Distributor question

[Bob from Northport]

Anyone have an easy way to remove the two bushings in the distributor housing for the main shaft??

Thanks!!

[redmodelt]

Take an awl and flatten one side to about match the curve of the inside of the distributor casting. Then drive the awl in between the casting and bushing flatten side to the casting. It will split or cause the bushing to bow out and can be pushed out.

[Motorhead327]

Like Red did, I collapsed them by wedging something between them and the outer wall.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Bob,

1. Tap threads in the bronze bushing with proper size tap..

2. Remove high carbon steel tap to avoid injury .... never hit tap.

3. Thread a bolt in threaded bushing.

4. Hit bolt lightly with hammer to remove bushings.

[Tom Endy]

It is very easy to crack the housing by trying to remove the bushings without exercising care, especially the top bushing where the metal is thin.

My method is to split the bushings with a hack saw blade. I use a flattened nail to tap along the edge of the split to raise it. I then grab the edge of the bushing with long nose pliers and curl it out.

Tom Endy

[Big hammer]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by H. L. Chauvin

Hi Bob,

1. Tap threads in the bronze bushing with proper size tap..

2. Remove high carbon steel tap to avoid injury .... never hit tap.

3. Thread a bolt in threaded bushing.

4. Hit bolt lightly with hammer to remove bushings.

Good idea! Would it need to be fine thread or course,does it matter

[Big hammer]

Originally Posted by redmodelt

Take an awl and flatten one side to about match the curve of the inside of the distributor casting. Then drive the awl in between the casting and bushing flatten side to the casting. It will split or cause the bushing to bow out and can be pushed out.

I believe in my Arsenal of things to hit with a big hammer, i think i have a punch just for removing bushings :-)

[Art Newland]

I used Tom Endy's method last summer, the bushings are thin and the hacksaw blade cuts through them in just a few minutes then they are easily pushed out.

[H. L. Chauvin]

FWIW:

I did several bushing removals in several A & B distributors per the #4 old vintage mechanic method .... never a problem .... very soft distributor bronze bushings slide out very easily in distributor cast iron distributor openings .... then one can use the old circular bushings to drive in new bushings.

But ..... get comfortable, always do it your way, & smile.

[Tom Wesenberg]

See my reply in #27 to see how I safely remove the bushings.

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...+tom+wesenberg

[3.6rs]

Originally Posted by H. L. Chauvin

Hi Bob,

1. Tap threads in the bronze bushing with proper size tap..

2. Remove high carbon steel tap to avoid injury .... never hit tap.

3. Thread a bolt in threaded bushing.

4. Hit bolt lightly with hammer to remove bushings.

Maybe a (too) save way to do it, but by that time I do 5 pairs of bushings.

[dave in australia]

I've always just pushed the top bush down onto the bottom bush, and then just push both out the bottom of the dizzy at the same time.

[Tom Endy]

Originally Posted by dave in australia

I've always just pushed the top bush down onto the bottom bush, and then just push both out the bottom of the dizzy at the same time.

One thing to consider when pressing bushings out. There is a crud deposit that can form in the area between the two bushings. The crud is composed of wear particles and hard sludge deposits. As one bushing is pushed toward the other the crud can compact and crack the housing.

I had this happen several times and it even cracked a housing at the lower bushing. Experience rebuilding distributors taught me to always split both bushings with a hacksaw blade and curl them out with long nose pliers.

When pressing in new bushings I press both in from the bottom so that the top bushing is well in line as it approaches the top where the metal is very thin and can easily crack.

Tom Endy

[H. L. Chauvin]

We never hear anymore about the supposedly much longer lasting "Oilite" distributor bushings that supposedly would outlast a Model A.

Some remarked years ago that the "Oilite" bushings used in more modern cars such as Chrysler would fit a Model A distributor.