Distributor Help!
 

Hey guys, I thought I had my car running great. I took it out yesterday and it all of a sudden died. No spitting and sputtering, just died. Long story, but I thought it was fuel and messed with the carb, then realized it was a spark issue. I got it towed home and now I’m messing with the distributor. I plan to rebuild it because I’m not sure the last time it was done (I’ve owned the car for 3 months). The distributor shaft does not have the hole to oil it which leads me to believe it’s old and a 1 piece shaft.
During my diagnosis, when I hand crank the car over, my distributor cam is not spinning.. I can’t spin the distributor cam with my hand so the teeth on the bottom of the shaft are not chewed up? Is something else in the engine chewed up?
This is my first time messing with the distributor, I currently have the top plate hanging off to the side with the wire still connected to the bottom plate, but I cannot lift the bottom plate out of the distributor body. I’d like to pull the distributor shaft out of the engine so I can provide the Fordbarn with more information to my problem but I don’t want to wreck anything.

Any info will be greatly appreciated and thank you guys in advance.
It’s unfortunate because the last time I had it out, it ran so well and had no hiccups.
Thanks again Fordbarn

Re: Distributor Help!
 

Timing gear?

Re: Distributor Help!
 

The timing gear may be stripped?
If so, what could have caused that?
Thank you Alexiskai

Re: Distributor Help!
 

Between the crankshaft and the distributor are four gears (I guess five if you count the lower distributor shaft): crank gear, timing gear, the worm gear on the camshaft, and the oil pump drive gear. If the crank shaft is turning, but the distributor cam is not, one of those four is malfunctioning.

The timing gear is the most likely to fail, either by stripping the fiber teeth or by the cam nut loosening. You can check its condition by removing the inspection cover at the side of the timing gear cover.

Re: Distributor Help!
 

Damn, okay thank you very much for the information you provided! Hopefully it isn’t a major repair that’s required. When I get a minute I’ll get out in the garage and remove the inspection cover and take a look.
If I remove the cover and find that the timing gear is ok, then I need to disassemble a whole lot more?

Re: Distributor Help!
 

I think people are right that it is the timing gear. If you cannot move the shaft in the distributor then it is likely still connected to the camshaft. You can take a spark plug out to see if the valves are still moving up and down.

Changing the cam gear is something that can be done on the side of the road but it is much easier if you remove the radiator and work from the front of the car. When you remove the front cover to remove the timing gear, make sure you do not allow the plunger and spring to fall into the engine by tipping the cover back as you remove it.

An aluminum gear will last a lot longer than the fiber gear. You can buy a tool to remove the cam gear nut and you can buy a nut that takes a standard socket wrench.

The red book is a good reference and has step by step instructions.

Re: Distributor Help!
 

Thank you very much for the information. I was planning on pulling the rad out to clean and flush and replace the rad hoses already. So I’ll do all of this at the same time. If an aluminum cam gear is what’s recommended then that’s what I’ll get.
I’ll rip the rad out, pull the cam gear off and assess.
While I’m in there replacing the cam gear is there anything else I should look for and/or replace?

Re: Distributor Help!
 

When you remove the side cover there is a oil pan bolt underneath that has to be removed along with the big bolts .

John in sunny Suffolk County England .

Re: Distributor Help!
 

Thank you John Charlton, I can tell already I would have been struggling with that one..

Re: Distributor Help!
 

While I too am thinking its possible your timing gear has gone south you had a question on your distributor.

To be able to lift the lower plate out you will need to remove the condenser.

Re: Distributor Help!
 

Thank you, I did not know that and will make my life easier when I go to remove the distributor. If I have the distributor off and apart I may as well replace the points and condenser right?

Re: Distributor Help!
 

Buy this book: https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/p...0031&cat=41621

You can find used ones on ebay.

You will need some new gaskets. Take a look at the gear on the crankshaft while you are in there. The gear should be in good shape unless the car has a lot of miles on it. The seal will likely not require replacing unless you are getting a lot of leaking at the front pulley, but buy an extra one to use if needed. You should only have about 0.003 backlash for the cam gear. Get some assembly lube to put on the gear when you put it back together. Put a little grease or some assembly lube on the thrust plunger.

Distributor Help!
 

If you are new to Model A’s, I’d avoid changing a bunch of parts at once. Even brand new parts have been known to be faulty. It’s safest to fix one thing, test that one thing for correct operation, and move to the next item. Twiddling with lots of items at once can make debugging harder than necessary.


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Re: Distributor Help!
 

I wouldn't necessarily replace them. Take a look at the condition of the contacts on the points and how much the rubbing block is worn down. Odds are you can clean them up with some very fine sand paper, re-set the gap and your good to go.

Leave the existing condenser in place and buy a spare that you keep in your car tool kit in case the one you have goes bad.
Practicing taking the one you have in and out a couple of times now will be a plus if and when yours go bad somewhere out on the road.

Re: Distributor Help!
 

Thanks everyone for your input, I’m going to go ahead and do what’s been recommended and see how I make out. Hopefully it’s just the timing gear, then I can set/clean my points and re time the car and be on my way.

Re: Distributor Help!
 

An easy way to check the timing gear is checking compression with a finger on one hole. Or, remove the timing gear side cover and rotate the engine looking at the teeth.
It certainly sounds like you have a bad cam gear.

If you want to work on the distributor, just remove it. Loosen the side nut and loosen the screw. The distributor should pull straight up. It may need some persuading. Don't try to twist it out.

Re: Distributor Help!
 

Even pressure should be used if your distributer resists pulling it straight up. Buy the les Andrews red book to help. It will walk you thru all the jobs you have in mind.

Re: Distributor Help!
 

certainly removing the dissy will aid diagnosis. see #16 and #17 above. it may be seized into the head. soak it with lots of penetrating oil over night, very gentle persuasion at first , once the locating pin is clear of the head then rotation can be used .
You say " The distributor shaft does not have the hole to oil it which leads me to believe it’s old and a 1 piece shaft." It ain't necessarily so; some two piece shafts are lacking the top oil hole .
Why can't you remove the lower plate ..? Sometimes they are wedged in a bit and a wire hook is needed.

Re: Distributor Help!
 

I think people are worried about breaking the distributor housing by forcing it out. It is cast iron and thin.

Re: Distributor Help!
 

Another simple way to determing if the timing gear is turning or not, is to check it with the timing pin. You don't have to take off the cover just for diagnostics. Turn the engine over and feel for the timing dimple. You can tell just by the feel on the pin whether or not it is turning, then if you never feel the dimple, odds are the timing gear is not turning.