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Question: pole piece wire 68 distributor?

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Old May 18, 2015 | 11:32 AM
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Default Question: pole piece wire 68 distributor?

I see they are reproducing the pole piece for the TI distributors. But I have also heard that he green wire is not quite correct. My original looks like it is not green (both wires are cream colored/white), actually has a little green dot at the end of the one wire. Maybe it is faded? Any opinions out there? Thanks
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Old May 18, 2015 | 12:09 PM
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Originally Posted by tfringo
I see they are reproducing the pole piece for the TI distributors. But I have also heard that he green wire is not quite correct. My original looks like it is not green (both wires are cream colored/white), actually has a little green dot at the end of the one wire. Maybe it is faded? Any opinions out there? Thanks
The pole piece failed in mine a few years ago and I replaced it with just a new "bobbin". I'm sure it was a "import" item.
I don't recall having any concerns about the green wire. I remember the original one did have a visible green notation. Basically a white wire with a green trace. (I think)

The new pole piece has a much stiffer wire and didn't flex as well as the original. There was a lot of movement where the wire entered the bobbin. (Vacuum advance movement) Seemed like it would eventually break the wire there.
I added some RTV at the connection and also made a loop in the wire just prior to the bobbin.
The wire now flexes in the loop, hopefully it'll last a few years.

I now carry a points dist. with me.
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Old May 18, 2015 | 11:03 PM
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Default Ti

I can easily see where the wire would break from flexing. I suspect that the wire could be carefully shortened. I have fixed stuff like that before. The wires inside the spool are probably real fine and the lead wire attaches to the little wires. Typically would break as it enters the distributor or at the entrance to the spool. Thanks


Originally Posted by Barry's70LT1
The pole piece failed in mine a few years ago and I replaced it with just a new "bobbin". I'm sure it was a "import" item.
I don't recall having any concerns about the green wire. I remember the original one did have a visible green notation. Basically a white wire with a green trace. (I think)

The new pole piece has a much stiffer wire and didn't flex as well as the original. There was a lot of movement where the wire entered the bobbin. (Vacuum advance movement) Seemed like it would eventually break the wire there.
I added some RTV at the connection and also made a loop in the wire just prior to the bobbin.
The wire now flexes in the loop, hopefully it'll last a few years.

I now carry a points dist. with me.
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Old May 18, 2015 | 11:42 PM
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that repro crap isn`t even close to genuine GM...

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Old May 19, 2015 | 09:42 AM
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Default Hey,

Are you trying to make me cry???

I will take that off your hands if you like? Thanks




Originally Posted by redvetracr
that repro crap isn`t even close to genuine GM...

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Old May 19, 2015 | 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by tfringo
Are you trying to make me cry???

I will take that off your hands if you like? Thanks

you had your chance to buy a nice distributor for reasonable money you chose not to...that NOS magnet and pole are worth $500.


Last edited by redvetracr; May 19, 2015 at 10:30 AM.
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Old May 21, 2015 | 03:39 PM
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Default Info on the magnet and pole piece.

I talked to a few of the distributor rebuilders. The NOS magnets can get weak with time and have to be spun faster to create the signal that goes to the amp. He was saying that the best situation is to use the reproduction magnet and the NOS pole piece. That situation generates a very nice signal to the amp. Not sure if he was exaggerating this condition or not. According to him, sometime he has to spin the distributor up to 700 rpm just to detect the signal (strobe). With the reproduction magnet, the signal is immediate. Take care, Terry


Originally Posted by redvetracr
you had your chance to buy a nice distributor for reasonable money you chose not to...that NOS magnet and pole are worth $500.

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Old May 21, 2015 | 03:41 PM
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Default Hi yet again,

Which distributor had the later date? Terry



Originally Posted by redvetracr
you had your chance to buy a nice distributor for reasonable money you chose not to...that NOS magnet and pole are worth $500.

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Old May 22, 2015 | 06:59 AM
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Originally Posted by tfringo
I talked to a few of the distributor rebuilders. The NOS magnets can get weak with time and have to be spun faster to create the signal that goes to the amp. He was saying that the best situation is to use the reproduction magnet and the NOS pole piece. That situation generates a very nice signal to the amp. Not sure if he was exaggerating this condition or not. According to him, sometime he has to spin the distributor up to 700 rpm just to detect the signal (strobe). With the reproduction magnet, the signal is immediate. Take care, Terry
thats called salesmanship, I bet he had a repro magnet for sale too.
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Old May 22, 2015 | 09:40 AM
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Default Distributor

Yes, he actually had the bobbin and the magnet. I believe he was being honest and he shared an incredible amount of information about distributors with me, stuff I was totally unaware of. We were discussing the details of how original the reproduction Delco pole pieces were. He stated that the wires coming from the reproduction don't have the correct green wire compared to originals. He was also dissatisfied with the color of the wire (might have been the age of the wire vinyl/it gets creamy colored over the years). He felt the reproduction wires were too white and the green wire was the actual color of the vinyl, where as the originals were sort of just had a dyed green strip on them. The originals would wipe off if you used a light solvent on them or just wore off over time. Reproduction wires seem stiffer as well, may not have as many wire strands in them as originals. Details, details, details.




Originally Posted by redvetracr
thats called salesmanship, I bet he had a repro magnet for sale too.
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