Mike S

[Mike S]

i have a flathead 6 Plymouth P15. The engine started running really rough. Then while checking my spark plug wires i noticed the engine wasnt firing on a couple of cylinders. However, if i gently push on one side of the distributor cap it seems to start firing on all cylinders. So i replaced points, condenser, rotor and distributor cap, but the engine wont fire on all cylinders until i press on the side of the distributor cap. The distributor cap is keyed so i know it is on correctly. It is fastened tightly to distributor. Any ideas?

[martybose]

You replaced all of the relevant bits in the distributor, but didn't get a new coil.  I'd be inclined to get one, with care to get the correct voltage (assuming 6V), and try that.

 

Marty

[Sam Buchanan]

Does the distributor shaft have any lateral play in it? Bushing may be worn out letting the shaft wander enough to misfire.

[50mech]

I doubt it's this since I imagine you matched things to get the right points but I've seen a similar issue with a cap and rotor that weren't matched to the distributor number.

It was difficult to tell and basically seemed correct but the key didn't fit quite right so one side was a little hard to snap and the cap was actually sitting crooked...very tight but very slightly crooked, also I don't think the rotor and wire contacts actually sat at the same level.

 

Funny thing is it didn't misfire until after I replaced the wires.

 

Also check the insulation where the coil wire goes through the distributor body... especially if the pressing that's done is on the same side as its on.

Edited August 10, 2020 by 50mech

[Mike S]

The distributor shaft does have a little lateral movement (maybe 1mm - 2mm) in it. I wonder what the tolerance is? Both distrib caps that ive had on it in the last 6 months came from same part store. Can anyone recommend an online resource for distrib cap? FYI: Rockauto doesnt carry them.

[belvedere]

I agree with Sam about worn bushings in the distributor...doesn't seem likely your old and new cap would be defective in the exact same way.

 

My 1957 FSM lists max shaft play at 0.008", which is about 0.2mm.

[martybose]

Were the distributor parts ordered by the application (your car) or by the distributor number?  Many times the distributor gets replaced somewhere along the line by a similar but slightly different one that uses different parts.  You should get the number off of the distributor and use that when ordering parts.

 

Marty

[desoto1939]

5 hours ago, Mike S said:

The distributor shaft does have a little lateral movement (maybe 1mm - 2mm) in it. I wonder what the tolerance is? Both distrib caps that ive had on it in the last 6 months came from same part store. Can anyone recommend an online resource for distrib cap? FYI: Rockauto doesnt carry them.

Mike as suggested first look at the plate on the body of the distributor body. If its an autolite it might sart with IGS or IGT and then a numbering sucj as 4102c.  This is what you need to tell the store to get the correct internla and cap parts.

 

I have an autolite catalog so get this info and then I can tell you what is the correct cap, rotor, points and condensor for your car and also the correct breaker plate assembly. But i need to know the dizzy number first.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com,

[Dodgeb4ya]

"The distributor shaft does have a little lateral movement (maybe 1mm - 2mm) in it."

 

If that's true your distributor bushings and possibly the shaft are beyond completely worn out.

...how would you adjust the points?

That  much slop is a huge problem.

 

[MarkAubuchon]

I agree with ordering the parts off of the distributor number. If you can id pull the distributor and make sure everything is tight, and internal wiring is spaced correctly.

[50mech]

1 hour ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

"The distributor shaft does have a little lateral movement (maybe 1mm - 2mm) in it."

 

If that's true your distributor bushings and possibly the shaft are beyond completely worn out.

...how would you adjust the points?

That  much slop is a huge problem.

 

Yep. I would just be surprised it got this far before a problem arose if it has that much slop side to side.

[PT81PlymouthPickup]

1 to 2mm is about 1/16 inch. I don't think it would hardly run at all with that amount? I had an indicated .012" slop in mine and that was enough to make it run rough at mid range rpm but it started and idled well. Once inside the distributor I found the advance governor was completely worn out as well. It's not a bad job if you have some experience with mechanics and press / slip fits with bushings. You do need to be pretty fussy to rebuild one correctly. You should also check for bad grounds. The distributor housing needs a good ground to the block. That might be why it changed when you applied pressure? Check the ground strap inside the distributor as well.

[Mike S]

@desoto1939

posting pics of distrib plate. sorry about the poor quality. that last number is 2013.

[50mech]

It's an igs-4207-1 distributor

cap IGC-1107S .  rotor IGS-1016B 

Cap is standard motor products AL96

Rotor is standard AL98

 

The standard parts you can get at O'Reilly's.

 

Edited August 11, 2020 by 50mech

[50mech]

Btw here's where some confusion can come into play at some parts stores.

Napa echlin pns for these are al62 and al63.

 

A Napa echlin al98 cap is actually a standard al130 which is also a flat 6 cap. Just not the right one here. To boot, some vehicles could have either of the corresponding distributors installed. You can imagine how many cross references have these mixed up.

 

While a standard al63 is actually a universal condenser that's used for these. So again some mix-ups there.

[9 foot box]

   With that IGS crossover number, you could try Brillman for parts. Or wait for Rich’s reply. That sure is an odd number, for a  P15 distributor. 

[desoto1939]

Based on the info that someone posted I have attached the info from my Autolite catalog.

Rich Hartung    Desoto1939@aol.com

 

 

[9 foot box]

   Tod Fitch has a ply33.com site that is very helpful for part numbers for early Plymouth cars up to the P15.

[50mech]

6 minutes ago, 9 foot box said:

   Tod Fitch has a ply33.com site that is very helpful for part numbers for early Plymouth cars up to the P15.

Ply33's cross reference is one of the ones that has the incorrect standard al130 listed as compatible to the echlin al63 and autolites igc-1107s

[Mike S]

Thank you all for the replies and info. I just found a couple of my old distrib + rotors they are same part#s AL96 and AL98 as the new ones i installed and they match the numbers posted in this feed so looks like the issue is most probably the distributor slop that a few of you mentioned. Im thinking about installing the mini HEI distributor for Mopars by Langdons Stovebolt. Have any of you tried it? Heres the link http://www.langdonsstovebolt.com/store/online-catalog/#!/Stovebolt-Mopar-Mini-HEI/p/1222043

[martybose]

Did you ever try a new coil?

 

Marty

[Mike S]

 

 

Thank you all for the replies and info. I just found a couple of my old distrib + rotors they are same part#s AL96 and AL98 as the new ones i installed and they match the numbers posted in this feed so looks like the issue is most probably the distributor slop that a few of you mentioned. Im thinking about installing the mini HEI distributor for Mopars by Langdons Stovebolt. Have any of you tried it? Heres the link http://www.langdonsstovebolt.com/store/online-catalog/#!/Stovebolt-Mopar-Mini-HEI/p/1222043

[belvedere]

1 minute ago, Mike S said:

 

 

 Im thinking about installing the mini HEI distributor for Mopars by Langdons Stovebolt. Have any of you tried it? 

I bought one, but have not completed my engine rebuild, so haven't got a chance to try it yet.  Hopefully not too much longer! ?