Distributor Mounting screw and locking nut

Afordman31

Afordman31

Well-known member
Anyone have an idea for a wrench modified for loosening the nut that locks the distributor in place? This is a real pain to loosen using the after market exhaust manifold. After the nut is loosened it is easy by using a screw driver to unscrew the locking screw. Any help or pictures of a modified wrench would be appreciated. Afordman31
 

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Maybe a picture would help since I'm not sure what kind of manifold you have. But, most folks have a few wrenches that have been 'warped' to suit their needs.
I've not seen an instance where a straight 9'16" didn't work.
 
take a 3/8 fine threaded bolt and cut it the same length as the screw turn the end down and just use a 9/16 wrench on it. be careful not to over tighten the bolt.
 
jw hash said:
take a 3/8 fine threaded bolt and cut it the same length as the screw turn the end down and just use a 9/16 wrench on it. be careful not to over tighten the bolt.
Click to expand...

I did about the same thing on a used HC head. I bought the head at a swap meet and didn't notice that the threads were stripped in the head. I had to go with the next larger size bolt and retap the head
 
Just don't over tighten the bolt. One of our customers did that and crushed the casing enough to put a squeeze on the shaft. Screw or bolt, just tight enough to hold, not to crush.
 
This bolt is a real pain in the ***.
I removed it easily enough to switch out distributers and now I CAN'T get it back in?
 
FrankWest said:
This bolt is a real pain in the ***.
I removed it easily enough to switch out distributers and now I CAN'T get it back in?
Click to expand...

Geez Frank, you dug really deep to bring this one out!! :D

I tend to have the best luck installing the Distributor Set-screw first sans the Lock Nut. Twist the set-screw backwards while pushing against the threads to make sure you are straight, and then begin turning the screw inward. On the off-chance your cylinder head threads are bad, try using a thread chaser or bottoming tap in the hole to clear the threads.
 
My setscrew has gotten stiff. Now days if I wanna pull the distributor I slip my 9/16 in there and back my lock nut off about 1 turn. Since the setscrew turns with it then I simply pull the distributor up.

Everyone is correct, they need not be very tight.
 
Would a set screw with an Allen wrench end work here? My manifold is stock and not in the way so I just use a regular screw driver, but I know some of the manifolds used for heaters get in the way. I guess the other option would be to drill a hole through the manifold to allow a regular screw driver to work, assuming the hole would not go into the exhaust passage. If it did, maybe a pipe plug would work. As far as modifying a wrench is concerned, most wrenches are hardened and hard to bend, so a torch is needed to bend them. Without a photograph, it is hard to recommend how to modify a wrench. I would say just to modify it to fit.
 
Our '30 coupe has an Autolite heater manifold . No problem with a 9/16s combination wrench and a screwdriver through the hole in the manifold. Dale
 
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