Distributor exchange or rebuild

[jims427400]

I've come to the conclusion that the lobes on my distributor are worn which are effecting my dwell adjustments.I've heard of places that will exchange,repair or I could buy new.
Barry I'm sure you prob.can help w/ this,but has anyone had good luck with any of these options.
If so any costs associated with either way and where did you have the work done..Thanks Jim

 

[Tampa Jerry]

Rebuild

You may want to try calling High Tech Innovations. Bill rebuilt my dist. for my 66. They installed a new main shaft, cross gear, back button, shims and upper and lower bronze bushings with glass bead and new paint all for $220. I used High Tech for my 68 in 1991 when they were located in Chicago. They have since moved to Holiday FL (near Tampa). Turn around time was just under a week. Great job. The dist. in my 68 is still going strong after 15 years. Their number is 727-942-4003. Can't go wrong. Good Luck. Jerry

 

[jims427400]

Thanks Jerry,I'll give them a call tomarrow..Jim

 

[jims427400]

Has anyone purchased a new distributor for any of the corvette supply companies? And did they work??? Jim

 

[bossvette]

JIm you may want to consider one of the new MSD Tach drive Distributors and put your old one in a box.

 

[jims427400]

Good thought Craig,After reading that ,what is an ignition box that is required w/those distributors.
I really dont care if its not original as long as it runs like it should.Thanks Jim

 

[Lucy64]

I have one of the MDS tach drive billet units in my 64. If you use this you must also use one of the MDS ignition boxes. I have the MDS 6AL box in mine mounted in the area in from of the battery. It has been on my car over a year now and it has been great.

 

[jims427400]

Thanks Lucy64, does your chrome dist. shielding fit over the top ?

 

[saopm]

Another option is to go with an electronic conversion kit. It eliminates the points. I installed it in my car. Really easy to do.

http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?target=partdetail.asp&part=PNX%2D91181

 

[jims427400]

saopm,I allready installed an Ignitor system from corvette central but its not working well.I think my cam lobes are worn down and is screwing up my dwell. So thats why I'm thinking about going w/ new..

 

[bossvette]

Jim
the ignition box is a high energy system and will give you a much better spark, you also can get it with a rev-limiter.

Craig sr.

 

[GerryLP]

saopm,I allready installed an Ignitor system from corvette central but its not working well.I think my cam lobes are worn down and is screwing up my dwell. So thats why I'm thinking about going w/ new..

Jim,

You then might want to look at the suspected problem. Techically speaking, points are somewhat tedious compared to today's distributors; however, when set correctly, they work fine.

Perhaps you are correct, and there is something wrong in a different engine component. Unless you have had your engine cam checked-out recently, that probably should be the next step.

In the 70's GM had a bad batch of cams installed in alot of cars. Also, I am not sure about big blocks, but sbc's had their timing dampener index TDC change in the past. If the wrong one is installed, then problems arise.

GerryLP:cool

 

[Kid_Again]

All depends if you want to retain the stock look. I've rebuild both of my distributors and did most of the work myself, including bushing and line boring the throat. Basically did everything that SWCDuke suggested be done, used the correct vacuum can, learned how to use a Sun machine, etc, etc.

The small block still has the original distributor that I blue printed but I swapped out the bb distributor for a new MSD tach drive unit which REQUIRES an MSD 6-series box. That's what the instructions say and that's what I did. Runs fine. So does the sb but i did add an msd 6A box to that stock distributor.

My personal opinion is that if you're going to drop serious coin on a distributor rebuild, make sure you talk to a guy who knows more than just how to replace the points and a few seals.

good luck

 

[Lucy64]

Jim,
I didn't have the chrome cover on my car when I got it but I have another friend that also went with the MSD unit and his does fit, no problem. You will just have to find a place to mount the MSD 6AL box and wire it in.

 

[Tom Bryant]

No matter what you decide to do if your distributor is the original one to your car hang on to it.There may be a day when having the right number and date code of distributor becomes important to you or someone else.

Warn distributor cam lobes are very common. Lots of people did't give any thought to applying the dist cam lobe lube when they change points. The peaks may have been rounded over on yours long before you got the car.

Paragon and others have new shafts for $64.00 and also bushings, shims and cross shaft kits. Adding up all of the parts that rebuild price isn't looking too bad and about half of the cost of that MSD without adding in the price of the 6A box. You could do it yourself for less if you feel comfortable doing this sort of thing. There really isn't much to it. When you replace the housing bushings insert the new shaft and turn it by hand feeling for any binding or tightness. If it turns freely it doesn't need align bored.

I'd ask that rebuilder if he curves the unit (He probably does) as part of the rebuild and to what specs. If he doesn't you can do it yourself in the engine with a set back timing light or a standard timing light and a degree tape on the balancer.

I'm a little concerned that the MSD unit in the above link doesn't have a vacuum advance unit. Do they offer a tach drive Pro Billet with vacuum advance? I see they have them in their non-tach drive units. I'm afraid that you will suffer a loss of fuel economy without the vacuum advance.That big block needs all of the help it can get.

Tom

 

[bossvette]

Tom
8572 is a Vacuum advance distributer look at the whole page :L
I ran a unilite with a MSD box on the Ole Yellow Truck for years to bad they only make fords with tach drives thats a nice adjustable unit.
Craig sr.

 

[Kid_Again]

No matter what you decide to do if your distributor is the original one to your car hang on to it.There may be a day when having the right number and date code of distributor becomes important to you or someone else.

Warn distributor cam lobes are very common. Lots of people did't give any thought to applying the dist cam lobe lube when they change points. The peaks may have been rounded over on yours long before you got the car.

Paragon and others have new shafts for $64.00 and also bushings, shims and cross shaft kits. Adding up all of the parts that rebuild price isn't looking too bad and about half of the cost of that MSD without adding in the price of the 6A box. You could do it yourself for less if you feel comfortable doing this sort of thing. There really isn't much to it. When you replace the housing bushings insert the new shaft and turn it by hand feeling for any binding or tightness. If it turns freely it doesn't need align bored.

I'd ask that rebuilder if he curves the unit (He probably does) as part of the rebuild and to what specs. If he doesn't you can do it yourself in the engine with a set back timing light or a standard timing light and a degree tape on the balancer.

I'm a little concerned that the MSD unit in the above link doesn't have a vacuum advance unit. Do they offer a tach drive Pro Billet with vacuum advance? I see they have them in their non-tach drive units. I'm afraid that you will suffer a loss of fuel economy without the vacuum advance.That big block needs all of the help it can get.

Tom

yup, my MSD distributor has a vacuum advance, wouldn't drive without that...also, you need to specify the correct, old-style distributor cap...we're talking some serious coin by the time you get done with it

 

[Lucy64]

The MSD unit with tach drive for Corvettes does have vacuum advance.