Search the Community

I have an acquaintance with a C38 ('48 Chrysler Windsor with the 25" 251 motor) who needs a distributor. I have a working dizzy from my P22 Plymouth, which of course has the shorter block. From what I've read, distributors changed incrementally through the years, so the advance curve should be a bit better with a later model, but I don't know if they're physically interchangeable?

Servicing Chrysler Distributors article from Motor Age magazine May 1948 View File Instructions for servicing Chrysler distributors from Motor Age magazine May 1948 issue Submitter JonathanC Submitted 08/02/2022 Category Instructions, Manuals & Templates  

Vintage distributors need lubrication. As per the photo attached from a 39 Mopar, I've identified and labelled five potential lubrication points. The bottom half is automatically lubricated as it is located inside the engine, so I didn't identify it in the photo. If I'm missing something let me know. For reasons of discussion, here they are: *FELT PAD (on the points bracket arm) *TOP FELT (inside the shaft, visible only when you remove the rotor) *WEIGHTS (visible after removing the breaker plate) *PLATE BEARINGS (the ball bearings that allow the breaker plate to rotate) *SIDE PORT (there a chrome cap over it, and it's the only visible lubrication point on the exterior of the distributor. So all you experts out there, feel free to chime in on what type of lubricants you use (or what you don't lube). Please forgive me if my nomenclature doesn't match yours, but if you use the same naming convention as I used in my list above, it'll be easier to everyone to understand. Any tips appreciated!

Hello everyone. I made a huge mistake and pulled the guts out of my distributor without taking pictures where the wires went to. I thought I would remember but obviously that didnt happen. I have the new points added but can't finish. I'm hoping someone could pull their cap off and take some up close photos of the guts and wires. The pics I have found online don't help me much. Thank you so much for any help you can offer. -Dan

Hey Guys, I have been having an issue with my '52 B3C lately where the motor won't rev up. I rebuilt the carburetor and it is working fine. So I moved onto the distributor. The points were dirty and there was a couple original wires inside that the insulation had degraded off of. So those will be replaced. I also found that the vacuum advance diaphragm is leaking air. So I'm thinking that is the major issue here. I see NOS vacuum advance modules on Ebay but I'm wondering whether or not that's a good route to go. Do you think the diaphragm is any better in those after sitting all these years? Is there a better way to go? Here's the one I'm looking at on Ebay

I need some advice connecting the vacuum line from the carburetor to the vacuum advance. The carburetor vacuum fitting is 3/16 double flare. I'm thinking of using 3/16 CuNi brake line from the carburetor over the top of the head and connecting the other end to a hose going to the vacuum advance so the distributor can move freely. How Dodge set it up at the factory is an open question.

This actually happened to my dad's 59 Triumph Herald convertible, but I thought I'd post here because it was an unusual problem. Dad gave me the Herald recently, as he now cant in and out of such a small sports car. It's had issues which I was working through. I've been driving it to and from work over winter (on sunny-ish days) but eventually it became very hard to start then refused to start. Plenty of fuel - no spark. Poor spark out of the HT coil lead. Ok, either the coil or condenser has died. Replaced the condenser in the distributor with a NOS one. Hot spark from the HT lead, nothing at the plugs. Hmmm - only thing left is the distributor cap. Put a multimeter across the coil lead connector and the carbon brush - open circuit. There should be some resistance.... Carefully removed the brush and its spring as I didn’t want to stretch or damage it. The spring looked burnt, and the hole it sat in was black. After a squirt of WD40 in the hole and cleaning it out with a cotton bud I could see the metal the spring sat against. Cleaned the spring and brush and pushed it back. I used a flat punch to carefully push the brush until it actually clicked in place. I checked for continuity with the multimeter and I had a reading! I turned it over with all plug leads off and one aimed at No. 4 plug. Damn thing tried to start! Put it all back together and away she roared – well, as much as a 948cc engine can roar. It actually feels like I’ve gained a couple of HP. Moral of the story - when you have eliminated the obvious, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the problem. I’ve had a brush spring break and a brush crumble, but this was something new. Dad’s 82 and been mucking around with cars for most of that time and never had that problem. Rick

The distributor on my 1950 Plymouth P20 Special Deluxe Club Coupe is an Auto-Lite IAT-4103. But my service manual and my Motors manual lists these 4 options: When I tried to search on the Auto-Lite IAT-4103, I was seeing options for a 1939 or 1940 vehicle. Questions... 1) should I expect problems, or is this fine? 2) the second photo shows that wire / screw on the far left exposed, should it be tight against the distributor body? 3) It looks like the left side of the base is above that plate. I assume this is the locking plate, but I've not delved in to know. Is that crooked, or to be expected?

