distributor question

[Gnome]

I have a distributor question. i had lost all spark while driving. i have fuel and the plugs are fowling out. has spark but its very weak. 

Here is what i did try: points, coil and condenser

Now the Question, according to the service manual the point gap is .020 but i can only max out at .018. looks like the lobes are worn on the distributor shaft.

where can i get a replacement

1949 plymouth deluxe IAP-4103A distributor

Thankyou In Advance

Gary

[motterso]

That sounds like a very worn out distributor. With that much wear you might have issues with the bearings in the distributor also. Those distributors are very common. Should be able to easily find a nice one from online auctions if you're careful or go to someone who can guide you like Roberts Motor Parts.

Another option is to install a pertronix kit - they are really easy to install and you won't have to worry about points, etc. 

 

[desoto1939]

5 hours ago, Gnome said:

I have a distributor question. i had lost all spark while driving. i have fuel and the plugs are fowling out. has spark but its very weak. 

Here is what i did try: points, coil and condenser

Now the Question, according to the service manual the point gap is .020 but i can only max out at .018. looks like the lobes are worn on the distributor shaft.

where can i get a replacement

1949 plymouth deluxe IAP-4103A distributor

Thankyou In Advance

Gary

If the cam is worn then the high spot on each edge would be giving you a greater gap opening then the 18. Can yu get a NOS entire breaker plate assembly and then put that unit in the dizzy. It just might be the breaker plate is worn out. When you have the dizzy out of the engine block can you wiggle the main shaft back and forth the connects to the oil pump. If there is side to side movement then the two internal bushings are bad.

What is the model of dizzy IGS IAT it wil be onthe tag on the body. Let me know and i can tell you the correct autolite breaker plate assembly.

 

the correct breaker plate is IAP3004RE  used on 49-50 Ply and dodge

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

Edited October 31, 2017 by desoto1939

[desoto1939]

i just did a search on ebay for IAP3004RE and there are currently 2 listed and they cost $65.  Check to see if thesre is slop in the breaker plate assembly.

 

rich Hartung

[DJ194950]

3 hours ago, motterso said:

That sounds like a very worn out distributor. With that much wear you might have issues with the bearings in the distributor also. Those distributors are very common. Should be able to easily find a nice one from online auctions if you're careful or go to someone who can guide you like Roberts Motor Parts.

Another option is to install a pertronix kit - they are really easy to install and you won't have to worry about points, etc. 

 

With the points Closed (off the high points of the cam) - push side to side towards the points rub cam to see how much the point opening gap changes. fit it changes too much then then the dist. bushings are worn to much, which can be replaced.

DJ

[Adam H P15 D30]

For $65.00 search slant 6 distributor upgrade. 

Adam

[Gnome]

6 hours ago, motterso said:

That sounds like a very worn out distributor. With that much wear you might have issues with the bearings in the distributor also. Those distributors are very common. Should be able to easily find a nice one from online auctions if you're careful or go to someone who can guide you like Roberts Motor Parts.

Another option is to install a pertronix kit - they are really easy to install and you won't have to worry about points, etc. 

 

dont you need a 12v system for pertronix?

5 hours ago, desoto1939 said:

If the cam is worn then the high spot on each edge would be giving you a greater gap opening then the 18. Can yu get a NOS entire breaker plate assembly and then put that unit in the dizzy. It just might be the breaker plate is worn out. When you have the dizzy out of the engine block can you wiggle the main shaft back and forth the connects to the oil pump. If there is side to side movement then the two internal bushings are bad.

What is the model of dizzy IGS IAT it wil be onthe tag on the body. Let me know and i can tell you the correct autolite breaker plate assembly.

 

the correct breaker plate is IAP3004RE  used on 49-50 Ply and dodge

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/user/glopez9140/media/1949%20plymouth/20171029_160512.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/glopez9140/1949%20plymouth/20171029_160512.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20171029_160512.jpg"/></a>

2 hours ago, desoto1939 said:

i just did a search on ebay for IAP3004RE and there are currently 2 listed and they cost $65.  Check to see if thesre is slop in the breaker plate assembly.

 

rich Hartung

they list them on www.oldmoparts.com for $45, i need the vacuum advance as well too. 

2 hours ago, DJ194950 said:

With the points Closed (off the high points of the cam) - push side to side towards the points rub cam to see how much the point opening gap changes. fit it changes too much then then the dist. bushings are worn to much, which can be replaced.

DJ

i'll try that but when i had it our of the block it didn't seem to have any side to side play in the shaft

2 hours ago, Adam H P15 D30 said:

For $65.00 search slant 6 distributor upgrade. 

Adam

is this the HEI upgrade? or can you use the slant distributor in the flatty with some mods?

