Metal shavings in distributor at pickup coil. Car running rough, lights dimming...

-
S

supersoap33

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2021
Messages
106
Reaction score
11
Location
Seattle, WA
The reluctor and distributor shaft seem fine/no wobble. But the pickup coil that I replaced never really sat perfectly parallel to the fins on the reluctor, which may have led to rubbing, and thus the shavings. Voltage regulator is new. Battery is pretty new and tested. Alternator was replaced a few years ago. Is it these shavings in the distributor? Has anyone had this metal shavings problem specifically and if so, what were your symptoms and what did you do to fix it? Thanks!
 
Other than the distributor "maybe" being the cause of falling RPM at idle, there can be no connection between a problem in the dist as you describe, and the charging system. Treat them as two problems, fix one or the other and then attack the problem that is left
 
67Dart273 said:
Other than the distributor "maybe" being the cause of falling RPM at idle, there can be no connection between a problem in the dist as you describe, and the charging system. Treat them as two problems, fix one or the other and then attack the problem that is left
Click to expand...
As usual, you beat me to it. My first thought was that it was two separate problems. I'd treat the charging system first, since a dead battery can leave you stranded in a bad place at a bad time.
 
If the engine is running rough the rpm would be lower and could result in the alternator not charging enough dimming the lights.

There should have been more than enough clearance between reluctor and pickup that there should never have been any contact.

That is where I would start. Find out where the shavings have come from, and go from there.

On a side note, my dart started running rough and misfiring to the point I was stranded. I replaced the points cap rotor and coil. Nothing got better.

Had the car towed home, found the old (OEM side oiler) dist that had been on the shelf since the 80s, popped it in, set the timming by eye and it fired right up. Set the final timming and it has been running fine ever since.

The things I found were the dist shaft could move up and down about 1/4"

The old cap had a distroyed center pin. The rotor top had a circle of trace rather than a point where it contacts the center pin on the cap.

My best guess is that the rotor was moving up and down so much that the top of the rotor was not contacting the center pin continuously arcing and distroying the cap and causing the misfire.

Just food for thought
 
Dana67Dart said:
If the engine is running rough the rpm would be lower and could result in the alternator not charging enough dimming the lights.

There should have been more than enough clearance between reluctor and pickup that there should never have been any contact.

That is where I would start. Find out where the shavings have come from, and go from there.

On a side note, my dart started running rough and misfiring to the point I was stranded. I replaced the points cap rotor and coil. Nothing got better.

Had the car towed home, found the old (OEM side oiler) dist that had been on the shelf since the 80s, popped it in, set the timming by eye and it fired right up. Set the final timming and it has been running fine ever since.

The things I found were the dist shaft could move up and down about 1/4"

The old cap had a distroyed center pin. The rotor top had a circle of trace rather than a point where it contacts the center pin on the cap.

My best guess is that the rotor was moving up and down so much that the top of the rotor was not contacting the center pin continuously arcing and distroying the cap and causing the misfire.

Just food for thought
Click to expand...

Well, I just checked for up and down motion in the distributor shaft while it's still mounted to the block and there is about 3/16ths up/down motion in it. Side to side it's steady and there isn't any movement.

Is it supposed to go up and down that far or are you saying that this was the reason your dart was misfiring? The rotor has a spot on the top and the cap seems to be fine.

What you're also saying is that a faulty distributor could lead to a bad charging system, meaning it could affect how the motor spins the alternator and recharges the battery?
 
Charging output is relative to engine RPM and electrical load. If your engine is running rough, it isn't idling at proper rpm; therefore, your charging output, is most likely, less than optimum.

Why did the pick up coil not sit parallel? Did it sit flush, on the mounting plate? If I remember right, there was a dimple or pin that had to sit in a hole in the plate, then you adjust the gap between the relict or and coil, and screw it down. That gap was somewhere - I don't remember - someone chime in here- .008-.011" ? Been too long, and I'm not there yet with mine.
 
supersoap33 said:
Is it supposed to go up and down that far or are you saying that this was the reason your dart was misfiring? The rotor has a spot on the top and the cap seems to be fine
Click to expand...

That is my theory for my car. That the up and down movement was excessive.


The shaft movement could be see with the dust out of the car at the bushing pinned to the shaft.

supersoap33 said:
What you're also saying is that a faulty distributor could lead to a bad charging system, meaning it could affect how the motor spins the alternator and recharges the battery?
Click to expand...

Not that the dist and misfiring engine would create a bad charging system but that the engine running slowly would not be charging correctly.

Like if your alt pulley is too large in diameter your idle speed charging will be reduced and can present as dimming headlights
 
[1] 3/16" up/down dist shaft movement is a problem & needs to be investigated
[2] If metal filings short out the reluctor gap, you get no spark on that cyl.
 
Ignition Coil drawing more then supplied 8 volts. for dimming. The miss would be the pickup coil. If pre 70 change to later alternator and regulator when electronic ignition is added.

DSCN1863.JPG


DSCN1916.JPG


DSCN1902.JPG
 
Did someone change the reluctor (they used to come with the pick up coil) on the distributor shaft? if so, and it was not done properly, the shaft could be bent, and / or the component that controls end play (your up and down movement) could have been damaged. Either of those two things can cause all kinds of fun.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top