School me on distributors

Abchoppers

Abchoppers

Member
56 Mercury 312, let me first say I’ve been fighting an issue for about 2 weeks and I think I’m close to solving it, that’s only because of the things I’ve learned from you guys so thank you again.

Car was breaking up, sputtering on acceleration, missing a lot. After doing all the checks I learned here: vacuum a steady 20, compression the same as last time I checked, fuel system is all new, all tune up parts are new including coil. I found that the distributor vacuum advance diaphragm was broke. I replaced it and the issue improved, but not fixed. I finally realized the timing was too advanced after I heard pinging. I’ve never touched the timing before. I’ve retarded the timing and it is very much improved, but still misses on acceleration. The pinging is gone.

I have a Holley 4160 carb that bolts directly to manifold, so I believe I have a 57 manifold, however, I think I still have the dreaded loadomatic distributor. The only vacuum advance that would fit said it was for a 55-56 ford. I also have Petronix electronic ignition. I’ve included pics to help identify.


So is now a good time to upgrade the distributor? If so, will any new 312 y block fit? Any help much appreciated.
 

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With the later carb, you need a later distributor. 1957 and up. The late 59 to 64 are considered the best so I am told but the 57 to early 59 are good units.. Some of these are truck distributors and may need re-curving (I really don't know).


Any YBlock distributor will work except for 54. and the 55 is basically the same as your 56.


From your picture, the distributor you have looks like a 55, single vacuum pot.
 
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Paul is correct. There’s been some discussions on yblocksforever about me distributor’s, including what Ted Eaton has used. I bring this up because finding even rebuildable cores is becoming a problem. But I can’t find the link, not surprising, I’ve never been able to figure out the search function over there. Maybe Paul is better at that than I am.
 
I had similar experience. 55 Customline with the one year off vaccum advance distributor.
Carb had been changed to a later type carb.
I went with a Pertronix distributor new one from ebay. Fitted also a 35o holley street avenger carb. Some fine tuning and this runs very well.
I opted for a new complete Pertonix distributor. Happy with result.
Phil NZ
 
When I inherited my 55 Tbird in 2012, it ran fine until stepping on it; it then would miss, and the Fordomatic wouldn't automatically downshift. Like you, I thought it might be due for a tune-up. When I went to install a new distributor cap, it was too small. I then discovered that my 55 had a 57 distributor, but the original 55 Holley 4000 Teapot carburetor hadn't been swapped out or modified for compatibility with the 57 distributor. As it has been already said, your car won't run right when using the original 56 Loadomatic distributor with your 4160 carburetor.
 
55blacktie said:
When I inherited my 55 Tbird in 2012, it ran fine until stepping on it; it then would miss, and the Fordomatic wouldn't automatically downshift. Like you, I thought it might be due for a tune-up. When I went to install a new distributor cap, it was too small. I then discovered that my 55 had a 57 distributor, but the original 55 Holley 4000 Teapot carburetor hadn't been swapped out or modified for compatibility with the 57 distributor. As it has been already said, your car won't run right when using the original 56 Loadomatic distributor with your 4160 carburetor.
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I thought it ran decent before so I’m pretty excited to get a new distributor in there 😁
 
Nice looking Mercury. My wife would like me to paint my Tbird that color (her favorite), but I won't (it's Raven Black).
 
I haven't had any experience with the pertronix distributors, but do have a pertronix unit in my 57 distributor which hasen't given me any problems so far.
 
Just remember that when these cars were new, they did not have these problems, so something has changed. It sounds like an ignition problem, but you never know it could be fuel or something mechanical. You can check the distributor bushings for excessive play, you can also watch the timing mark to see if it's steady at the rpm you're feeling the misfire. I was a mechanic with the phone company for 30-years, in the beginning when I started most of the vehicles had points. We had a fleet of 400 vehicles, most of them still used points.

I 've heard a lot of complaints about "aftermarket" converted electronic distributors dying and leaving people stranded. The factory electronic distributors practically last forever, their pretty tuff. I think a lot of people use the aftermarket electronics, so they won't have to deal with replacing the points or they are trying to fix a problem. I don't mind the points, but the biggest problem is finding good quality points for old distributers. Look at the cap for cracks, check the plug wires and plugs. A bad vacuum advance does not usually cause a misfile just a sluggish feeling. I have spare coils so I can throw one of those on there and see if that fixes it. I still have a big old Sun scope here at home which is a big help at looking at looking at ignition systems. You're at a slight disadvantage without one.
 
