42-48 Distributor Help

flatheadron

Member
Anyone got a 42-48 Ford distributor around that they can take a look at the back side of the unit that faces the cam gear. Between the two drive lugs is a core (expansion) plug those seals off the end of the shaft. Inside the shaft is a lubrication wick and the other end of the shaft has a small oil hole to lubricate the front bushing. Can you tell me if the plug at the rear has a small hole (orifice) that allows oil into the shaft? And if so, what diameter is the hole? Many thanks, Flatheadron
 
No hole in the plug clean the wick and soak it in MMO or other light lubricant and reinstall the wick being sure the small hole in the shaft is open.
 
I just happen to have some laying in the driveway. I'm dragging stuff out to create a spot for my dad's '32 roadster that I inherited. I already had several of these crab distributers but as I cleaned out my dad's garage, I've found a few more. There just a slotted plug back there.

I had just had a friend build a new engine and it was leaking oil from the front. It was the brass bushing in the crab distributer. It was leaking oil into the distributer and then running down the front of the pan. With that much play it must have been affecting the reductor spacing on is Pertronics conversion, it would have been changing the point gap if it had points. Check your bushing play.

My goal for today is to get that '32 roadster in the stall and then figure out where all this stuff on the driveway is going to go??? I've had boxes of my dad's stuff stored under the '34 pickup and I have not been able to lower it to work on it. That changes today, I'm excited I'm starting to see the garage floor!
 

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Build a shed.

If I were closer i would be on my way to your place pronto.

Originally, I built a 24'X50' gargage in 1986. Then in 2010 I added another 1200 sf (a parts storage area and big-tall stall for a hoist). That filled up so I added a 20'X24' carport to the end of the garage and that filled up.

What's in there? MY Forty 45 plus years of collecting Ford stuff. Plus 65 years worth of my dad's Ford stuff. Plus 75 years worth of stuff from 90 year old neighbor dry lakes racer.

There is a famous old hot rod '28 Roadster pickup from the late 1940s, tons of history

a stock 1929 Roadster

The neighbor's Bonneville 201 mph Boss 302 powered '29 roadster I bought just before he passed away.

My dad's '32 highboy roadster with an 8BA

My original 1932 chassis, 1940s hot rod style roadster project (Brookville body)

A severely chopped '32 3-Window project.

A 1932 5W Coupe project.

1964 Falcon Sprint factory red 4-speed (project)
1964 Falcon Futura factory black 4-speed (project)

A real 1966 GT-350

A real 1970 Boss 302 (project) Its something special, some kind of factory test car? I'm still working figuring out exactly what it did?

My dad's 1933 pickup (project)

1934 Ford pickup (project)

1906 Autocar Truck (project)

1915 Mack "C" Cab wrecker (project

1922 MACK AB "C" Cab (project)

The latest project a 1934 BB stake bed.

At least 20 flatheads? Vintage mini bikes, go-karts, gas pumps, enough parts to finish all the flathead cars.

Now that I'm retired, I like to tackle one car a year. I can do all the mechanicals and the paint and body work. I have every tool I will ever need. Tire machine and balancer, brake lathe, brake shoe arcing, hydraulic press, welders, giant bead blaster, paint booth stall... I should be able to stay out in the garage and never leave.
 
Flatheadiron. The back end of the distributor shaft on my ‘46 Coupe has a slotted screw in it, but the end of the shaft was “staked” at the factory, so I can’t get the screw out to lube the wick. I did soak the bronze bushings in oil before assembly.
 
Thanks to those who responded. Just was not sure as the older distributor had a tiny hole for oil to the wick. Mine just had an expansion plug, not slotted like these are. I cleaned out the inside of the shaft and the wick, will re-oil and get a small 3/8" expansion plug to close the hole. Thanks again to those on the Barn who help when they can. Flatheadron
 
The more space you have the more stuff tends to collect( I think it multiplies when we’re not looking).
 
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