Picked this up today. Pretty cool 1969 vintage Sun 504 distributor machine. You really don't realize how bad you've dicked up your distributor until you've spun it on this thing.
Sun distributor machine
- Thread starter Vitamin c
- Start date
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Score! Very nice shape! They are a big plus for setting thing up correctly.
I see a couple people have versions of these. picked it up from Paramount here in Michigan. He has about a dozen or so of these to pick from. I played a bit with it today to get the hang of it, and already have a dual torn apart.
nm9stheham
Well-Known Member
That is great! One of the hottest items in the machine shop back in the day....
rmchrgr
Skate And Destroy
I have a 500 model.
Kinda sorta works right now but it needs some new parts. It worked when I got it, I liked using it. It's like anything old though, the more you use it, the old worn out parts start to take a dump. The strobe is out, needs a vacuum tube. The tach is inop too which is really annoying when you are trying to curve a unit.
The guy from Paramount is pretty cool, he talked to me on the phone for a while one day and I never bought anything from him. I plan to get some of his stuff to get my unit up and running again. If you got a machine from him, I'm sure it works great.
They are cool machines. Makes it easier to dial in your distributor rather than hunching over the fender with a timing light.
Did you get a pulse amplifier?
Kinda sorta works right now but it needs some new parts. It worked when I got it, I liked using it. It's like anything old though, the more you use it, the old worn out parts start to take a dump. The strobe is out, needs a vacuum tube. The tach is inop too which is really annoying when you are trying to curve a unit.
The guy from Paramount is pretty cool, he talked to me on the phone for a while one day and I never bought anything from him. I plan to get some of his stuff to get my unit up and running again. If you got a machine from him, I'm sure it works great.
They are cool machines. Makes it easier to dial in your distributor rather than hunching over the fender with a timing light.
Did you get a pulse amplifier?
Well inquirin minds want to know. Did you undick up your distributor? lol
I picked up the 504, and yes, also picked up a pulse amplifier. Paramount makes a nice replacement amplifier that is less expensive and im sure works just fine, but I wanted the real thing. I was in Paramounts shop, and its like a Candy store for these machines. He is restoring several machines and cabinets. id bet he had 10-12 for sale that had been re-screen printed and painted to like new appearance. I went with an original paint machine with a restored cabinet. His shop is like a hospital operating room, and this guy knows his machines. If you need parts and service, he,s the go to.I have a 500 model.
Kinda sorta works right now but it needs some new parts. It worked when I got it, I liked using it. It's like anything old though, the more you use it, the old worn out parts start to take a dump. The strobe is out, needs a vacuum tube. The tach is inop too which is really annoying when you are trying to curve a unit.
The guy from Paramount is pretty cool, he talked to me on the phone for a while one day and I never bought anything from him. I plan to get some of his stuff to get my unit up and running again. If you got a machine from him, I'm sure it works great.
They are cool machines. Makes it easier to dial in your distributor rather than hunching over the fender with a timing light.
Did you get a pulse amplifier?
Im workin on it. After spinning on the sun machine I realized the distributor was only advancing a few degree's, and taking forever to do it. After pulling out the breaker plate, you could see one set of points had the mounting screw rubbing the bottom plate limiting advance. filing the length of the screw will solve this. The biggest thing you see on the sun machine is the wear on the internal advance parts, and bushings. Not having these parts available and limited to expensive (and usually incorrect) E-bay parts, makes this a real bummer. Nobody make the correct advance springs for the prestolites anymore. Im going to try the new pertronix in this distributor after I get the main shaft bushings replaced.
vntned
Well-Known Member
What are these 504s worth? I picked up a nice working one awhile back. Trying to figure out if I overpaid.
I looked at the 500 series units 2100.00 to 2600.00
vntned
Well-Known Member
I guess I did alright at $100! LOL!
Yeah, it's a real shame you can still get it ALL for the Delco-Remy stuff, but forget the old Mopar.
As usual.
rmchrgr
Skate And Destroy
I was lucky to get the P.A. when I bought my machine. The originals are pricey and hard to find.
I believe the 504 came out in '69, my 500 is from 1963. Besides the thumbwheel on the top with all the tune-up specs, there is not much difference between the 500 and 504, maybe some of the electronics/circuits. I believe the 504 came standard with a 4,000 rpm tach and the 500 was 3,000 with an option for 4,000. (I got a 4K tach). I wanted a 504 but found this one for a good price locally so I grabbed it.
