Distributor Body Rocking??
 

I watched the Les Andrews video on timing, the part where you may need to adjust your steering column so you are getting full retard and advance of timing. I loosened the attachment at the steering box and inside under the gas tank. It rotated freely after that as mine was out of adjustment. It would retard fully but not advance. This is why I did the adjustment. I thought I was finished until I noticed the distributor body would move when I went to full retard. When I first got the car the body was sorta stuck on, it may have been glued? I am afraid it moves too much now but I don't believe another body will fix the problem.

I removed the cap and body and noticed there are two slots or cutouts on the bottom of the distributor body to hold it in place. There is only one nub on the distributor base (metal) sticking up to hold the body in place. Should there be two?

Re: Distributor Body Rocking??
 

Model B distributors used two slots, so repro bodies come with two so they can fit either car.

Re: Distributor Body Rocking??
 

Maybe you rotated the column TOO far and are on putting pressure on the cap causing it to "rock".
Paul in CT

Re: Distributor Body Rocking??
 

Tighten things up. The dist should be solid with no movement.

Re: Distributor Body Rocking??
 

It did hit as Les called for but not hard at all. It doesn't take much to move it. The distributor body looks good and I can feel it find the sweet spot where it wants to sit. I'll try to readjust so the retarded position is just as close as I can get it without touching.

Re: Distributor Body Rocking??
 

It's only the plastic distributor body moving. Rocking is probably the wrong word to describe it. When I retard the timing it moves the arm counter clockwise which pushes the distributor body counterclockwise but in a swinging motion as the pin holds at the slot. It touching sets it in motion and it moves by itself at that point. It doesn't push it to its movement limit. At the very least it takes part of the body away from one or more of the plug contacts to some degree. I hope that makes sense.

Re: Distributor Body Rocking??
 

I used a very small amount of electrical tape on the tab of the distributor to tighten the fit . I had the same problem. I also used a thin strip of tape around the body to tighten it up.

Re: Distributor Body Rocking??
 

Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the advice. Sometimes I overthink things.

Re: Distributor Body Rocking??
 

a lot of the used and new dist. bodys are a sloppy fit,It should fit snug on the dist.The bodys are usually plentyfull at the flea markets,I take a dist. housing with me if I want to find a good fitting body.

Re: Distributor Body Rocking??
 

Mine fits tight in that I can tell where it needs to be. When I took it off the first time it was stuck to the metal as it had been on several years without removal, OR someone had glued it??