Distributor end play

2

2speed

Senior Member
Rebuilding a distributor and I've got around .015" of end play. The fiber washer is .045" thick. Doing a search on here it seems the consensus is end play doesn't really matter?


Cram the fiber in and have it wear in? Leave it out?
 
Am I wrong? I always thought that end play (up and down movement)did not make any difference.
 
I wouldn't expect 0.015" end play to make much difference...but it is out of spec. I would order the washer. I used both the fiber and the 0.015" on all three of my rebuilds...and final end play was minimal. No, I didn't actually measure it. I looked up the spec. and "passed" them by eye/feel.

If I were rebuilding for pay, it would be tweaked to within spec. For myself...if it doesn't add yet another rattle, it's GTG. :)
 
Everything matters.... how much is the question.
Distributor end play should be .006" to .010"
That's pretty standard for shafts where thermal expansion happens.
I have distributor shim .015" .025" .032" .047"
You can always turn the collar shorter to fine tune the end play.
I recommend a spring roll pin also rather than a solid peened pin.
I don't recommend the fiber washer use, it's not going to last long....
 
I was debating about chucking up the collar in a lathe and "fine tune" it a bit. I may go that route.


Do you drill the collar/shaft out for a roll pin? It seems to me from the little bit I monkeyed with it the holes were different sizes, side to side. i.e. the pin only went in one way...
 
I have found that the fiber washer is too thick in most distributors I have rebuilt. I always chuck the collar up in my lathe and trim it for the proper clearance. 2speed, your suggestion will work fine.
 
2speed said:
I was debating about chucking up the collar in a lathe and "fine tune" it a bit. I may go that route.


Do you drill the collar/shaft out for a roll pin? It seems to me from the little bit I monkeyed with it the holes were different sizes, side to side. i.e. the pin only went in one way...
Click to expand...

The right sized roll pin goes right in, I push them in using a bench vice or arbor press not a hammer.

The hole in the shaft and collar are the same, some of the pins were tapered and of coarse peening the end results in being able to drive it out only one way.

When I'm test fitting to set the end play I use an ice pick that just fits through the collar and shaft to make all parts snug then I use a feeler gauge to measure the gap.
 
Ford specified .004 to .010 end play. It allows the oil to work up the shaft. Fiber washer on top to prevent oil from getting on points. Any steel shims if required would go on bottom
 
Go with post 7 by Mr. Renner. If you want the washer, ,try some emery paper on a piece of glass and shave the fiber until the binding stops.
 
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