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Old 12-03-2016, 03:34 PM   #1
larry harding
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Default distributor shaft?? engine oil

i have the remains of three engines that i'm trying to piece together one with. all three have a long shaft in the distributor that reaches all the way down to the oil pump drive. the shafts are all pretty well pitted ad worn. i have several supplier catalogs that show a short shaft in the dist, and a longer one reaching on down to the drive. what is the story on this? i ordered a new upper shaft and looks like i'm going to need the lower one or cut my old shaft into and machine the offset tab and slot in the end.
what type of oil is best to run in these old engines? single viscosity? multiple viscosity? is a zinc additive needed in these old flat tappit cams?
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Old 12-03-2016, 03:45 PM   #2
Tom Wesenberg
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

Do it the original Ford way and order both the top and lower shafts and the collar. Seems someone didn't know why Ford did it this way and they thought a one piece would work fine. They were wrong.

Zink is good for these flat tappet engines. STP has ZDDP added, and I'll be adding that to my engines from now on.
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Old 12-03-2016, 04:07 PM   #3
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

What oil do I use has been spoken about here till it's been flogged to death. I suggest you do a search on it and settle in for a long read.
As I understand it, ZDDP is good on a cast cam shaft but not really needed on a steel one (or is it the other way around??) What ever, I don't use it and I've done lots of miles on the same engine.
Do as Tom says about the distributor shaft.
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Old 12-03-2016, 05:43 PM   #4
Larry Jenkins
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

Buy the top distributor shaft with the oil hole in it from Snyders.

Just screw off the cam screw and squirt some oil down the hole of the shaft and replace the cam screw.

Pretty simple; pretty nice..

Mobil 1 10W30. Has all the bats wings and file handles in it..
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Old 12-03-2016, 06:08 PM   #5
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

Quote:
Originally Posted by larry harding View Post
i have the remains of three engines that i'm trying to piece together one with. all three have a long shaft in the distributor that reaches all the way down to the oil pump drive. the shafts are all pretty well pitted ad worn. i have several supplier catalogs that show a short shaft in the dist, and a longer one reaching on down to the drive. what is the story on this? i ordered a new upper shaft and looks like i'm going to need the lower one or cut my old shaft into and machine the offset tab and slot in the end.
what type of oil is best to run in these old engines? single viscosity? multiple viscosity? is a zinc additive needed in these old flat tappit cams?
Hey Larry,
Do as Synchro909 suggests, if you really want to see a zillion comments on this subject and be really informed !
Multiple viscosity is the way to go , if you are concerned with interior engine cleanliness. Full oil filter goes with this theme also.

Only thing that I can add to dist shaft comments already given, is that before installing shaft into engine, coat it with a LOT of good sticking lube, like antiseize (?). Anyone pulling such shaft out of a used engine will notice large amounts of rust in the hole and on the shaft. I try to coat the entire area with protective coating..it seems to work for me. Condensation WILL get to any uncoated areas exposed to it.
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Old 12-04-2016, 12:27 AM   #6
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Jenkins View Post
Buy the top distributor shaft with the oil hole in it from Snyders.

Just screw off the cam screw and squirt some oil down the hole of the shaft and replace the cam screw.

Pretty simple; pretty nice..

Mobil 1 10W30. Has all the bats wings and file handles in it..
I like those shafts too. I even drill a hole through the cam screw so I can drip some oil in there without removing the screw.
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Old 12-04-2016, 01:05 AM   #7
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

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Originally Posted by larry harding View Post
what type of oil is best to run in these old engines? single viscosity? multiple viscosity? is a zinc additive needed in these old flat tappit cams?
Any oil, of the proper weight, that is designed for motor vehicles will work fine in your engine.
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Old 12-04-2016, 09:50 AM   #8
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From Snyder's Antique Auto
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Old 12-04-2016, 09:57 AM   #9
larry harding
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

i am going to order the lower shaft, at about $3.00 it aint worth the effort to make one. i'm just curious as to why three random engines all have the long shaft. they must have been used in production at some time. i will do a bit of searching on the oil question. i read some comments on here at some time to the thought that any modern oil is better than what was available many years ago. also that the a cam is steel rather than cast and you don't really need the zddp. it sounds like it comes down to personal choice.
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Old 12-04-2016, 10:11 AM   #10
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

The long shafts are reproductions made by Vendors who were trying to save a few pennies..

Henry knew..
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Old 12-04-2016, 10:28 AM   #11
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

Im trying to think of the last time we heard of someone wiping a cam lobe or lifter out?
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Old 12-04-2016, 12:30 PM   #12
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

Larry as the others said, the one piece long shaft was a Western Auto special from the past........best to stay with the original Ford two piece design. That acts like a bit of a 'u-joint' setup to compensate as an 'adjustment from what I was always told.

Buy the shafts from Bratton's or Snyder's, good quality. I started pulling the dissy every spring as regular maintenance and smearing Never Sieze with graphite on the shafts to help prevent rusting and keeping the distributor from getting permanently 'chummy' with the head! Keeps you from having to bear down someday with a dist. body puller, making swapping out the distributor a lot easier.
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Old 12-04-2016, 03:59 PM   #13
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

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They come with the hole already through the screw, FYI
I must have received an original screw somewhere along the way. I clearly remember drilling it. Seems someone else had the same inspiration before me.
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Old 12-04-2016, 04:38 PM   #14
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Jenkins View Post
Buy the top distributor shaft with the oil hole in it from Snyders.

Just screw off the cam screw and squirt some oil down the hole of the shaft and replace the cam screw.

Pretty simple; pretty nice..

Mobil 1 10W30. Has all the bats wings and file handles in it..
Or you could just follow the instruction manual and fill up the oiler on the side of the distributer. This will allow the upper bushing to be oiled, seems Ford really did think of everything.
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Old 12-04-2016, 04:39 PM   #15
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

Quote:
Originally Posted by larry harding View Post
i am going to order the lower shaft, at about $3.00 it aint worth the effort to make one. i'm just curious as to why three random engines all have the long shaft. they must have been used in production at some time. i will do a bit of searching on the oil question. i read some comments on here at some time to the thought that any modern oil is better than what was available many years ago. also that the a cam is steel rather than cast and you don't really need the zddp. it sounds like it comes down to personal choice.
Ford's cams were FORGED and not prone to easily being worn out by not adding stuff, that wasn't added back when. Stick with forged cam if you can. Oil is oil to most and you will settle in on your opinion if you use it long enough, as in last 60 yrs or so.
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Old 12-04-2016, 07:09 PM   #16
larry harding
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

if the long shaft was an after market item from western aut they must have been popular,at least i now have some insight as to what i have. thanks
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Old 12-04-2016, 07:43 PM   #17
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Default Re: distributor shaft?? engine oil

My dad owned and operated a Western Auto for 50+ years! He said at one time WA had all the parts to build an A except for the frame. That was before my time :-)
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