Going to the Paramount shop would be really cool!
yea, this really sucks trying to find weights and springs, After spinning a distributor, you can see what the wear on those parts does to timing up through the RPM's. Most of the delco style springs are to short for the prestolite distributor. im coming to realize your almost stuck with the factory springs and just have to modify to make an advance changes. As far as weights go, you just have to find a set without much wear in the pivot area.
Yes, your correct on the 400/500 vs 404/504, they are just a newer model. There are newer models yet, but not sure on the numbers. There are military models also. Spin one to 4000 and you want to hide behind something and wait for the explosion! The Paramount shop is pretty nice, the guy is like a Sun tune rain man!
Weights: Any reason an something like an oilite bushing couldn't be pressed in? That's what it looks like was done on the later Chrysler (electronic distributor) weights - I don't have a Prestolite here to compare.
Springs - I hear ya. This is true for non-points dizzys as well. Besides collecting from worn out distributors sometimes a close match can be found in industrial catalogs. I've had some luck with McMaster-Carr. You will need to count coils and measure the wire diameter, outer diameter and length, also the loop to loop length. Then you can calculate rate and go hunting. Remember that the rate controls the slope, while the loop to loop length controls the restraining force. In other words, it changes when the advance starts. However this initial load can be adjusted a bit in the distributor (by bending the tabs or rotating the pins depending on the distributor).
Mr. Gasket has them also. #925B I replaced the stock heavy long slot with one of these and it worked great.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mrg-925b/overview/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mrg-925b/overview/
I put in a marathon today on a couple RB distributors (one out of the Hemi Charger), and am currently just using the best parts out of several units I've collected. I have noticed the bushings in some weights and figured when all else fails ill see if I cant have some machined to fit. I did a quick search at Mcmaster Carr for main shaft bushings, but they offer about three different materials and am not sure of the correct to buy. I'm sure they would have the correct bushing material for the weights also. I suppose you could find springs also. Im going to stop by the local starter rebuild shop here in town and see if he can shed some light on bushings. Wear seems to be the biggest killer of these older prestolites, especially a unit your trying to tune up with dual points . On the Sun machine you can really see what happens to timing, and point gap when the weights, and bushings are worn. Tomorrow im going to try a pertronix unit in a RB dual point, and see how it performs. I have it stripped, cleaned and painted, waiting to be reassembled Hopefully it may do better with some of the worn bushings. Ill report back after tomorrows testWeights: Any reason an something like an oilite bushing couldn't be pressed in? That's what it looks like was done on the later Chrysler (electronic distributor) weights - I don't have a Prestolite here to compare.
Springs - I hear ya. This is true for non-points dizzys as well. Besides collecting from worn out distributors sometimes a close match can be found in industrial catalogs. I've had some luck with McMaster-Carr. You will need to count coils and measure the wire diameter, outer diameter and length, also the loop to loop length. Then you can calculate rate and go hunting. Remember that the rate controls the slope, while the loop to loop length controls the restraining force. In other words, it changes when the advance starts. However this initial load can be adjusted a bit in the distributor (by bending the tabs or rotating the pins depending on the distributor).
No luck today, the pertronix would not signal on the sun machine. Id get a random flash now and again, but not enough to tell anything. Next week ill put it in the car and see if it runs.
KitCarlson
Well-Known Member
Does the distributor ground at machine?
Hook up Pertronix with ignition coil, and use a timing light. Put plug wire from coil to ground, use that to trigger clamp-on timing light.
Beware, Pertronix can fail by reversing connections, or loose ground when sparking.
Hook up Pertronix with ignition coil, and use a timing light. Put plug wire from coil to ground, use that to trigger clamp-on timing light.
Beware, Pertronix can fail by reversing connections, or loose ground when sparking.
Yes, when I first picked it up, I spun a mopar electronic and it worked fine. I suppose I could try it again.
well, yes and no. When spinning a points distributor, it grounds through the housing with the negative lead attached to the mounting vise. When spinning an electronic distributor you attach both leads from the machine to the amplifier, and then the amplifier leads to the respective wires on the pertronix unit. I did try grounding the housing with no change.
rmchrgr
Skate And Destroy
KitCarlson
Well-Known Member
It makes no sense to me to use electronic amplifier, it is the interface for a variable reluctance distributor. The Pertronix is a points replacement, it is sensor and switch. It should hook up similar to points distributor. I assume you have instructions on Pertronix install? Red goes to coil + and ignition supply +, black goes to coil -, third connection is ground. Pertronix ground is via breaker plate and distributor body. Like points, the Pertronix pulls the - coil terminal to ground to energize, opens for spark.
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