The Ford Barn

Mike Peters · 11-07-2012, 02:25 PM

Hi guys: I was working on the distributor this AM off my 28 business coupe. The car hadn't been run since 1955. I bought it last summer and finally am getting aound to doing somthing with this car. I had to take the shaft out because it was really difficult to turn. Dry grease. After oiling the thing, it turned well and was nice and snug in the bushing, so I went farther than I had ever gone before.
I drilled out the upper portion of the distributor shaft for oiling. 1/8" hole down the top about 5/16" below the upper ridge, and a corresponding hole into the side of the shaft 5/16" below the ridge so that the resulting oil passage connects. Then I drilled out the rotor screw, so that the upper bushing can be oiled without removing the rotor screw. Tested the arrangement and found that oil passes through just fine. Also tested the existing oiler to make sure the lower bushing gets oil. Also was OK. I replaced the lower distributor shaft connector rivet pin with the correct size nail cut to length. Nails rivet over well.
This only took a little longer than it takes to order a new predrilled shaft from one of our supppliers over the phone, and I'm no machinist by any stretch. You only need a drill press with a sharp 1/8" bit. Thanks

11-07-2012, 02:25 PM	#1
Mike Peters Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: South East Wisconsin Posts: 1,283	Oil Passage Distributor Hi guys: I was working on the distributor this AM off my 28 business coupe. The car hadn't been run since 1955. I bought it last summer and finally am getting aound to doing somthing with this car. I had to take the shaft out because it was really difficult to turn. Dry grease. After oiling the thing, it turned well and was nice and snug in the bushing, so I went farther than I had ever gone before. I drilled out the upper portion of the distributor shaft for oiling. 1/8" hole down the top about 5/16" below the upper ridge, and a corresponding hole into the side of the shaft 5/16" below the ridge so that the resulting oil passage connects. Then I drilled out the rotor screw, so that the upper bushing can be oiled without removing the rotor screw. Tested the arrangement and found that oil passes through just fine. Also tested the existing oiler to make sure the lower bushing gets oil. Also was OK. I replaced the lower distributor shaft connector rivet pin with the correct size nail cut to length. Nails rivet over well. This only took a little longer than it takes to order a new predrilled shaft from one of our supppliers over the phone, and I'm no machinist by any stretch. You only need a drill press with a sharp 1/8" bit. Thanks