Distributor (dis)assembly

oldmanandakid

oldmanandakid

Senior Member
I am confused by the drawings.....is there a thin washer that goes under the distributor cam screw and lock washer or does it go under the bottom of the cam itself? There was none in either position when I took it apart and there is no such animal included in my "Deluxe Distributor Hardware Kit". The only local supply washer that comes close to fitting is .05" thick.

Also, in trying to get at the distributor shaft set screw I am blocked by the Auto Lite heat exchanger which appears to be cast as part of the exhaust manifold, after removal of the air scoop covering. Am I missing something here?
 
Isn't there a hole in the Autolite that allows access to that set screw, after the cover is removed? It's awkward, but you can get to it. At least, that's the way mine is.
 
Insofar as the distributor cam screw is concerned, there is - from top to bottom - the following:

Cam screw;
Cam lock washer 5/16";
Cam flat washer 5/16" (1/32" x 35/64").

Most of the parts catalogs (such as page 76 of the 2012 Bratton's catalog) and many of the Model A-related web sites have blowup diagrams of the distributor and other major assemblies that might be helpful.
 
Thanks Skip that was the way I was reading the diagram but could not find a part # for that flat washer so questioned what I was seeing. I'll try it tomorrow, maybe with new glasses.
 
Bratton's part number For the flat washer is 17520 (which is actually the screw, lock washer and flat washer as a set, for $1.40/set). Other suppliers appear to sell these items (or some of them) individually.
 
Thanks for the part # Skip. I had to leave the car with the kid so I put the distributor back together with the available parts but no flat washer or or washer between the shaft and bushing. Which was the way it came to me including a piece of some mechanics shirt tail insulating the pigtail where it attaches to the upper plate. Seems to be running fine but I'll put it right when I return with the missing parts.
 
Bratton's sells two washers that should be included in the rebuild. part number 17390 is a .015 metal washer that fits under the collar on the shaft and sits on top of the casting above the top bushing. It is described as a cam shaft thrust washer.

The other washer is made of fiber and is part number 17400 it goes above the distributor shaft sleeve and below the casting just below the bottom bushing.

Quite often I have found that after installing the two washers the shaft will not turn freely. This can be corrected by grinding material off the top of the distributor shaft sleeve. It is a trial and error effort to have it turn freely without excessive thrust clearance.

It is a good idea to have extra .015 washers on hand as they can be added to remove excessive thrust. When it is necessary to add extra .015 washers it is because someone may have machined either the top or the bottom of the casting in the past to make them flat. I usually add the extra .015 washers at the bottom with the fiber washer.

Tom Endy
 
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