Tach drive distributor problem
Navigator
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
I don't have the GM button but I do have a replacement teflon button that will work just fine...
But..
Installing reproduction side and main shaft gears is not as easy as it my appear.
First off... did you check the distributor bushings for play. You do this while running and you use a dwell meter... if the dwell opens when you torque up the engine then you have slop in the upper bushing.
Secondly.. it's rare that we get a set of gears and install them in a distributor and they actually work out of the box... The best way to tell if you'll have any issue is to rotate the distributor in both directions... it should move forward and backward without any binding what so ever... It should be smooth..
How do we accomplish this in house... I have a lathe... so if the gears are binding I can dress of a bit and then re-assemble and test again....
Other issues would be the brass button... If your distributor is correct, installing a brass button would be a mistake because it will cause the gears to bind. Use the teflon button that snapped into place in the side wall and you'd be set.
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...n-62-74-teflon
The only time I use the oylite button in a distributor is when it's a 1969early or older distributor and/or if the side wall is worn out to a point where it needs to be milled and then the oylite button makes up for the wall thickness that I remove on the mill.
The distributor below has a oylite button installed inside it... but it was also machined down so that the button made the original side wall the original size. On your distributor you would have had a hole where the middle of that button is.. but inserting the oylite button will only make the wall too thick. the teflon button should make it the correct size and work considering you buffer the gears to mesh properly.
IMHO,
Willcox
But..
Installing reproduction side and main shaft gears is not as easy as it my appear.
First off... did you check the distributor bushings for play. You do this while running and you use a dwell meter... if the dwell opens when you torque up the engine then you have slop in the upper bushing.
Secondly.. it's rare that we get a set of gears and install them in a distributor and they actually work out of the box... The best way to tell if you'll have any issue is to rotate the distributor in both directions... it should move forward and backward without any binding what so ever... It should be smooth..
How do we accomplish this in house... I have a lathe... so if the gears are binding I can dress of a bit and then re-assemble and test again....
Other issues would be the brass button... If your distributor is correct, installing a brass button would be a mistake because it will cause the gears to bind. Use the teflon button that snapped into place in the side wall and you'd be set.
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...n-62-74-teflon
The only time I use the oylite button in a distributor is when it's a 1969early or older distributor and/or if the side wall is worn out to a point where it needs to be milled and then the oylite button makes up for the wall thickness that I remove on the mill.
The distributor below has a oylite button installed inside it... but it was also machined down so that the button made the original side wall the original size. On your distributor you would have had a hole where the middle of that button is.. but inserting the oylite button will only make the wall too thick. the teflon button should make it the correct size and work considering you buffer the gears to mesh properly.
IMHO,
Willcox
Last edited by cks; Jan 27, 2019 at 06:35 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Likes: 1,028
Navigator
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Thanks for responding. Have you done this? I do notice that when I put the new gear in and spin it that it spins pretty free with an occasional bind or drag, and that is even without the new brass or nylon button. Seems like a very small total difference in the lengths of the original and new reproduction, although I can see the gear is a hair longer and also the new brass end a hair longer then the old one. Can the brass end be just filed down? I am also confused on the button and the old that is in there. I see no sign of a nylon and what is there doesn't come out. I have both, brass or nylon, I would be fine using the nylon, but can't seem to figure out how it clips in. Fact is, I am not seeing anything wrong with the original now that I have it off, yet since it is out I may as well put the new in.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Thanks for responding. Have you done this? I do notice that when I put the new gear in and spin it that it spins pretty free with an occasional bind or drag, and that is even without the new brass or nylon button. Seems like a very small total difference in the lengths of the original and new reproduction, although I can see the gear is a hair longer and also the new brass end a hair longer then the old one. Can the brass end be just filed down? I am also confused on the button and the old that is in there. I see no sign of a nylon and what is there doesn't come out. I have both, brass or nylon, I would be fine using the nylon, but can't seem to figure out how it clips in. Fact is, I am not seeing anything wrong with the original now that I have it off, yet since it is out I may as well put the new in.
So read the above post... Then post back... Or if you want email me and send me the distributor and I'll fix it for you.
Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Jan 27, 2019 at 07:06 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Likes: 1,028
Thanks for responding. Have you done this? I do notice that when I put the new gear in and spin it that it spins pretty free with an occasional bind or drag, and that is even without the new brass or nylon button. Seems like a very small total difference in the lengths of the original and new reproduction, although I can see the gear is a hair longer and also the new brass end a hair longer then the old one. Can the brass end be just filed down? I am also confused on the button and the old that is in there. I see no sign of a nylon and what is there doesn't come out. I have both, brass or nylon, I would be fine using the nylon, but can't seem to figure out how it clips in. Fact is, I am not seeing anything wrong with the original now that I have it off, yet since it is out I may as well put the new in.
