1936 distibuter timing

3

36 flathead

Senior Member
I just received my second rebuilt distributor from a well known parts supplyer and i am about to send it back. point gap is suppose to be 12 to 14 thousands the first one had no clearance and this on has 9 and11. if they cant set the points i don't trust the timing. Anyone know of a way of setting these up without a fixture
 
First, if you are having trouble with a parts supplier AND you have discussed it with them AND they have not corrected the problem, you should not hesitate to tell the guys on this forum who the supplier is.

Some of the value of Fordbarn is to share your unsatisfactory experience.

IF that well-know supplier is Mac's ... for example only ... they advertise their distributors as "ready to install." But, Mac's has a "supplier" who actually rebuilds distributors for them, probably a fellow named Lou in Aliquippa. Flathead distributors are probably not a big part of their business, and they have no control of how many six-packs of Iron City that Lou consumes as he rebuilds those distributors.

Did you send them a core? Or, did you pay a core charge? Add shipping and you've spent a lot of money. It should be "ready to install."

Send it back and have them refund all your money including the core and all shipping. I think your instincts are right. Who knows what kind of replacement parts were used/not used and what adjustments were made/not made.

There are several members of Fordbarn who rebuild distributors, who will do a good job of providing you with a "ready to install" distributor, and who will back up their work. They also share their knowledge via regular posts on the board.

Distributordevice.jpg
 
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Hoop,i rebuilt all of Mac's dist. up to about 6 yrs ago and then he found another rebuilder,maybe locally.I dont know who's doing them for him now but its not me. It was Mac's that the guy that posted this,i talked to him last nite and gave him advice on how to fix it up. Mac's is Mac's.You get what you pay for. ken ct.
 
" ... i talked to him last nite and gave him advice on how to fix it up."

Ken, you are one heck of a guy.
 
your are correct it is mac's. they have been pretty good about sending replacements but it doesn't help when there all junk. the parts all look new, I will set it up by ken's instructions and give it a try. anyone know who this ken in aliquippa is , I,m close to that, maybe i can use his fixture and my feeler gauges
 
Just be aware that with the points that are available to day or even Fords,that the left set will not be the same gap as the right ,when set correctly .You can see this in the shop books ,Even more so with some repoped points ,like 16 to 18 " So there setting is one thou out, 11" verses 12 ". I do have instructions that i may post here if I get my scanner working .
 
There are quality USA made points avaliblle to the public "borg-warner" for one.And if you set both sides at .014 the setting will stay there. Never heard of what your stating and i do a lot of dizzy rebuilding.One side will not vary from the other side unless you gapped them that way?? ken ct. Sorry i disagree with you Ted.
 
I post awhile back that was having issues getting my helmet style dis. apart so i could rebuild it. I soaked the entire thing in diesel fuel for 3 days and it came apart. I then replace the bushings, rotor, points, and vaccum can. and spring. What I did was set points on the high spots on the cam at .014 and set timing with the imformation that 4dford/sc provided fired her up. ( saw that imformatin awhile back and saved it) It was simple once I got it apart. If the outfit that rebult your dis. couldn't get the point gap right I would wounder I they rebult the dis. at all. Nothing to rebuilding one. I'm still working on my engine. what I did was remove a dis. from friend's engine Set the timing by ear took it for a drive and set the vaccum screw. My friend is 81 years old and it was his 39 trk. My friend has never had his dis. apart he has drove the the trk for about 40 years he has replaced points and condenser never the rotor or bushings. I think from what I see this is a good built unit. I have worked on Model A's for 42 years but never a flat head. I think I like it. Had herna surgey last Friday and now I'm down for the count.

Alan
 
Sorry, 36 Flathead, but there really is no "Lou in Aliquippa." My sad attempt at humor is rooted in a guy named Rege Cordic. If you are really an older guy from the burg, Cordic surrounded himself with near-real characters like Louie Aniskevich, Bruny, Roquefort Q. LaFarge, and others.

If I miss you at the bridge jump, I'll see you at the brick throw.
 
Ken ct... Is it advisable to set the points with the coil connect to the dist. Wether or not your using KRW V-126?
 
Yes you always install the coil or adaptor plate if your useing one on the dist when setting points. Late 36 to 41 helmet dizzys must have the coil on them to set points.Take note 36 flathead. ken ct. Also those yrs set at .016 not .014. .014 setting is for 32 to early 36. ken ct.
 
