... you're engaging teeth only. At all other postions you're pressing against roots.
If the timing mark is relatively stable when you rev & hold at 3K ... the gears are probably OK.
While dist installed in car ... if you grasp rotor and try to turn it COUNTERclockwise there should be only very slight play ... but if you turn it CLOCKwise there should be lotsa play because of the mechanical/centrifugal advance's movement ... expect about 1/8 of a turn.
Side-to-side Play:
The cam gear is located directly to side of dist gear ... that's probably why you have noticeable play when you're not engaging against root of gears. When at 12/6 you're not engaging gears' roots ... you're engaging teeth only. At all other postions you're pressing against roots.
If the timing mark is relatively stable when you rev & hold at 3K ... the gears are probably OK.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i can tell you after watching Lars work his magic on three different distributors including mine...there is huge improvement to be made by getting these things shimmed, cleaned and lubed and installed with the proper springs in them.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I have thought about posting this topic also. I don't recall seeing anything other than just shimming the endplay in the distributor. I have also heard guys coming back from a Lars event and having Lars tear their distributor down and finding bushings that have broken in two. My distributor is 36 years old now and I am sure it could use a little refreshing so I was hoping to get some good info out of this thread so I can rebuild mine also.
Hopefully Lars will chime in with a little help.
Hopefully Lars will chime in with a little help.
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,943
Likes: 44
From: Florham Park NJ Port Credit Ontario
At the NJ Tuning for Beer event, most if not ALL of us needed some sort of distributor work. Most of them had the original St. Louis grease....did you know that grease turns crunchy after 30+ years?...Most had way too much endplay.....most needed adjusting where the Vac advance rod connects through the Dist plate....ALL needed lighter springs...
My advice is to get your Dist re-built. Do it yourself, its very straight forward.
My advice is to get your Dist re-built. Do it yourself, its very straight forward.
