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Old 10-10-2021, 05:31 PM   #21
1930artdeco
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Default Re: Heating up a block to get stuck dizzy out

Ok now that I have the distributor out, are there any indicators to look at to determine if it needs a rebuilt? There is up and down movement but I don't detect any side to side movement.


Thanks,


Mike
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Old 10-10-2021, 05:55 PM   #22
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Default Re: Heating up a block to get stuck dizzy out

As far as the up/down movement, there are specs on this. Believe it is in the shop manual
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Old 10-10-2021, 08:59 PM   #23
miker98038
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Default Re: Heating up a block to get stuck dizzy out

My father used to say many problems could be solved by “brute strength and awkwardness”. Looks like it worked for you. Tim probably knows off hand what the end play should be.
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Old 10-10-2021, 11:12 PM   #24
Bill Playfoot
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Default Re: Heating up a block to get stuck dizzy out

The distributor in my 390 was seized in the block. The distributor is broken where the cap goes on so I was able to be a tad rough on it to remove it. I soaked it for the past week with SeaFoam Deep Creep. Then I used a big pipe wrench and a ball peen hammer to persuade it to loosen. Took a few good wacks on the pipe wrench handle but it loosened up and is now out.
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Old 10-11-2021, 12:32 PM   #25
Crankster
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Default Re: Heating up a block to get stuck dizzy out

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Originally Posted by 1930artdeco View Post
Ok now that I have the distributor out, are there any indicators to look at to determine if it needs a rebuilt? There is up and down movement but I don't detect any side to side movement.
What flavor Y-Block distributor is this? Somewhere in there around '57 they switched design quite a bit, and after this many trips around the Sun there's no telling which one might have been installed anyway. The reason I ask is because the earlier type uses a rotating ball-bearing points plate, and/or a reluctor part that are getting hard to find. The "comma" style centrifugal weights are available. The hardened steel pins on the comma weights will usually show heavy wear and need replacing, etc.

The thing about a distributor when running contact points hardly any sideplay or runout is really acceptable. The dwell will never really be stable. Depends how picky you are but the distributor is really important to getting a good sharp tune. Let us know what you have.
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Old 10-11-2021, 09:38 PM   #26
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Default Re: Heating up a block to get stuck dizzy out

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Here is the distributor that came out of the car. I have two other cores. For now I am sticking with points but will eventually put in a pertronix set up.

Mike
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Old 10-11-2021, 10:19 PM   #27
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Default Re: Heating up a block to get stuck dizzy out

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Originally Posted by 1930artdeco View Post
Here is the distributor that came out of the car. I have two other cores. For now I am sticking with points but will eventually put in a pertronix set up.
Mike
Your first photo is the '57 to early '59 style. Photos 3 and 4 look like the '59+ versions.


The '57/'59 version has ball bearings all around the outside, which can need careful cleaning & lubrication for smooth timing advance operation.

The '59+ version uses a single pin pivot (red arrow) that may be slightly less trouble?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 57 dist c.jpg (56.2 KB, 7 views)
File Type: jpg nos points plate.jpg (45.2 KB, 9 views)
File Type: jpg 59+ dist pivot plate, curved adv arm c.jpg (61.9 KB, 11 views)

Last edited by dmsfrr; 10-11-2021 at 11:51 PM.
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Old 10-12-2021, 06:22 AM   #28
Crankster
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Default Distributor Rebuilding

You'll have to tear into the ones you have to see what's what. It's good that you have a selection to work with. If they have a lot of miles on them everything will be pretty trashed in terms of wear. The thing about bearings or in this case bushings, the wear is almost imperceptible for a really long time, and then it accelerates rapidly. Slowly at first, then all at once. Really have to use a dial indicator to check for runout.

On an ignition scope you can see this on the pattern, it's called "cam wobble", meaning the distributor cam that the point arm rides. This affects the dwell. I'd have to look it up in the book, but I'd be surprised if the allowable runout is more than .001" or .002". I messed around rebuilding a spare distributor and it turned out to be a much bigger pain in the you know what than it might seem at first, mainly because of parts availability, and excessive wear. This stuff is getting hard to find in serviceable condition.

One thing I discovered is simply replacing the oilite or bronze bushing alone may not be enough to bring it into spec, both the distributor shaft itself and bushing will likely need replacing. Then, this predictably or maybe not so predictably opens yet another issue because, the service replacement distributor shafts are not drilled for the oil pump drive gear, and this needs to be accurately located with a few thousandths of an inch. The only shaft type that appear to be available at least semi-routinely are the ones for the "comma" type centrifugal weights. The reluctors for this type of distributor are getting scarce. The problem with these, is the slots become elongated due to wear. These could be brazed up and filed back to correct dimensions.

The dimension of the distributor housing boss to the machined surface of the drive gear is critical, so mixing and matching gears & shafts & housing to make a serviceable unit is likely not possible, unless you get lucky. For some reason there is not much uniformity in the dimensions of the drive gear. In that sense each one is a custom build.

If you've a motor that won't quite idle smooth or has an annoying stutter at idle once in a while (among other tuning defects) it may just be a worn out distributor. This can sometimes be otherwise a bit hard to disgnose. Bushings eventually wear in an oval or egg shaped pattern, I was testing some home brew ignition condensers on a scope with a spare really worn distributor, and could clearly hear and see this ovoid track reproduced on the screen and coincide in the fluctuating idle like an out of balance washing machine spin cycle. This is one reason for the popularity of the Pertronix or other ignition modules, they are much less susceptible to this and will show an immediate improvement in idle quality.

After reading all this, you might begin to understand why I decided to camp out on eBay, and after several pots of coffee, a three day growth of beard I found a genuine pristine brand new NOS never-been-opened in the box MotorCraft Y-Block distributor for a hunnerd bucks and nearly broke the "Buy It Now" key.
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