distributor drama need some advice

harleyjj

harleyjj

Senior Member
About three years ago the nurex electronic ignition module that a previous owner installed in my 1930 Tudor decided that it wanted to quit. The car has been sitting since. Last week I decided that the time had come to get her back on the road.

I ordered a new lower plate, distributor cam, upper plate with modern points, and all the necessary wiring to eliminate the nurex system from Snyders.

Problem #1 arose when I could not get the cam onto the distributor shaft. One call to the folks at Snyders and I learn that the distributor shaft used with a nurex ignition is different than one used with points. So I order a new shaft and thrust washers and a new sleve and pin.

Problem #2 reared its head when installing the new shaft in the distributor. The shaft will not allow me to put the two thrust washers that Snyders sent me between the sleve and the base of the distributor. I installed a metal washer and left out the fiber one that was sent. Hopefully this won't be a problem???

Now for the reason for this post.

Problem #3
Sunday morning I get the distributor back in the car, Set the point gap and timing and lo and behold she fires right up for the first time in way too long! I am so excited I cant contain myself! I took my father-in-law out to lunch, drove my bride and son all over town and had a blast! Decided since I was off monday I'd take my best friend and his gal out for lunch in the car for my birthday. Here is where my trouble starts...
On the way back from lunch she is running poorly. no amount of fiddling with the advance lever seems to help. I limp the car home and start poking around and discover that the part of the points that rides against the distributor cam is almost worn down to nothing. Points are barely opening and the remains of the black plastic part of the points that contacts the cam are all over the upper plate.

The cam came with a small capsule of red lube that I smeared all over the cam prior to starting the engine, points were gapped properly and it ran fine for about fifty miles.

What may cause the points to fail so quickly? What can I do to prevent this from happening or did I do something wrong?

I called Snyders and Tom there said he had no idea why this happened but was kind enough to offer to mail me a new ste of points free of charge! Kudos to the good folks of Snyders for trying to make it right!

Sorry for being so long winded I just wanted to get all of the facts about exactly what I had done to the car out there.

Can anyone give me some advice?

Thank You in advance!
 
50 miles?? What gap did you set them at? Check that your point spring tension isn't excessive and look for rough surfaced cam (original cam's were initially highly polished). Maybe it's a cheap set of points and the block just failed?? There isn't much point block surface anyway. Can you try resetting the points?
 
They were set at twenty thousandths per the instructions that came with them. How do I check spring tension? The surface of the cam has what I would describe as a glass bead blasted finish? I reset the gap after putting it in the garage and it seems to run better, but I didn't have time to road test it.
 
I don't like the modern points, I would use the original type points. My last set from Brattons are good. The 'lube' goes on the side of the plastic point block, sort of acts like a self lubricator. If Snyders sends new points, use those, set gap and use the lube on the points block. Take it out and see if you had a dud set or maybe it's a bad batch. Would be good to carry a spare, easy fix if your out and about. No so much without an extra set.
 
The cam is definately NOT highly polished! Did I get a bad cam from Snyders? Where can I get a "good" cam?

I bought an extra set of points from the local O'Riley's and am currently awaiting the new set Snyders sent me.
 
Modern points are only a problem waiting to happen. I had my share of problems with them. I now only use original points or a Mallory dual point distributor. I prefer the original distributor because I like to use the spark. The Mallory distributors are pretty much maintainance free. I haven't had to touch the points on the first Mallory dual point that I installed in our coupe over 16 years ago. The only thing with the Mallory is you don't get that chicka lunka idle sound like the original distributor with the spark retarded.
 
Nice, even if it is only a pan ;).... Looks nice, I have a '50's rolling frame, old school chopper, found in an old farmhouse closet. Wish I had the motor that went with it....

I would say a cam that isn't polish smooth is a sure problem, since the rub block is plastic. I have never bought a repop cam. I use Brattons for all my repop purchases, they are cheap, try one from them. I have read that some cams have different size lobes.
 
I can tell ya from experience that the point cam must be polished. I have blasted ( glass bead) a few then forgot to polish and the points literally wore out on the test machine !!!!
We use a brass brush and a fiber brush to polish the cams and havent had a problem since.
They probably sent a rough one by accident....
 
The cam does need to be very smooth. Bill Stipe makes a very good distributor cam. They call it the A-B cam. The part number is SMC 0033 . This distributor cam has 10 more degrees of dwell for hotter spark and optimum performance. The last that I heard, about a year ago the price was $12.75 . Call 920-467-2895
 
'GLASS BEAD LIKE SURFACE"...YIKES!
Try Bill Stipe for a new cam. I understand that he makes the best available, good luck.

Purdy...youse type faster,eh! Great minds run in the same ....path, but at the same time?
 
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Here's a NOS genuine Ford Model B cam. Notice the polished finish on the lobe area
100_0610.jpg
 
Steve, I'd love to see a pic of that rolling chassis you have!

To everyone who has offered advice I greatly apreciate it!

I am now a bit disapointed in Snyders for selling a product that seems to be the cause of my problems, I guess I will call and take that up with them.

I really dont want to deal with the expense of purchasing all of the original style upper plate parts and so forth right now after having just wasted some money on inferior parts, so I will try the new cam with the modern points and see what happens I guess.

I have just ordered a new cam from Bill Stipe and look forward to recieving it later this week.

Is anyone on here running his distributor cam? Will the extra 10 degrees of dwell affect anything?

What should I lube the distrubutor cam with?

Thanks again for all of the help!
 
harleyjj said:
Steve, I'd love to see a pic of that rolling chassis you have!

To everyone who has offered advice I greatly apreciate it!

I am now a bit disapointed in Snyders for selling a product that seems to be the cause of my problems, I guess I will call and take that up with them.

I really dont want to deal with the expense of purchasing all of the original style upper plate parts and so forth right now after having just wasted some money on inferior parts, so I will try the new cam with the modern points and see what happens I guess.

I have just ordered a new cam from Bill Stipe and look forward to recieving it later this week.

Is anyone on here running his distributor cam? Will the extra 10 degrees of dwell affect anything?

What should I lube the distrubutor cam with?

Thanks again for all of the help!
Click to expand...

Distributor cam lube available at any professional auto parts stores
 
no one has commented on this issue yet, any advice?

Problem #2 reared its head when installing the new shaft in the distributor. The shaft will not allow me to put the two thrust washers that Snyders sent me between the sleve and the base of the distributor. I installed a metal washer and left out the fiber one that was sent. Hopefully this won't be a problem???
 
harleyjj said:
no one has commented on this issue yet, any advice?

Problem #2 reared its head when installing the new shaft in the distributor. The shaft will not allow me to put the two thrust washers that Snyders sent me between the sleve and the base of the distributor. I installed a metal washer and left out the fiber one that was sent. Hopefully this won't be a problem???
Click to expand...

I would file the sleeve a little until both the metal and fiber washers fit with a little up and down end play. Ford specified .004 to .010 end play. I think the fiber washer keeps the grease from working it's way up into the point area.
 
the washers that were on the shaft were both at the bottom end of the distributor, how would this prevent anything from getting up near the points?
 
I never use the fiber washer on the bottom. I don't think Ford ever had them and I never found a distributor where it would fit. No bottom washer and you're good to go.

Could the cam be made from powdered metal? If so, it would look more like an oilite bushing than smooth highly polished steel. Look at it under a magnifying glass and feel it with your finger. If it feels smooth, it should work fine. I use original points and don't have a wear problem using a new replacement cam with lube.
 
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