So, I pulled my engine a few months ago (5 or 6 really) to fix some leaks, repair a framehorn crack/bad repair, and tidy up the engine compartment a little while attempting to install the dual carb setup with the 94's I have with my Shanafelt dual intake. Plagued with problem after problem, but at least the car runs now, though I am still needing to repair the distributor. I cleaned out my water passages, and boy did they need cleaning. I never should have been driving the car from the looks of it, LOL. Don't trust that others took the time to work on the motor as needed when you buy them. I did drive the car for a year and a half, but she got a little high on the temps when pulling grades around here, so I wanted to make sure she was cleaned out. When I pulled the rear core plug, I found that it was completely plugged from rust and sediment, at least 3 inches in. It took a while with a hot pressure washer to clean it out, but she finally spilled her guts and I got her back together. Put on a new water pump. I got the engine painted and re-installed, went to start with new to me dual intake setup and dual exhaust, fired and started, but couldn't get to run reliably. I then pulled the dual intake off and put the old single barrel on, to find that she was still acting the same. A little troubleshooting and found that the vacuum advance unit had rotted out, so I pulled one from my rebuild core and installed it. I got the car to run and drove it home from my buddies shop after installing a hacked together repurposed dual exhaust system using his two post lift...kinda made it home. On the ride home, I was driving it up one of the hills (grade really) and she started to spit and sputter, then would clear up, then sputter when turned, but run good on flat ground... ARGGGH! Made it home at midnight essentially, the night before my clubs car show. Needless to say, went to show without my ride, but I'd already taken up my buddies 54 Chevy Wagon, so I had a vehicle to drive. I took another look at it this past weekend, because the starter seemed to be giving me trouble. Sure enough the bendix was not retracting on the starter and was staying engaged. I also noticed that the motor would try to rotate backwards a bit when the starter button was disengaged. I originally thought this was related to the starter problem, but when I pulled the distributor cap to aid in removal of the starter, I saw that the breaker plate appeared askew. Sure enough it was loose from the bearing. I pushed it back into place, still unsure how exactly it sits in there, I think it may be a pressfit, so maybe the tolerances are worn. I have another old distributor I am going to see if I can make work, otherwise she may be down for a while until I can afford an upgrade to the Langdon 12v GM style Distributor. A real shame, as I will then have 2 positive ground pertronix units i'll have basically wasted my money on, at least until I get the 1941 Military Dodge WC-12 and WC-21 that I have kind of been told I can get when I can afford them. I'm just a little frustrated that the car had been doing wonderfully until I decided to "freshen her up a little". I almost think I never should have touched her, made her kinda irritable

This guy just helped me out. Excellent experience with this vendor. http://www.tomrish.com/ TOM LAMANO DISTRIBUTOR REBUILDING 590 ABBOTTSTOWN PIKE, ABBOTTSTOWN, PA 17301 717-353-3964 OR CELL 631-258-9355

Distributorcentrifufalgovernoradvancespeds View File Distributor centrifugal governor advance specs Submitter P15-D24 Submitted 02/22/2017 Category Reference Information

I'm having issues keeping strong spark. I have an industrial truck 218 flathead in my '49 B1B. I replaced the coil, points, condenser, voltage regulator (yes I polarized!) and still no spark. It was running fine, took it to a glass place and when picking it up, would not start. Plenty of battery because it cranks. Thinking of a Petronix conversion but wonder if anyone has any experience to share. Good idea? I'm assuming that the original generator and voltage regulator design work well with the Petronix coil, module and distributor. I plan to leave it 6 V positive ground. Any thoughts, insights before I purchase the conversion? Many thanks! Pilot House Newbie!

THANKS EVERYONE WHO ASKED ABOUT THESE PARTS. I moved the entire lot today to one buyer. Jim Good morning, I sold my P15 last April and am now longer in the hobby. LOOKING TO UNLOAD TO ONE PARTY or VENDOR. I have a disassembled overdrive needing some work, a complete (sans steering wheel) steering set up with good sector gear that was pulled from a '48 Desoto, but I believe the parts book says fits P, D and Desoto. I have some manuals, including a Master Index parts reference for 46-54 for all Mopar (has great exploded illustrations), some misc. trim parts, ignition parts, coupe quarter glass, wing vents and glass, distributor housings (some mostly complete) Vacuum modules, etc., If you can come pick up these are yours. Otherwise, by end of June I will need to dispose of. Please keep this hardware in circulation or use. Located in Lake County, IL, northeast Illinois. Jim Leman 847-840-0784.

I got a 48 Plymouth with a 218. Last night I wanted to check the timing because I kept thinking maybe there was something wrong, running like it was very retarded (no pun intended ) I loosened the distributor and removed the vacuum line from the carb. I plugged the hole in the carb to delete the vacuum leak. Started the motor (RPM around 450-500) and checked to see what was going on at the crank pulley. I couldn't see much so I shut her down and cleaned the the pulley to get a good visual of the timing marks. I started up the car again and got to work. I could see where it was set so I started to make some adjustments. After turning it CW and CCW a few times, I noticed there wasnt much or any difference in the sound of the engine. So I drastically turned the distributor CCW and CW with no audible or RPM changes...very wierd. I shut the car down and checked the vacuum advance unit. I sucked on the vacuum line and it appeared and felt like to be working good. I know its not working while timing, but sometimes you think of the darndest things. With that good I fired the motor again and messed with the distributor again with no changes. Very wierd...no sputtering or speed up of the engine rpm.... NOTHING! Any Suggestion to the issue im having? Is this normal? Im thinking I have a 'bad' distributor....weak springs maybe...I dont know...im "spitballing" at this point. Thanks for any help!