Dist. self rebuilding???

A

Albuq. Henry

Member
1970 Scout 800 with a 304.

When I got this rig it was set up with a Holley points firing a heathkit cd box.

On Friday I swapped out my points Holley for a Holley gold box setup from my '76 parts Scout. (sv-345). Now that I swapped for the 345 dist., while setting it up, when I first revved it, it advanced a few degrees and it stayed there. I ended up taking the dist out and looking at it.

Not sure what correct name of the part is but the part with the reluctor that "stabbs" into the weights with the forks, there is play between the weights and the forks. After looking at another dist. It looks like I am missing some bushings??

Another thing I saw when I first set the timing was timing Mark wonder. Turns out I had quiet a bit of play up and down on the shaft with the gear. I removed the gear and put a brass shim between the gear and the housing. I know you have talked about removing the the play on the shaft but is this a "correct" way to do it?

Right now it is running very nice. Nice steady constant spark. However no vac advance.


I would like to build either the points or gold box dist and set it up to fire an msd type box with a pertronix or similar.

Are these repairs something someone can do at home?
 
albuq. Henry said:
1970 Scout 800 with a 304.

When I got this rig it was set up with a Holley points firing a heathkit cd box.

On Friday I swapped out my points Holley for a Holley gold box setup from my '76 parts Scout. (sv-345). Now that I swapped for the 345 dist., while setting it up, when I first revved it, it advanced a few degrees and it stayed there. I ended up taking the dist out and looking at it.

Not sure what correct name of the part is but the part with the reluctor that "stabbs" into the weights with the forks, there is play between the weights and the forks. After looking at another dist. It looks like I am missing some bushings??

Another thing I saw when I first set the timing was timing Mark wonder. Turns out I had quiet a bit of play up and down on the shaft with the gear. I removed the gear and put a brass shim between the gear and the housing. I know you have talked about removing the the play on the shaft but is this a "correct" way to do it?

Right now it is running very nice. Nice steady constant spark. However no vac advance.


I would like to build either the points or gold box dist and set it up to fire an msd type box with a pertronix or similar.

Are these repairs something someone can do at home?
Click to expand...

On each of the two projections on the mechanical advance "rotor" mechanism there originally was a very thin "plastic" bushing to limit travel. When rebuilding these distributors, I use some industrial nylon bushings I've found and cut 'em down to fit for each job.

Without the bushings in place, the mechanical advance kinda works in an erratic manner, and also you would see too much mechanical advance at full extension of the mechanism.

This is a very common fault I find. I'm sure the big commercial rebuilders such as a-1 cardone have those as they are also used in many other distributors, but I have no idea how to source 'em in small quantities.

All Holley distributors (including the Ford/motorcraft stuff) use those bushings also. The limiter bushings used in delco distributors with mechanical advance are available from the aftermarket, but they are not the correct size for the Holley.

As for setting the endplay...you did it correctly. Don't know how long a brass shim will last, could be just fine! The ones I use are "hardened" shim material, a transmission thrust shim of some sort. I like to set 'em up at 0.015" which is somewhat tighter than the oem spec. The drive gear on a Holley is a tight press fit but it doesn't matter which way it goes on the shaft as long as the top of the gear is up! The spring pin hole through the shaft and gear are equidistant. Not so regarding the prestolite which has the shaft and gear drilled as a matched set. Delcos are equi-distant also and normally a delco gear will pull off fairly easily.

We have remanufactured vacuum canisters on the shelf in both values (5* and 7*), there is no difference between the advance units for the point distributor vs. The gold box.

The other critical area regarding the Holley units (all types) is the three "bearings" that the moving breaker plate slides on. All three must be in good condition or the breaker plate can't move in a single plane and will tend to "hang" when the vacuum can actuates, or the plate will move inna jerky fashion which is not good. Those little bearings are nylon, I have a workaround for those if broken or missing, no need to scrap a distributor because of that!

When removing the "rotor" portion of the mechanical advance unit to replace those plastic bushings, there is a three-leg "clip" underneath the oil felt (which is underneath the rotor when removed). That clip is very tedious to remove without breaking and I have no spares but I do have a workaround for those also!

As far as which Holley distributor to use for setting up a pertronix conversion, it really doesn't matter. However, I hate to see gold box distributors that are part of an operational system be converted. I do it, but only as a last resort!

If you plan to use an aftermarket cd ignition box like the msd or mallory "six" stuff, then the best setup means using a matching coil that can take advantage of the cd box. And you will not be using any form of resistive element in the primary feed from the ignition switch, it's not used at all and is not necessary.
 
Thanks for your input!!
For the gold box install I used a bosch style relay to power it using the resister wire as the signal. I didnt want to get into the dash right now.
Being you are already set up to make the nylon bushing, and the possibility me messing up the retaining clip that holds the rotor, I think it would be worth it to have you guys take care if that for me.
It has been hard tearing into this project since I would rather drive it instead of having it in pieces in the garage. Lol hope to take it apart after our toys for tots run next month. Then with income tax money I can do some spending....
Thanks henry
 
albuq. Henry said:
thanks for your input!!
For the gold box install I used a bosch style relay to power it using the resister wire as the signal. I didnt want to get into the dash right now.
Being you are already set up to make the nylon bushing, and the possibility me messing up the retaining clip that holds the rotor, I think it would be worth it to have you guys take care if that for me.
It has been hard tearing into this project since I would rather drive it instead of having it in pieces in the garage. Lol hope to take it apart after our toys for tots run next month. Then with income tax money I can do some spending....
Thanks henry
Click to expand...

We can set you up with nearly any IH-pattern distributor, set up with either points or a pertronix conversion. The distributor will be totally rebuilt including a functioning mechanical advance with bushings and the end play set!!

This can be done in advance using one of our cores, then you simply swap it in and return the core to us. Or...we can build your distributor and avoid the core charge.

Since you already have a points distributor on the shelf, why not send that one in for a build?? Price depends upon what trigger you want installed and if a vacuum advance unit is needed.
 
I am getting ready to send in my dizzy for you to go through it. Do I send it to the IHOnly address...

IH Parts America inc.
11425 lime kiln rd
Grass Valley, CA 95949


or are you in a different location??

Thanks henry
 
albuq. Henry said:
I am getting ready to send in my dizzy for you to go through it. Do I send it to the IHOnly address...

IH Parts America inc.
11425 lime kiln rd
Grass Valley, CA 95949


or are you in a different location??

Thanks henry
Click to expand...

Send your distributor to:

IH Parts America-oregon
michael mayben
42790 leaburg dr.
Leaburg, or 97489

be sure to include your email addy in the package. Once it's in progress I'll send you some pics.

Upon completion, call ihon in Grass Valley with payment authorization and they will send me a n invoice to include in the package for ya!
 
Got your distributors henry! But we've had no electricity since Sunday and I'm just now getting back to work once I have my small external generator stuff put away.

So I need to know what color you want it painted...the existing color as you know is some kind of silver. I can do red primer, gloss black, semi-gloss black, bright IH red, etc.
 
No power since Sunday???:eek6: that doesnt sound good!!

Glad you got it and I didn't make a typo on the address...lol

the IH red sounds good, it will be the best looking thing on the Scout right now. Lol

thanks-henry
 
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