Michael Mayben
IHPA Tech Moderator - Retired & No Longer Online
I'll toss out typical issues I see when servicing the IH/Holley code 1510 distributors in this thread. This is all the typical botched "rebuild" stuff I see, po virus crap, details often overlooked, etc. The 1510 is usually referred to as the "curved breaker point" version. The "straight" breaker point distributor is an earlier variation. The main components of both series are the same, but the breaker plate assemblies and the breaker points are completely different animals.
This distributor was used in both I-4 and sv applications, the only difference in the two units in basic form is the four lobe breaker cam for the I-4, vs. The eight lobe cam for the sv.
All the IH p/n variations found in the service and part literature denote the advance curve and vacuum advance calibration for each. All the IH apps were "clockwise rotation" models also.
This thread is in no particular order, and will have additional information added as we encounter it.
Here is an inexcusable "po workaround" kinda deal on a four cylinder variation of a 1510. This is a 196 application in a s800 that was sent in for rebuild.
Someone obviously dismantled the distributor and then purposely jury-rigged it. No way a stable timing or dwell factor May be achieved with this unit.
The upper breaker plate on these units mounts the points and condenser (and ground lead), it's connected to the actuator arm on the vacuum advance so that it is free to rotate slightly to vary the vacuum advance timing. It slides on three plastic "bearing" points that can be replaced if worn or missing. The movable plate is retained to the stationary plate by a three-lobed spring clip underneath, and pivots from a pin/bushing setup.
If the distributor is a later variation "gold box" electronic trigger unit, the points and condenser set is eliminated and replaced with a hall effect trigger and a reluctor in place of the breaker cam, otherwise the plate assemblies are identical.
Pic shows on the left, the botched plate...the pivot has been replaced with a pop rivet that is not completely "set" so the plate will move. Plate on the right is an original one correctly assembled but dirty. Also the scruud up plate is missing a bearing point.
What this means is the breaker plate just flops around and has no "drag" imparted to it by the retainer spring to inhibit movement except in the rotational plane. That means, when the engine is running, the dwell will be impossible to set for a consistent value, and the timing will vary tremendously, no way to make the engine behave nicely with a pos distributor like this one!
And if ya swap a pertronix into a unit like this, you have just tossed yore cash down the rathole.
This distributor was used in both I-4 and sv applications, the only difference in the two units in basic form is the four lobe breaker cam for the I-4, vs. The eight lobe cam for the sv.
All the IH p/n variations found in the service and part literature denote the advance curve and vacuum advance calibration for each. All the IH apps were "clockwise rotation" models also.
This thread is in no particular order, and will have additional information added as we encounter it.
Here is an inexcusable "po workaround" kinda deal on a four cylinder variation of a 1510. This is a 196 application in a s800 that was sent in for rebuild.
Someone obviously dismantled the distributor and then purposely jury-rigged it. No way a stable timing or dwell factor May be achieved with this unit.
The upper breaker plate on these units mounts the points and condenser (and ground lead), it's connected to the actuator arm on the vacuum advance so that it is free to rotate slightly to vary the vacuum advance timing. It slides on three plastic "bearing" points that can be replaced if worn or missing. The movable plate is retained to the stationary plate by a three-lobed spring clip underneath, and pivots from a pin/bushing setup.
If the distributor is a later variation "gold box" electronic trigger unit, the points and condenser set is eliminated and replaced with a hall effect trigger and a reluctor in place of the breaker cam, otherwise the plate assemblies are identical.
Pic shows on the left, the botched plate...the pivot has been replaced with a pop rivet that is not completely "set" so the plate will move. Plate on the right is an original one correctly assembled but dirty. Also the scruud up plate is missing a bearing point.
What this means is the breaker plate just flops around and has no "drag" imparted to it by the retainer spring to inhibit movement except in the rotational plane. That means, when the engine is running, the dwell will be impossible to set for a consistent value, and the timing will vary tremendously, no way to make the engine behave nicely with a pos distributor like this one!
And if ya swap a pertronix into a unit like this, you have just tossed yore cash down the rathole.
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