The Ford Barn

elwood · 09-15-2014, 10:16 PM

Hey guys, I was wondering what a distributor shaft end play should be ?
Ive got .240 in this one, to much ?
Thanks

BUBBAS IGNITION · 09-16-2014, 08:25 AM

.240 would be way too much , i would think .050 would work.
.240 may not cause a problem but i would wonder how it got that way etc ????
Theres really no load on a 8ba unit as it doesnt drive anything but the point set and the rotor would push the play downward .......
I would shim it or take apart to see why the play is so large, bottom gears are a bear to remove .....

4tford · 09-16-2014, 10:30 AM

is it .240 or .024

George/Maine · 09-16-2014, 10:37 AM

ya I think its .024
I think its geared to be sucked down anyway.
As long as it works drive it.

elwood · 09-16-2014, 12:00 PM

no, its .240

George/Maine · 09-16-2014, 12:51 PM

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If you can move the shaft that much your points would jump off lobe.
Does it work? broken shaft maybe.
Any way its down pressure. Try it and see if it works.

oldford2 · 09-16-2014, 02:08 PM

Deleted

DD931 · 09-16-2014, 04:14 PM

Just for clarity - 0.240 is almost a quarter of an inch!! That's a lot of end play.

19Fordy · 09-16-2014, 04:39 PM

On page 88 of the 1949-51 Mercury Overhaul Manual it says that the distributor shaft end play is .002 to .005 inches. If greater than .005 shaft has to be replaced.

BUBBAS IGNITION · 09-16-2014, 05:32 PM

I talked to elwood on the phone today his problem distributor is one of mine ( gasp).
He is sending it back for repairs , i will post the results when i fix it.........
Beats me as i am the gear guy at the shop, had to be one i did?????????
Hate it when this happens !

rotorwrench · 09-16-2014, 06:13 PM

There are two different gears. One for the early truck type and then one for the shaft that has the pilot on the bottom end. Maybe a gear upside down? Beats me.

Teich · 09-16-2014, 07:27 PM

OEM is as 19Forty says, had the same problem with one of Bubbas dist. with a Pertronics it will make a knocking sound, just take the gear off and shim it really didn't want to ship back dist. still works great 3-4000 miles Laurie

elwood · 09-16-2014, 10:51 PM

Jim, thanks for the help,
Your a great guy to deal with...

scooder · 09-20-2014, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

On page 88 of the 1949-51 Mercury Overhaul Manual it says that the distributor shaft end play is .002 to .005 inches. If greater than .005 shaft has to be replaced.

That's what I set 'em at, 0.002-0.005, defiantly less than 0.007"
0.050" is way, way to much. Quarter inch! Good Lord, there be a problem!
How did it get that big without the rotor hitting stuff?
Martin.

BUBBAS IGNITION · 09-23-2014, 03:25 PM

Got it back today and "Houston we have a problem" had every bit of .250 or more . Seems as if the lower bushing had been pounded upward in the distributor case !!
Prior to machining we press the bushing upward so that we dont cut much of the bushing away. Then we machine the housing to allow proper location with cylinder head clamp on the head. The we machine the housing size to allow .025-.030 housing bushing to new drive gear clearance. This allows oil to lube the lower end and the rotor is spring loaded to cap for downward push etc..
After shipping over 900 like this it seems to work very well.

Somehow ????????? this one had pressed the bushing upward in the housing and we are blaming shipping etc. On our end we will ship in a different wrap from down on to help prevent this ever happening again. Pic shows box when returned etc , seems as if the shippers trow each box off the barn roof every time ????

On this one i installed an new bushing cut to size and ran on tester making sure its correct .....
Sorry Elwood , i added some Newport Oil for your trouble.............

51 MERC-CT · 09-23-2014, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BUBBAS IGNITION

Got it back today and "Houston we have a problem" had every bit of .250 or more . Seems as if the lower bushing had been pounded upward in the distributor case !!
Prior to machining we press the bushing upward so that we dont cut much of the bushing away. Then we machine the housing to allow proper location with cylinder head clamp on the head. The we machine the housing size to allow .025-.030 housing bushing to new drive gear clearance. This allows oil to lube the lower end and the rotor is spring loaded to cap for downward push etc..
After shipping over 900 like this it seems to work very well.

Somehow ????????? this one had pressed the bushing upward in the housing and we are blaming shipping etc. On our end we will ship in a different wrap from down on to help prevent this ever happening again. Pic shows box when returned etc , seems as if the shippers trow each box off the barn roof every time ????

On this one i installed an new bushing cut to size and ran on tester making sure its correct .....
Sorry Elwood , i added some Newport Oil for your trouble.............

Trying to get this straight in my feeble mind, is this a stock or a modified GM distributor?

BUBBAS IGNITION · 09-23-2014, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 51 MERC-CT

Trying to get this straight in my feeble mind, is this a stock or a modified GM distributor?

