Distributor Noise

[nassaupmf]

I have a 31 Deluxe roadster. After starting, the distributor emits a high pitched sound which increases as the RPM does. I have gone through 2 rotor caps in a couple of months, as the the gold pice on top snaps off. I also have a 30 sedan, and have taken both the rotor and distributor cap off of it and put it into the 31 with the same result. The cam is lubricated.

Any ideas?

[Tom Wesenberg]

Sounds like the distributor needs a new shaft and bushings. They must be worn out enough for the rotor to move sideways enough to catch the terminals and snap off the brass. It pays to keep the distributor well lubricated, but unfortunately not many do (or did).

[RonC]

How much end play does your dist. shaft have? Can you pull the cam and shaft up and down a lot? Ford specified .004 to .010

[Kurt in NJ]

The upper bearing is probably dry, and probably has wear in the bushings ---if you take the dist out, oil it good, and turn it upside down so the oil gets to the top bushing perhaps it will be quiet, but it probably needs a new shaft and bushings, there are new shafts made with an oil passage through the cam screw and a drilled path to oil the top bushing---but I don't know anything about the quality of the new repro parts as I have only used NOS. (on some repro the shafts do not have a ground surface, and the cam surface doesn't rotate with the same centerline as the rest of the shaft, an original has .000 -.0001 runout (of 10 nos 1 has .0001)

[Tom Endy]

Dry bushings could well be the problem. I would also check the gap between the rotor tip and each of the four posts inside the upper distributor cap. The tip of the rotor could be hitting one of the posts. Reproductions are not made to Henry's quality standards and the gaps are all over the map. The gap for each post should be between .020 and .035, depending who is telling the story. The important thing is the gap should be the same at each of the four post. Find the one that is the fartherest away and file the others to the same gap.

Tom Endy

[nassaupmf]

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Thanks for the info. Very helpful.

[nassaupmf]

Did have a bit of play. Oiled it up and the noise has stopped. thanks so much.

[nassaupmf]

Thanks so much. Amazing what a bit of oil can do.

[nassaupmf]

Thank to all who responded. this was my first venture into fordbarn, and I am glad I did. The advice was right on target. thanks again.

[columbiA]

One time I was driving a newly purchased A home when it developed a screech Guessing what it was,I put a few drops of oil off the dipstick into the dist oiler & it was quiet.

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by nassaupmf

Thanks so much. Amazing what a bit of oil can do.

Periodically, I place a few drops of auto trans fluid in the oil pipe, but most any lubricant will do the job...