distributor shaft length

[tjaybo]

I know there has been discussion about rebuilt distributors. does someone have the length that the correct shaft should be from the block mating flange to the tip of the shaft? I bought a rebuilt dizzy from Napa a year ago and had to send the old one back. 1955 272 built to a 292 spec.
Thanks Jim

[packrat5]

App. 5.930 I say that because I measured 3 of them and they were all slightly different.
Why don't you just do your own distributor? Why do you want to buy rebuilt junk? Just take off the top, lift out the breaker plate, clean it all up and lube it, and you have a "rebuilt" Check for worn weights, and springs though. They suffer from lack of lubrication. NO ONE ever pays any attention to a distributor until it fails.

[tjaybo]

thanks for the measure. as I said I sent the original in as a core and I am converting to 12 volt with 4 barrel manifold with 1957 and later dizzy....so that ship has sailed.
thanks again Jim

[dmsfrr]

The 'Distributor housing shoulder to the bottom of the driven gear' question has come up before.

Here's an image of a '56 dist I pasted that previous measurement onto. (photo 1)
It should include the slight shoulder on the underside of the driven gear. (photo 2)

I just measured two used original '57 distributors and an unused Mallory Y-block replacement as well.
One measured right at 5 inches and the other two were about the thickness of a business
card less than 5 inches. (If I had a fancy digital caliper I would have used it)
The lower end of the shaft is 1 inch long.

Some rebuilt / replacement distributors have the driven gear slightly too high which can damage the distributor.
The rotation & pitch of the drive gear on the camshaft pulls the distributor shaft downward. If the distributor shaft gear is too high and doesn't rest in place on the ledge inside the block machined for it, the dist. shaft bushings & some other internal parts can be ruined.

FYI, do NOT use a gasket between the opening in the block and the distributor housing shoulder that rests into it.
.

[tjaybo]

Thanks for the info. Looks like my rebuilt is only 5 3/4" which puts the oil pump driven shaft less than 1/4" engaged into the bottom of the dist shaft. doesnt seem like enough. thanks for the measure to the gear and the gasket advise

[scicala]

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These rebuilders should be slapped. I would have to guess it's a Chinese product. It should be common knowledge to distributor rebuilders for all dimensions.


Sal

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by scicala

These rebuilders should be slapped. I would have to guess it's a Chinese product. It should be common knowledge to distributor rebuilders for all dimensions.
Sal

Part of the problem could be a shortage of rebuildable original cores.
Some places may be reworking later year distributors(#1) that almost look the same, but aren't.(#2)

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by tjaybo

. . . I bought a rebuilt dizzy from Napa a year ago and had to send the old one back.
1955 272 built to a 292 spec.
Thanks Jim

272's were built from '55 to '57, and 292's until '64.
What year & type carburetor are you using? 2bbl?
Do you remember what the distributor you sent in looked like?
Can you post a photo or two of the one they sold you?

The original '55, '56 and '57+ distributors aren't the same.
The interior parts and how the rotor indexes on the shaft are a quick clue.

[Alaska Jim]

I have a Cardone dist. I bought from Autozone a couple of years ago. I converted it to electronic Ign. using a combination of ford dura spark, and Chrysler Ign. components. after I had done this I discovered that the shaft was to short. So now it sits over in the corner with all the other stuff that I have bought over the years that do not fit , or work for one reason or another. I ended up buying an MSD dist. I have not gotten around to installing the new eng. in the coupe yet. Maybe next winter. I just hate to take the car apart when it runs and drives fine.

[tjaybo]

the dizzy I bought is like the one in your low left pic, bought from Napa. I ordered one for a 57 . It has a fomoco I D on it. I dont know what company did the rebuild. I am going to use a Mummert 4 barrel manifold with a Holly carb

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by tjaybo

. . . I ordered one for a 57 . It has a fomoco I D on it. ...

What ID numbers does it have on the side?
It might look something like this one...

