distributor Upgrade
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Ron in Quincy
Well-known member
The original style distributor is about as dependable as you can get; has worked good for 80 years, easy to rebuild, new bustings, shafts, points, cam, etc are available from most parts dealers. I suspect most Aers are using a stock distributor ?
Ron
Ron
J Franklin
Well-known member
FS, Nu-Rex, carry another so if it stops you can get home. You won't get a replacement at NAPA when you are stuck on the side of the road, and others touring with you most likely wont have parts for it either.
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
Mike V. Florida
Well-known member
Better how? The orginal will work exactly as a distubutor should, it will send spark to each plug when needed.
Dave in MN
Well-known member
Better...I don't know...but options are changing to either a modern points or electronic. The manufactureres of electronic ignition modules claim they provide a more consistant or more accurately timed spark. I don't know that you could tell the difference on the typical Model A. The performance guys will more often run electronics.
Carl G asked for opinions between NuRex and FS: I run a NuRex in my touring car (Phaeton) and have so for over 50,000 miles with only one spell of trouble that turned out to be a poor ground. I have also carried a replacement module for the NuRex since day one. If I were to choose an electronic unit now, I would go with the FS system as I think it is probably as reliable as the NuRex but I think you have the ability to quickly change back to your stock distributor as a back-up in case you have trouble. With the NuRex, you need to change quite a bit of wiring by the roadside to re-install your original. The FS system should allow you to switch the distributor quickly. (I think so anyway...I have not studied the FS system extensively.)
J Franklin makes a good point about running electronics..."others touring with you most likely wont have parts for it" but that's why one would carry an original pre-timed to your engine.
I carry a pre-timed distributor and spare carb in my stock distributor powered pickup.
I have not had to use them myself, but they have found their way on other cars.
Good Day!
Dave in MN
Carl G asked for opinions between NuRex and FS: I run a NuRex in my touring car (Phaeton) and have so for over 50,000 miles with only one spell of trouble that turned out to be a poor ground. I have also carried a replacement module for the NuRex since day one. If I were to choose an electronic unit now, I would go with the FS system as I think it is probably as reliable as the NuRex but I think you have the ability to quickly change back to your stock distributor as a back-up in case you have trouble. With the NuRex, you need to change quite a bit of wiring by the roadside to re-install your original. The FS system should allow you to switch the distributor quickly. (I think so anyway...I have not studied the FS system extensively.)
J Franklin makes a good point about running electronics..."others touring with you most likely wont have parts for it" but that's why one would carry an original pre-timed to your engine.
I carry a pre-timed distributor and spare carb in my stock distributor powered pickup.
I have not had to use them myself, but they have found their way on other cars.
Good Day!
Dave in MN
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John LaVoy
Well-known member
Every one has their own opinion of what is best, the question is what is best for you? The original system, while available and fairly easy to work on, does require point adjustment and usually replacement every 3-5 thousand miles. The original system requires the driver to adjust the timing manually retrarding to stop and climb hills, and advancing while on the open road. Forgetting to do this can causing broken starting bendix and overheating along with excessive engine wear. A simple upgrade to more modern points helps with the adjusting maintance issue but still need the manual advance. We did an article comparing the electronic vs point distributors in the Winter 2007 Model A Times.
Kurt in NJ
Well-known member
Buy a condenser from A&L, find NOS, or old brand name points.
Many will say modern points so they can get them at any napa ---and you will need them.
i have used the same points that came with the car--for 40 years now, the A&L condenser has been in for 25+ years.
The other upgrade is to use 100+ strand wire for the pigtail on the lower plate, I used a piece of wire from a 60s chevy dist that I found in the scrap behind a gas station --still good --
There are 2 kinds of reliability, modern cars go a long way --but when they break there usually is nothing you can do but call a tow truck, then there is a stock A --if it stops usually it fixes easy and doesn't need a tow truck ---when you start to "upgrade" to modern electronic type parts I feel that you are trying to combine the worst of both worlds ---that is why if you go with electronic you need to also keep a stock dist as a spare ready.
Many will say modern points so they can get them at any napa ---and you will need them.
i have used the same points that came with the car--for 40 years now, the A&L condenser has been in for 25+ years.
The other upgrade is to use 100+ strand wire for the pigtail on the lower plate, I used a piece of wire from a 60s chevy dist that I found in the scrap behind a gas station --still good --
There are 2 kinds of reliability, modern cars go a long way --but when they break there usually is nothing you can do but call a tow truck, then there is a stock A --if it stops usually it fixes easy and doesn't need a tow truck ---when you start to "upgrade" to modern electronic type parts I feel that you are trying to combine the worst of both worlds ---that is why if you go with electronic you need to also keep a stock dist as a spare ready.
Kevin in NJ
Well-known member
My brother left out a good polished dist cam that is lubricated with cam lube or petroleum jelly.
The new ones may not give you even point lift. A good original one that was polished lightly to smooth will give you original Ford quality.
Points presets two issues.
The first is a cross of pscyological and habit from when you drove your car everyday. Many guys feel they have to do something to their A. They recall replacing points yearly. So they replace the points.
The second issue is they new points will tend to wear in to the cam. The wear block might be slightly off angle and just wearing to conform to the cam. So for a while it seems the wear block is just wearing fast. So you change the points thinking they are bad. The truth is, a good quality set of points will experinence rapid wear at first the slows down as it wears in to the cam.
There can also be issues with getting the top plate to fit snug to the dist body. See Marco's website on making this tighter and for correct timing.
Done right you should not expect to do much other then oiling the dist regularly for the life of the car. Unless you are one of a small group that put 10,000 miles a year on your car.
