IHC Vehicle Distributor Identification

Would someone be so kind as to identify my distributor. I’d like to replace points, cap and rotor.
 

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A google search of the IH part number leads me to believe that it's probably a Holley curved points distributor. A shot of the inside of the unit would give the best confirmation.
 
We have an international harvester natural gas fired engine coupled to an emergency generator in our power plant. It’s still running points ignition. Lately we’ve been having hard starting issues with it. It’s definitely due for plugs/wires but we would like to convert it from points ignition at the same time. I researched this a few years back and then lost all the part numbers I had written down for the conversion.

We just tightened up the gap on the plugs because they were out of spec while we wait on the parts order to come in and fix d a few loose wire ends and it’s running better, but we’d like to get it 100% again.
 

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Cool set-up you got going there.

PerTronix has the Electronic Ignition System for your Delco-Remy distributor.
Three to choose from.
#1 - p/n 1181 PerTronix Ignitor, they recommend their Flame-Thrower 40Kv coil. with this system.
#2 - p/n 91181 PerTronix Ignitor II, they recommend their Flame-Thrower II 45Kv coil with this system.
#3 - p/n 71181 PerTronix Ignitor III, they recommend their Flame-Thrower III coil with this system.

I suggest you go with Option #2 (p/n 91181) as you run at a fairly constant RPM for your generator.

As for spark plugs: I recommend NGK 3332 spark plugs for the IHC SV-8 engines.
Also, DO NOT use solid core plug spark wires with any PerTronix Ignitor.

EDIT: I noticed a ceramic ballast resistor in the 12DCV+ feed to the coil + terminal.
That will need to be removed when you install the PerTronix Ignitor & Coil,
as the ballast resistor is only necessary for points + condensor type ignition systems.
 
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1975IH200 said:
Cool set-up you got going there.

PerTronix has the Electronic Ignition System for your Delco-Remy distributor.
Three to choose from.
#1 - p/n 1181 PerTronix Ignitor, they recommend their Flame-Thrower 40Kv coil. with this system.
#2 - p/n 91181 PerTronix Ignitor II, they recommend their Flame-Thrower II 45Kv coil with this system.
#3 - p/n 71181 PerTronix Ignitor III, they recommend their Flame-Thrower III coil with this system.

I suggest you go with Option #2 (p/n 91181) as you run at a fairly constant RPM for your generator.

As for spark plugs: I recommend NGK 3332 spark plugs for the IHC SV-8 engines.
Also, DO NOT use solid core plug spark wires with any PerTronix Ignitor.

EDIT: I noticed a ceramic ballast resistor in the 12DCV+ feed to the coil + terminal.
That will need to be removed when you install the PerTronix Ignitor & Coil,
as the ballast resistor is only necessary for points + condensor type ignition systems.
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Thanks for the informative response! Idk why my pictures all uploaded the wrong direction.

Yes, that engine starts and immediately goes to its full running rpm and holds there. We test run it every Friday along with all our other equipment that’s not running every day. As the maintenance crew, we only hear about issues when the watch engineer can’t get a piece of equipment to run during the weekly test. Just finished up fluid change service on our 4 cylinder GM Detroit diesel that drives our fire pump on a similar skid.

What engine or what year should I look up when shopping for replacement distributor cap and wires?
 
Bruceski said:
Thanks for the informative response! Idk why my pictures all uploaded the wrong direction.

Yes, that engine starts and immediately goes to its full running rpm and holds there. We test run it every Friday along with all our other equipment that’s not running every day. As the maintenance crew, we only hear about issues when the watch engineer can’t get a piece of equipment to run during the weekly test. Just finished up fluid change service on our 4 cylinder GM Detroit diesel that drives our fire pump on a similar skid.

What engine or what year should I look up when shopping for replacement distributor cap and wires?
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Is that a 549 ?
 
Tell you the truth,I'm not sure where the ID pad is on it,I can kinda tell by looking at it. It should have like a spider intake manifold on it, an if it has a oil cooler underneath the intake,then it is a 549, without the cooler,it's a 478.
 
549, 478, 401,....it's an LV engine for sure.......doesn't really matter as you are working on the distributor.

It has the Delco-Remy distributor, so I am betting the #91181 kit will fit it just fine.
 
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Has an oil cooler under the intake manifold. Guess it’s the big boy.

Found it interesting there is no starter attached to the block. It uses power to the three phase generator to turn the engine over.
 
Bruceski said:
Has an oil cooler under the intake manifold. Guess it’s the big boy.

Found it interesting there is no starter attached to the block. It uses power to the three phase generator to turn the engine over.
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That would make it rather difficult to get started in a power outage.
 
FDChappie said:
That would make it rather difficult to get started in a power outage.
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Has two large 12 volt batteries at 24 volts to turn it over. Someone much more intelligent than I designed this place back in the 50’s. Steam driven turbines and lots of redundancy to get the place back online from dark.
 
Bruceski said:
Thanks for the informative response! Idk why my pictures all uploaded the wrong direction.

Yes, that engine starts and immediately goes to its full running rpm and holds there. We test run it every Friday along with all our other equipment that’s not running every day. As the maintenance crew, we only hear about issues when the watch engineer can’t get a piece of equipment to run during the weekly test. Just finished up fluid change service on our 4 cylinder GM Detroit diesel that drives our fire pump on a similar skid.

What engine or what year should I look up when shopping for replacement distributor cap and wires?
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What KW is the generator rated at? I had a big Onan with a 549, it was rated at 75kw on propane. 3 phase 230V 60Hz. delta output.
 
Robert Kenney said:
What KW is the generator rated at? I had a big Onan with a 549, it was rated at 75kw on propane. 3 phase 230V 60Hz. delta output.
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That’s a question for a watch engineer or the chief. I’m just a dopey mechanic

It’s basically just for emergency lighting if we lose the whole place and then I think it powers excitation voltage for a worthington 16 cylinder diesel generator that does 3000KW.
 
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