[tjaybo]

I have it in hand. It is stamped, D2TF[where yours is FEJ], cast in, 12127 [same as yours], stamped AA[yours A2]. D11 [yours 602] , Motorcraft [your FOMOCO] .
The housing is shaped differently and the wire goes through a rubber grommet not a stud with nut as yours is. the lower part of shaft is 1" long.
Sorry I am to computer challenged to post a pic with my droid phone.

[paul2748]

D2 signifies 1972 (D=70's, the 2 is just that) so it looks like the core is not from a YBlock (last YBlock was 64 (trucks)). Does it have a tri-angular lower body?

Originally Posted by tjaybo

I have it in hand. It is stamped, D2TF[where yours is FEJ], cast in, 12127 [same as yours], stamped AA[yours A2]. D11 [yours 602] , Motorcraft [your FOMOCO] .
The housing is shaped differently and the wire goes through a rubber grommet not a stud with nut as yours is. the lower part of shaft is 1" long.
Sorry I am to computer challenged to post a pic with my droid phone.

[54vicky]

I agree with paul a pic would help but if none it will be hard to know year.as to the 12127 signifies it is a distributor other than that it means nothing as to year.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by tjaybo

I have it in hand. It is stamped, D2TF-12127-AA
D11, Motorcraft.
The housing is shaped differently and the wire goes through a rubber grommet not a stud with nut as yours is. the lower part of shaft is 1" long. ...

Originally Posted by paul2748

D2 signifies 1972 (D=70's, the 2 is just that) so it looks like the core is not from a YBlock (last YBlock was 64 (trucks)). Does it have a tri-angular lower body?

Originally Posted by 54vicky

. . . the 12127 signifies it is a distributor other than that it means nothing as to year.

tjaybo,
yes, D2 = 1972, (not an original Y-block part) might have been used in early model yr '73 also(?)
T = truck
F = general electrical part
12127 = generic part number for a distributor
AA = Revision code (how many minor changes the part had before it was re-designed)

D11 - would likely be the Date Code, April 11th.

If I'm reading the charts at this link correctly...
https://www.fordification.com/tech/datecodes.htm

Since the shaft length isn't the same maybe you could try exchanging it again at Napa,
for the correct style.

Just curious...
Is the distance to the gear correct even tho the overall length is too short?
.

[KULTULZ]

1957/ DUAL ADVANCE DISTRIBUTOR-

Y-BLOCK – SBF DISTRIBUTOR SHAFTS

Gear placement: 302 ford dimensions from bottom of distributor housing mounting flange to bottom of gear for all 289/302 distributors: 4.031"-4.038"

Gear placement: Y-BLOCK - from bottom of distributor housing mounting flange to bottom of gear for all y-block distributors: 4.991"-4.996"
This measurement can only be taken accurately with the distributor shaft pushed to the bottom and some type of straight edge clamped to the bottom of the distributor gear. Use a high-quality digital caliper.

A 302 distributor (SBF) housing fits the Y-BLOCK without a problem, but the shaft is .958" too short. If an attempt is made, the gear will not fit tightly. The Y-BLOCK shaft can be used to replace the 302 shaft if it is in good shape. The gear must run on the pad in the block with .008"to .012" end play or it will not live very long.

SOURCE - AUTHOR UNKNOWN-

It is the CARDONE 32-2808 REMAN that you need to stay away from. They use a SBF ASSY as FYB cores are scarce. The SBF DIST HSG will interchange but the SBF shaft is too short. This also allows the pump driveshaft not to fully engage the DIST SHAFT.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by packrat5

. . .
Why don't you just do your own distributor? ... Just take off the top, lift out the breaker plate, clean it all up and lube it, and you have a "rebuilt" Check for worn weights, and springs though. They suffer from lack of lubrication. NO ONE ever pays any attention to a distributor until it fails.

Almost... it depends on the year.
The oem '54, '55 and '56 Y-block distributors don't have weights inside. The timing advance works only from the vacuum canister & carb.
Also, the shaft bushings can be worn allowing it to wobble slightly which makes the point gap & timing unstable and out of spec. And why they need to lubricated, as you mentioned.