Distributor seems loose..

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SlantedDart

SlantedDart

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I noticed today that my distributor seems kinda wobbly.. hold down strap is tight. I removed to unit to check the bottom slot screw and that was tight also. The small o ring is in place. There is also a large o ring at the base.. Seems like the big o ring is making it wobble. I search here for some answers but they where mixed. Some guys say that they never knew there was a big o ring.. Really just trying to figure out if it should be tighter. Thanks
 
I ran into the same thing with a low mile 318 when I swapped it to electronic ignition.

Careful measurements revealed that the distributor was bottoming out before the upper round plate could sit flat on the block.

So I used a length of PVC pipe and with a large miter saw for wood, I made a series of wafer thin spacers.

I test fit the thinnest first and then worked up. In my case one about 1/8" thick worked.

The O-ring still seals and the clamp keeps it from rotating loose now.

Many happy miles since.
 
Alaskan_TA said:
I ran into the same thing with a low mile 318 when I swapped it to electronic ignition.

Careful measurements revealed that the distributor was bottoming out before the upper round plate could sit flat on the block.

So I used a length of PVC pipe and with a large miter saw for wood, I made a series of wafer thin spacers.

I test fit the thinnest first and then worked up. In my case one about 1/8" thick worked.

The O-ring still seals and the clamp keeps it from rotating loose now.

Many happy miles since.
Click to expand...
I see what your saying. Ill check tomorrow if it’s bottomed out. Where did you put spacers. In between bottom of distributor and block?
 
Nothing seems to be helping out getting the distributor tighter.. still a bit wobbly. When the car is running I can tilt it and timing seems to move even though adjuster bolt is tight. I’ve tried taking top o ring out and it’s still loose. Seems like I need a tapered bottom and flat top o ring. All the threads seem to say it’s just a pain o ring which I have.
 
SlantedDart said:
Nothing seems to be helping out getting the distributor tighter.. still a bit wobbly. When the car is running I can tilt it and timing seems to move even though adjuster bolt is tight. I’ve tried taking top o ring out and it’s still loose. Seems like I need a tapered bottom and flat top o ring. All the threads seem to say it’s just a pain o ring which I have.
Click to expand...

There were two different case housings made for the slant, and one is smaller around than the other.
It's possible someone stuck the smaller diameter one in there not knowing that.
 
TrailBeast said:
There were two different case housings made for the slant, and one is smaller around than the other.
It's possible someone stuck the smaller diameter one in there not knowing that.
Click to expand...
How can I measure it? What size would be correct
 
SlantedDart said:
How can I measure it? What size would be correct
Click to expand...

Depends on your engine block.
I spent a lot of time finding out which was which, but it's been too long to remember the details of the year and size differences.
 
No claw just the flat bracket that has one screw to the bottom of the distributor and one to the block two different adjustments. It should have a large o ring between the bracket and the block and a small on down on the shaft. What year is the block and any chance you have the distributor number?
like the one on the left.
pict0003-jpg-jpg.jpg
 
halifaxhops said:
No claw just the flat bracket that has one screw to the bottom of the distributor and one to the block two different adjustments. It should have a large o ring between the bracket and the block and a small on down on the shaft. What year is the block and any chance you have the distributor number?
like the one on the left.
View attachment 1715515828
Click to expand...
It’s a 1968 170 in a Dart. I’ll look and see if it has numbers on it. It looks just like the one in the picture. It has the smaller o ring on shaft and a large o ring at the base.
 
I would pull it and see if the shaft is bent or the plastic gear is cracked also. Weird one.
 
Been all through the threads on o rings. Seems like I’ve got that correct. The only thing that it could be mentioned above is the OD of the distributor shaft is not right. making it wobble around the block by hand
 
TrailBeast said:
There were two different case housings made for the slant
Click to expand...

There were multiple distributors made for the Slant-6, and some of them have different body diameters (and so take different-diameter distributor caps) but all Slant-6 blocks have the same size distributor hole, and all Slant-6 distributors have the same shank size—whether made by Chrysler, Prestolite (Canadian OEM), Bosch (Australian OEM), Mallory, or whoever else.

The distributor should not wobble, and it's not being caused by failure to make up a special spacer dingus that shouldn't be there. If the OP's distributor doesn't have the correct O-rings, that could be causing the issue; O-ring info is here.

If new correct O-rings don't fix it, then there's probably something the matter with the distributor housing itself. Could have a chunk broken out of it, could have been brutalized during a "remanufacturing" process, could be cursed by an Egyptian mummy thousands of years ago, or could be a poor-quality Chinese knockoff item.

If this were my car I'd take the situation as an opportunity to do the HEI upgrade , which involves a new distributor.
 
slantsixdan said:
There were multiple distributors made for the Slant-6, and some of them have different body diameters (and so take different-diameter distributor caps) but all Slant-6 blocks have the same size distributor hole, and all Slant-6 distributors have the same shank size—whether made by Chrysler, Prestolite (Canadian OEM), Bosch (Australian OEM), Mallory, or whoever else.

The distributor should not wobble, and it's not being caused by failure to make up a special spacer dingus that shouldn't be there. If the OP's distributor doesn't have the correct O-rings, that could be causing the issue; O-ring info is here.

If new correct O-rings don't fix it, then there's probably something the matter with the distributor housing itself. Could have a chunk broken out of it, could have been brutalized during a "remanufacturing" process, could be cursed by an Egyptian mummy thousands of years ago, or could be a poor-quality Chinese knockoff item.

If this were my car I'd take the situation as an opportunity to do the HEI upgrade , which involves a new distributor.
Click to expand...

Wow, Thanks Dan.
I'm going with the Egyptian Mummy curse.:D
 
…also, check the countersink at the top of the distributor hole in the block. Is there a chunk of dirt or old O-ring stuck there?
 
Okay so pn is 2444648-88-4
Shank size is 1.080
Is this the correct distributor
 
SlantedDart said:
Okay so pn is 2444648-88-4
Shank size is 1.080
Is this the correct distributor
Click to expand...

You need to quote someone or use the @ in front of their username, or no one may ever see your question.
Like @TrailBeast would notify me that someone is asking something or answering something.
 
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