But first make sure it's all out of there. Maybe use an awl. Make sure the hole depth excedes the button tab.
Use a large drift to push it home.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The companies sell this stuff without a clue and the customers buy them without a clue.
I keep preaching above.... it takes a mill to make the brass button fit properly... and the button is designed only to be used as a repair for the 1962-1969 Early distributors. The wall must be flush with the original wall.. if not the side gear will jamb up... Once the wall is flush then we tweak the gear for the proper fitment... If the original hole is there the simple fix is to go with the Teflon button... Then test fit the side gear.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Jan 27, 2019 at 07:35 PM.
Navigator
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
The nylon or the brass? I have either and all for using the easiest. Maybe this is where I am lost here, what hole?? There is neither a hole on the back wall of the distributore nor on the end of the new gear. I can see on the nylon button it does look like it just clips into something and the brass has the prong that also looks to go in, yet I don't have a hole. LOL. Do I need to drill out what is in there? Not sure what it is, but it is not nylon like the originals I guess.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I don't think playing it in the back ground.. or backwards is gonna help him though... 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Likes: 1,028
Bird... if it's brass... you can't just do that unless the housing wall is machined to fit the oylite bushing.... that's the issue.
The companies sell this stuff without a clue and the customers buy them without a clue.
I keep preaching above.... it takes a mill to make the brass button fit properly... and the button is designed only to be used as a repair for the 1962-1969 Early distributors. The wall must be flush with the original wall.. if not the side gear will jamb up... Once the wall is flush then we tweak the gear for the proper fitment... If the original hole is there the simple fix is to go with the Teflon button... Then test fit the side gear.
The companies sell this stuff without a clue and the customers buy them without a clue.
I keep preaching above.... it takes a mill to make the brass button fit properly... and the button is designed only to be used as a repair for the 1962-1969 Early distributors. The wall must be flush with the original wall.. if not the side gear will jamb up... Once the wall is flush then we tweak the gear for the proper fitment... If the original hole is there the simple fix is to go with the Teflon button... Then test fit the side gear.
Last edited by Big2Bird; Jan 27, 2019 at 07:39 PM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The nylon or the brass? I have either and all for using the easiest. Maybe this is where I am lost here, what hole?? There is neither a hole on the back wall of the distributore nor on the end of the new gear. I can see on the nylon button it does look like it just clips into something and the brass has the prong that also looks to go in, yet I don't have a hole. LOL. Do I need to drill out what is in there? Not sure what it is, but it is not nylon like the originals I guess.
We used to cover the hole on the early cars with epoxy to hide it... but if it's the correct distributor there should be a hole visible on the outside.
Ernie
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Jan 27, 2019 at 07:43 PM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The distributor on the right is a 1962-1969 early distributor housing, the one on the left is a 1969 late to 1974 style
Navigator
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
The gear should move smooth in both ways... no biding what so ever... so go check what I posted above.... Is the brass flush with the back wall of the distributor because if it's not then remove and install the teflon bushing. It takes a mill to install the brass type bushing the correct way so I doubt anyone installed it properly. Also.. the end play if not correct will cause issues.
So read the above post... Then post back... Or if you want email me and send me the distributor and I'll fix it for you.
Willcox
So read the above post... Then post back... Or if you want email me and send me the distributor and I'll fix it for you.
Willcox
Navigator
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Wow, sorry, I have sent back 2 posts to you and it tells me not visible until moderator see's it, yet not when I respond to big2bird. hmmm
Navigator
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
So what I see here is my distrib back looks like the one on the right, the old gear components look like A,B and C. The new replacement has the solid brass end as in your other photo. So whatever button is in there now, which as far as I can tell is metal, I assume brass, not the nylon or teflon. So according to what you are saying I may have an early 69 dist version, yet like I say, no hole on the back, looks like the right side picture. The car itself is July of 69, so I don't know if that month could have still been using the early or later dist. However, does the button need to be replaced with the same as what is in there now or can you use the nylon or the brass? Sounds like the nylon from what you are explaining is the simpler fix, which is fine with me. Or, what I can say, the old gear that was in it, was spinning fine and free both directions, the old gear in taking it out looks to be in very good condition, as is it seems to me anyways, the entire dist, and even took it to a few so called experts around for opinions and none has recommended a need to rebuild it, bushings tight, no wear to speak of on the top balancers, springs look good, guess what I may be saying, I may be trying to fix something that isn't broke, which I admit I am wondering how this could be in such good condition at almost 50 yrs old. Maybe the back button is fine, yet with new gear it does catch a little. I will grind back of distrib wall and find the epoxied hole if you say it is there. I may very well end up sending it to you, I want it done right. Also I am going to try the pertronix 2 module and coil in it.