What im getting at is if you set each side, each on the heel of the cam @.014 they will always be @ .014. Note there never both on the heel at the same time. maybe i misunderstood what you were getting at?? ken ct.
 
Ken what I meant was that when ether points are on the cam peak /heal they should not be the same .or both at .014.when set according to the book .his are set one at 9 so there is reason to be concerned .This distributor could fail early because the gap will close up .
 
Ted you are correct the points are not set with feelers but MUST be set on a dwell meter on a machine to get them to factory specs. One poster stated the "points will stay there", they don't stay there the plastic shoe that rides on the cam in the distributor wears and the gap changes. If there is to much spring tention they wear even faster. If you get a distributor rebuilt it should be checked on a distributor machine and when you receive it measure the gaps and write them inside with a marking pen and in 3 or 4 years if needed you can clean the points and reset them to where they belong. If the pivot hole of the points is off in repsect to the shoe you can not get the distributor set anywhere near where it belongs with feelers or even on a machine but at least on the machine you know there is a problem. You would just have an engine that didn't preform at it's peak. G.M.
 
Guys, considering the possibility that some of those reading this thread are complete novices to the flathead distributor, you really should be a bit clearer in your explanations.

I understand what you are saying, but it does take some effort.

Ted said, " ... when ether points are on the cam peak /heal they should not be the same .or both at .014.when set according to the book ."

What book says " ... they should not be the same .or both at .014."? Is there a book that says exactly that? Now there may be. I just have never read exactly that.

G.M. wrote, "Ted you are correct the points are not set with feelers but MUST be set on a dwell meter on a machine to get them to factory specs."

Ted never said the points could not be set with feeler gauges ... nor did he say they "MUST" be set on a strober. While this is the best and most accurate way to set up a distributor, Ted did not say that. Further, "MUST" must be understood to mean " to (exact, complete) factory specs."

The "book" ... my copy of the Ford Service Bulletins states:

"While not equal to the Stroboscope, a fairly accurate timing of these distributors can be made with the V-126 timing fixture.

Independent garages and others can order these fixtures either direct from K. R. Wilson of Buffalo, N.Y., or through the Ford Dealer from whom they secure their parts."

So, Ford (the "book") allowed the setting of the distributor to be done on other than a strober. But, no argument, a strobe machine performs more tests for a complete set up. The Ford patent for the flathead distributor described the set up to be done with feeler gauges, by the way.

If I didn't know anything about distributors, I wouldn't have a clue of what you guys are talking about. I would however be confused and probably discouraged from touching my distributor.

A lot of this hobby involves learning and doing-it-yourself. It would be good if you guys gave instructions aimed at the hobbyist who was trying to understand what he's doing, does not have immediate access to a strobe machine, or may simply want to tear into his distributor himself.
 
The beauty of the flathead is that it will run decently even when repaired by the side of the road. And that includes setting the points.
 
ken ct said:
There are quality USA made points avaliblle to the public "borg-warner" for one.And if you set both sides at .014 the setting will stay there. Never heard of what your stating and i do a lot of dizzy rebuilding.One side will not vary from the other side unless you gapped them that way?? ken ct. Sorry i disagree with you Ted.
Click to expand...


Ken ,

Make that two of us , i am not understanding the point ( no pun intended:)) with the different settings as well.
Maybe someone can enlighten us a bit , i learn something new every day.
This will be my 29th year at the Newport Hill climb servicing many makes of cars and lots of flatheads . Always have set them same gap both sides...:eek::confused:
 
He is right in a way ,when one set is on the heel at .014 or .016 i use . Naturally the other side will be at a closer gap because its not on the heel it is closer to the flat than the other that is. If thats what hes getting at that gap what ever it is is meaningless. ken ct. The rubbing block wares down quick first 50 miles and gap will be correct .015. Thanks Bubba
 
.What I am saying is at the time of rebuilding the distributor the two sets of points will not necessary be the same gap when on the heal.Facing the radiator the right set fires all 8 plugs ,To time it correctly you can move the advance plate or you can change the point gap.so this could be set at say 14 ,To set the left set you cannot move the advance plate your only option is to change the gap ,so if you started with 14 it will no longer be 14 when correctly set.My book says adjust the right hand set so they remain open through the angle of rotation R Sparks and R (closes ) ,The same aplys with the left set .The initial setting of 14 th no longer remains as you re adjust according to the book .I will post try and elaborate so the novices can set there own
 
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