 

Thank you all for the posts. as frustrating as it is to work on it, i do enjoy showing it. 

Edited November 1, 2017 by Gnome

[Gnome]

tried to upload a photo. 

[Gnome]

i found the link to the slant 6 conversion. great read but i cant pull up most of the pics 

 

[Gnome]

oh and for some info i found these leads for the distributor that was close to the leads in mine. the wire is bare but i will use some liquid tape to seal the wires up. i picked them up at the local United Auto Parts store in Fredericksburg. hope this helps anyone looking for the leads.

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000G017FG?ref_=pfb_32j134nn0aa60gkfinhhiblakfi6&tag=hydfbook0e-20&ascsubtag=pfb-P01-V01-O3-T1-LO-4DCJUB

 

[PT81Jan]

17 hours ago, Gnome said:

"... according to the service manual the point gap is .020 but i can only max out at .018. looks like the lobes are worn on the distributor shaft ..."

Thankyou In Advance

Gary

Hey Gary, had the same issue. "Wrongdoer" has not been the cam(s), but the nose on the breaker arm. That was so worn, that it was no longer possible to adjust to correct gap. Since the breaker and points were ok, I made a new nose (yellow arrow) out of a Pertinax plate (green arrow). Costs: nearly nothing. Works well since about 3000 mls, no wear to see up to now. Hope the picture explains better what I have tried to explain in words.

Jan

klick to enlarge

Edited November 1, 2017 by PT81Jan

[Adam H P15 D30]

11 hours ago, Gnome said:

SNIP:

dont you need a 12v system for pertronix?

is this the HEI upgrade? or can you use the slant distributor in the flatty with some mods?

SNIP

Pertronix makes a 6v + or - ground module.  I don't care for them because they are temperamental to primary coil resistance and RF noise.  Also when one of their modules takes a cr@p, you are stuck until another module is shipped out.  I prefer off the shelf parts if you are driving it, if it's a fairground / trailer queen it probably isn't an issue.  Someone will chime in saying they NEVER fail but everything fails and Mr. Murphy will ensure it fails at the worst time and place.

The slant 6 distributor mod is pretty easy.  The write up here is excellent and the pictures are still available if you google them.  basically you have to turn the distributor housing down .030 to fit in the block (I used a file and drill press) and swap over the drive and advance weights from the flathead distributor.  While you're at it, google using a GM HEI module and coil to trigger it for reliability and a really hot spark with no primary coil resistance limitations like Pertronix and the factory Mopar control unit, don't forget to open your spark plug gap.  Also, if something does go wrong, the module is $20.00 and the trigger is $20.00 available at any parts house.  

Tom Langdon sells a drop in, ready to run HEI for our engines for about $200.00.  It's not an integrated cap and coil so it doesn't look like cr@p and uses off the shelf parts for a GM V6.

FWIW,

Adam

[motterso]

The Langdon HEI unit is very good.

 http://www.langdonsstovebolt.com/store/#!/Stovebolt-Mopar-Mini-HEI/p/1222043/category=18665979

[Adam H P15 D30]

I would also add that the Landon HEI is a better choice because you can take full advantage of the powerful spark the HEI can deliver.  Being that there is almost no primary resistance needed in an HEI system, you can safely open the plug gap to .050 or more and kick up the secondary voltage to 50kv + and not worry about heat or coil saturation.  The cap is where the difference is between the slant 6 / HEI mod and an actual HEI (Tom's).  Though the slant 6 / HEI is capable of the same high voltage, the distributor cap and rotor were never designed to handle that kind of spark energy and may suffer a shorter life span, Tom's HEI is an HEI cap designed for the high secondary voltage.  I kept my plug gap at .040 with my slant 6 / HEI set up.  You MUST use the square HEI coil to do this as the round coil would quickly overheat. 

I know I'm splitting hairs here and probably dragging this a little off topic, apologies....

Adam

EDIT:  You could also use the points to trigger an HEI and point gap wouldn't matter anymore and the points would never burn up, you would only replace them when the wear block wears down.  It's a little involved electronically to make is work correctly but doable.  The HEI would trigger when the points closed and therefore rotor phasing would be off but a very simple electronic inverter would fix it.  I built one inside my old voltage regulator to hide it.

HEI Schematic.pdf

Resistor is a 4.7 k-ohm 1/2 watt or higher wattage

Transistor is a 2n2222a NPN 

Edited November 1, 2017 by Adam H P15 D30
added photo

[Andydodge]

I also had good results with the HEI from Tom Langdon, it was THE best thing I did to the 41 Plymouth I had......I also used Langdons round style coil...........had no issues with either and as my car had previously been converted to 12 volts it worked fine.........I would recommend Langdons HEI unreservedly..........andyd