Now for the arguement that you want modern points to be able to buy points on the road??? How often do points really go that bad without something else failing? I just do not get it.
The best upgrade to your car is often just paying attention to details.
The new ones may not give you even point lift. A good original one that was polished lightly to smooth will give you original Ford quality.
Points presets two issues.
The first is a cross of pscyological and habit from when you drove your car everyday. Many guys feel they have to do something to their A. They recall replacing points yearly. So they replace the points.
The second issue is they new points will tend to wear in to the cam. The wear block might be slightly off angle and just wearing to conform to the cam. So for a while it seems the wear block is just wearing fast. So you change the points thinking they are bad. The truth is, a good quality set of points will experinence rapid wear at first the slows down as it wears in to the cam.
There can also be issues with getting the top plate to fit snug to the dist body. See Marco's website on making this tighter and for correct timing.
Done right you should not expect to do much other then oiling the dist regularly for the life of the car. Unless you are one of a small group that put 10,000 miles a year on your car.
Now for the arguement that you want modern points to be able to buy points on the road??? How often do points really go that bad without something else failing? I just do not get it.
The best upgrade to your car is often just paying attention to details.
just plain bill
Senior Member
I use a stock "B" distributor in my modified engine. It ran 82 MPH in the quarter with out a miss. At the last 66 hill climb my car was only beaten by 4 port engines Still has the wing cap on it with wires I made.
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Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
As Kurt and Kevin mentioned, points hardly ever need to be replaced. This rusted hulk was pulled out of the woods after probably more than 50 years, and the distributor really needed nothing more than a good cleaning and paint job. Even the copper plating on the forged upper plate was good. I did put in new bushings and a distributor shaft, but there was so little wear on the original that I should have reused them. Yes, I'm using the points that came in it. I have never purchased new points. I find good used ones at swap meets. Usually the ones in the swap meet distributors are fine and I use them.
Purdy Swoft
Well-known member
I prefer the original distributor with original points. For best performance and hotter spark at the plugs, I set the points at .022 and the air gap at the rotor tip at .035 I use the model B ocean wave profile distributor cam that is said to double the spark. There is some question about the acuracy of some of these cams. Bill Stipe now makes and sells the better distributor cam with 10 more degrees of dwell part number SMC 0033. I use the Pertronix epoxy filled flamethrower 40.000 volt coil. This coil is twice as powerful as the original coil and gives faster starts and a noticable increase in power. With the flamethrower coil I get the performance of electronic ignition and retain the simplicity of the original distributor. I use the 3.0 ohm coil for 12 volt or the 1.5 OHM for 6 volt These coils are internally resisted and you don't need an external ballast, they mount and look like any replacement coil and you get the extra boost of electronic at a fraction of the cost and retain the simple original distributor. For reliability I use the wireless lower plate, this plate uses an acorn nut in place of the wire that runs between the dist. plates. This type lower plate has been fail safe for over 15 years on my cars. The so called modern points and the wireless lower plate that is used with them is nothing but a problem waiting for the worst time and place to give problems .
The mallory dual point distributor is a very reliable unit to consider. I use one on my speedster and the coupe that I gave my daughter. The only thing that I ever had to do to either was replace the condenser, since the early ninties. The mallory distributors will also benefit by the use of a hotter coil. I used some old 30.000 volt bee hive coils with the mallory distributors with a noticeable boost in power but the coils were short lived. I think that the cause was, the bee hive coils are oil filled and I mounted them like a model A coil with the wires at the bottom. I learned the hard way that some oil filled coils will fail if mounted this way. The flame thrower coils that I now use are epoxy filled and don't give problems when mounted with the wires at the bottom. Good luck.
The mallory dual point distributor is a very reliable unit to consider. I use one on my speedster and the coupe that I gave my daughter. The only thing that I ever had to do to either was replace the condenser, since the early ninties. The mallory distributors will also benefit by the use of a hotter coil. I used some old 30.000 volt bee hive coils with the mallory distributors with a noticeable boost in power but the coils were short lived. I think that the cause was, the bee hive coils are oil filled and I mounted them like a model A coil with the wires at the bottom. I learned the hard way that some oil filled coils will fail if mounted this way. The flame thrower coils that I now use are epoxy filled and don't give problems when mounted with the wires at the bottom. Good luck.
LukeDahlinger
BANNED
I ran reproduction points for years. for the most part they were junk, with the exception of Motorcraft & Echlin points.
Stumbled across a stash of NOS Ford points at a show and bought all he had @$3 box. I use a NOS 'B' cam, and NOS upper plate. In the 30,000 miles this assembly has been together, I've never had to do anything aside from keeping the cam wiped down with grease.
I don't have any experience with the 57-74 Ford Points being sold as an upgrade or whatever the term is.
Stumbled across a stash of NOS Ford points at a show and bought all he had @$3 box. I use a NOS 'B' cam, and NOS upper plate. In the 30,000 miles this assembly has been together, I've never had to do anything aside from keeping the cam wiped down with grease.
I don't have any experience with the 57-74 Ford Points being sold as an upgrade or whatever the term is.
Jason in TX
Well-known member
FS Ignition sells the pertronix drop in and also their own unique distributor. I run the Pertronix from FS. Yes you could get another pertronix from an autoparts store, and the pertronix uses 70s MoPar elec. ignition.
You can also pull the pertronix distributor and carry a stock distributor in your tool box with an alligator clip to hot wire the original one to get you to a safe location.
You can also pull the pertronix distributor and carry a stock distributor in your tool box with an alligator clip to hot wire the original one to get you to a safe location.