Modified GM aluminum distributor.........tryed today but couldnt download pictures , will try again tomorrow......

elwood · 09-24-2014, 12:33 PM

Jim, thanks man,
Your the best, looking forward to the hot sauce, smile ....

09-15-2014, 10:16 PM	#1
elwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 1,053	8BA Distributor end play Hey guys, I was wondering what a distributor shaft end play should be ? Ive got .240 in this one, to much ? Thanks

09-16-2014, 08:25 AM	#2
BUBBAS IGNITION Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: SPEEDWAY INDIANA Posts: 4,148	Re: 8BA Distributor end play .240 would be way too much , i would think .050 would work. .240 may not cause a problem but i would wonder how it got that way etc ???? Theres really no load on a 8ba unit as it doesnt drive anything but the point set and the rotor would push the play downward ....... I would shim it or take apart to see why the play is so large, bottom gears are a bear to remove ..... __________________ If it Makes Spark, we do it !!!! www.bubbasignition.com [email protected]

09-16-2014, 10:30 AM	#3
4tford Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Regina Canada Posts: 1,335	Re: 8BA Distributor end play is it .240 or .024

09-16-2014, 10:37 AM	#4
George/Maine Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mid coast Maine Posts: 1,878	Re: 8BA Distributor end play ya I think its .024 I think its geared to be sucked down anyway. As long as it works drive it.

09-16-2014, 12:00 PM	#5
elwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 1,053	Re: 8BA Distributor end play no, its .240

09-16-2014, 12:51 PM	#6
George/Maine Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mid coast Maine Posts: 1,878	Re: 8BA Distributor end play Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) If you can move the shaft that much your points would jump off lobe. Does it work? broken shaft maybe. Any way its down pressure. Try it and see if it works.

09-16-2014, 02:08 PM	#7
oldford2 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: pittsfield, MA Posts: 2,086	Re: 8BA Distributor end play Deleted Last edited by oldford2; 09-16-2014 at 02:42 PM.

09-16-2014, 04:14 PM	#8
DD931 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: PA Poconos Posts: 723	Re: 8BA Distributor end play Just for clarity - 0.240 is almost a quarter of an inch!! That's a lot of end play.

09-16-2014, 04:39 PM	#9
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 10,951	Re: 8BA Distributor end play On page 88 of the 1949-51 Mercury Overhaul Manual it says that the distributor shaft end play is .002 to .005 inches. If greater than .005 shaft has to be replaced.

09-16-2014, 05:32 PM	#10
BUBBAS IGNITION Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: SPEEDWAY INDIANA Posts: 4,148	Re: 8BA Distributor end play I talked to elwood on the phone today his problem distributor is one of mine ( gasp). He is sending it back for repairs , i will post the results when i fix it......... Beats me as i am the gear guy at the shop, had to be one i did????????? Hate it when this happens ! __________________ If it Makes Spark, we do it !!!! www.bubbasignition.com [email protected]

09-16-2014, 06:13 PM	#11
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,440	Re: 8BA Distributor end play There are two different gears. One for the early truck type and then one for the shaft that has the pilot on the bottom end. Maybe a gear upside down? Beats me.

09-16-2014, 07:27 PM	#12
Teich Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Brandon Mb Canada Posts: 133	Re: 8BA Distributor end play OEM is as 19Forty says, had the same problem with one of Bubbas dist. with a Pertronics it will make a knocking sound, just take the gear off and shim it really didn't want to ship back dist. still works great 3-4000 miles Laurie

09-16-2014, 10:51 PM	#13
elwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 1,053	Re: 8BA Distributor end play Jim, thanks for the help, Your a great guy to deal with...

09-23-2014, 03:25 PM	#15
BUBBAS IGNITION Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: SPEEDWAY INDIANA Posts: 4,148	Re: 8BA Distributor end play Got it back today and "Houston we have a problem" had every bit of .250 or more . Seems as if the lower bushing had been pounded upward in the distributor case !! Prior to machining we press the bushing upward so that we dont cut much of the bushing away. Then we machine the housing to allow proper location with cylinder head clamp on the head. The we machine the housing size to allow .025-.030 housing bushing to new drive gear clearance. This allows oil to lube the lower end and the rotor is spring loaded to cap for downward push etc.. After shipping over 900 like this it seems to work very well. Somehow ????????? this one had pressed the bushing upward in the housing and we are blaming shipping etc. On our end we will ship in a different wrap from down on to help prevent this ever happening again. Pic shows box when returned etc , seems as if the shippers trow each box off the barn roof every time ???? On this one i installed an new bushing cut to size and ran on tester making sure its correct ..... Sorry Elwood , i added some Newport Oil for your trouble............. __________________ If it Makes Spark, we do it !!!! www.bubbasignition.com [email protected]

09-24-2014, 12:33 PM	#18
elwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 1,053	Re: 8BA Distributor end play Jim, thanks man, Your the best, looking forward to the hot sauce, smile ....