Distributor Breaker Plate Removal
 

I am disassembling the distributor on my ’66 300HP to replace a broken ground wire (the wire that grounds the housing to the vacuum advance canister) and I cannot figure out how to remove what I think is called the “breaker plate retainer ring”. This is the retainer that holds the breaker plate onto the distributor housing. The broken wire is under the breaker plate. I can see that one end of the broken wire attaches to the vacuum advance canister and I assume the other end is attached somewhere under the breaker plate. I cannot find any reference to this in any of my shop manuals.
By the way, this project was precipitated by a rough running engine after switching from points to a single wire breakerless electronic ignition. The instructions said if the car ran OK before the swap and rough after the swap to check all grounding wires so if this one is broken it seems to be a good candidate for my problem.
While I’m on the subject I have another question about breakerless ignition. Is it correct to say that with a breakerless ignition I no longer have a dwell adjustment? If I do, I certainly cannot figure out how to adjust it

Have you removed the gear at the bottom of the distributor, and withdrawn the distributor shaft? If I remember correctly, and I may not, I had those things out before removing the breaker plate.

Correct, you have no dwell adjustment.

Yes, the heilical gear at the bottom of the shaft is off and the shaft is out of the housing. I can tell that this retainer locks into place somehow, I just can't figure out how

After you remove the roll pin for the gear be sure to remove any burrs so that you don't gouge the brass bushing in the mainshaft housing as you pull the shaft up.

Brian

thank you for the suggestion on removing burrs before I pull the shaft out of the housing. Unfortunately it's already on the bench. Hopefully I didn't bugger anything up by not addressing it

I think it was just a thin "C" clip, and the trick was finding the end and using a very small flat screwdriver to carefully pry up one edge so that I could work it off. I'm speaking about my 62 distributor, in case that makes a difference.

:iagree: It's kind of like a tiny wave washer that's open ended. A pick works well to get it off.

Replacement ground wire
 

Whatever you use to replace the ground wire with will have to be very flexable. If it's too stiff the constant back and forth of the breaker plate will soon break the connection again.:thumbs:
B.T.D.T.

If I remember right one end of the original was resistance welded to the breaker plate.

Kelly,
Good information above.
First, as you have already done, the shaft must be removed.
Next, as mentioned, there is a thin, flat, wave snap ring that fits in a groove in the upper shaft bushing, just at the top of the breaker plate. Also, as mentioned, a SMALL screwdriver or a pick (such as a scribe) is used to CAREFULLY off this wave snap ring. Then the breaker plate will slip right off. The ground wire was originally welded under a folded-over tab on the breaker plate. It can be easily soldered back onto the breaker plate-----------a good silver solder would be best.

IMPORTANT!
When you reassemble the dist, notice that there is a small dimple on one side of the dist drive gear. This dimple needs to be inline with the blade on the rotor. :thumbs:

Tom Parsons

Thanks to you all for the information. I'll have to find someone locally to silver solder the ground wire. Any suggestions on what type of shop to call for something like that?

A good local radiator shop (if they repair air cond condensers) should be able to do it easy. Or even a good local welding shop also. :thumbs:

Tom Parsons

I'd just order a new breaker plate with wire. Not worth the time to replace the wire IMO. The breaker plate is only about $20