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Flathead Fever said:
Just remember that when these cars were new, they did not have these problems, so something has changed. It sounds like an ignition problem, but you never know it could be fuel or something mechanical. You can check the distributor bushings for excessive play, you can also watch the timing mark to see if it's steady at the rpm you're feeling the misfire. I was a mechanic with the phone company for 30-years, in the beginning when I started most of the vehicles had points. We had a fleet of 400 vehicles, most of them still used points.

I 've heard a lot of complaints about "aftermarket" converted electronic distributors dying and leaving people stranded. The factory electronic distributors practically last forever, their pretty tuff. I think a lot of people use the aftermarket electronics, so they won't have to deal with replacing the points or they are trying to fix a problem. I don't mind the points, but the biggest problem is finding good quality points for old distributers. Look at the cap for cracks, check the plug wires and plugs. A bad vacuum advance does not usually cause a misfile just a sluggish feeling. I have spare coils so I can throw one of those on there and see if that fixes it. I still have a big old Sun scope here at home which is a big help at looking at looking at ignition systems. You're at a slight disadvantage without one.
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I ended up ordering the pertronix complete distributor with electronic ignition, I’ve heard the same about finding reliable points these days. Thanks for the info
 
HRR, nice video, thank you. I'll be sharing it as needed.

I like pictures too....
Y-block distributors.

Photo 1, '56 and earlier Loadomatic, 'vacuum only' timing advance.
Visual features for a quick ID: two small springs on four posts, flat side on the upper shaft to index the rotor, rotor held in place with a black "C" shaped spring clip.

Photo 2, '57 to mid '59, points & condenser mount to a round plate with ball bearings around the underside of the outer edge, actuator arm from the vacuum canister is straight, an open notch to index the rotor, mechanical/centrifugal timing advance weights are underneath.

Photo 3, mid '59+, angular shape to the points & condenser mounting plate, actuator arm from the vacuum canister is "S" curved, points & condenser mounting plate pivots on a single pin, mechanical/centrifugal timing advance weights underneath.

All have a small Ground wire for the points that can fray and fail with age and use, causing intermittent ignition or no spark at all.
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Thanks for the pics, it confirms that I have a 56 or older distributor. My new one is coming today and will be my first distributor install. I’ve read a lot about how to make it go smooth and watched a few videos, so fingers crossed.
 
Abchoppers said:
Thanks for the pics, it confirms that I have a 56 or older distributor. My new one is coming today and will be my first distributor install. I’ve read a lot about how to make it go smooth and watched a few videos, so fingers crossed.
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With the distributor cap off bump the engine around until the rotor is pointing toward the lower left, and the position where the #1 spark plug wire just was. Clean around the base of the distributor so debris won't fall in the soon to be empty hole.
Unbolt the distributor hold-down clamp, remove the distributor vacuum lines and pull the distributor straight out.
Insert the new distributor so the rotor lands in the same spot as before.
Due to the angled cut of the drive gears the rotor will turn slightly as it drops into place, may take a couple tries.

In this illustration notice the small white rectangles at the outer edge of the distributor cap, between 3 & 6 and also 1 & 5. They note the position of the cap hold-down spring clips.
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Guys - no problem, glad to help.

I decided to put out a few videos since so many of the younger crowd lives on social media. It seems like the YouTube channel has a little bit of a following these days.

dmsfrr - your distributor pics have always helped out. I think you have good information on the various intake manifold hold-downs (the clam shell pieces of hardware). Did you post all that here on the forum sometime back.
 
Hot Rod Reverend said:
. . .
dmsfrr - your distributor pics have always helped out. I think you have good information on the various intake manifold hold-downs (the clam shell pieces of hardware). Did you post all that here on the forum sometime back.
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'distributor pics' you're welcome, I hope they help.

'intake manifold hold-downs (the clam shell pieces of hardware)'
I may have posted a few photos but it was quite a while ago. My only real interest in them was finding a matching appropriate looking set for the ECZ-B intake that's on the 292 I put in my '55 Bird.

I have a few beveled cast steel examples that may have been common on trucks (?) and I believe the correct style for E code intakes are very slightly longer than the more common versions. Example photo 3.

Once I found what I needed I stopped looking and only know enough about them to get myself in trouble if I say too much. Which I have done before. :o
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Phil Gillespie said:
I had similar experience. 55 Customline with the one year off vaccum advance distributor.
Carb had been changed to a later type carb.
I went with a Pertronix distributor new one from ebay. Fitted also a 35o holley street avenger carb. Some fine tuning and this runs very well.
I opted for a new complete Pertonix distributor. Happy with result.
Phil NZ
Click to expand...

They sell distributors, not just conversion kits?
 
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