What distributor to use?
- Thread starter 65fsbkhipo
- Start date
-
Sponsors (?)
SandSprite
Member
I have a 68 distributor in my roller cammed 302 (with steel gear) and a pertronix. Runs fine. When it dies, I think I will go with a Duraspark distributor (I think you need one from an 85 mustang gt -- duraspark and steel gear IIRC) and a GM HEI box. The duraspark box would work too, but the HEI is supposed to be better. You can also use the EFI dist. if you want, but that might end up costing more. check out the stuff on: http://www.gofastforless.com
--Tim
--Tim
Sometimes you gotta get rough with the distributor to get it in. Probably the oil drive ain't matching up right.I'm surprised the gear from that hall-eefect fit the older point dist., I thought the shafts were bigger on the newer ones. When you swapped gears, you did get the distance from the body to the gear correct,didn't you?65fsbkhipo said:
D.Hearne said:
I've done a lot of bearing and sleeve replacements on various things, and the snugness of the gear on the shaft is great. I had to use slight pressure using a vise and a long socket to slide it on. The barrel pin was the same size as well. The distance from flange to bottom of gear was four inches. It matches up great. Now, the problem is to get it into the block. I tried the wire wheel brush on the surfaces in case of burrs but didn't help. I'll tackle that again tonight.
I liked the article on the EFI distributor SandSprite sent
Early distributor IS NOT A DROP IN REPLACEMENT! I have mic'd the distrubutor shafts and have found that the early distributors are 1/16" wider than the 89 EFI distributor. Wont go in unless I modify. Although the distance from the mounting flange and the gear are correct...it won't work.
D.Hearne said:
The shaft is definitely larger than the 89 shaft. Tried three known distributors. Definitely 1/16" off.
D.Hearne said:
DH
The problem has been recified...seems that the swaps I was using were all Motorcraft distributors. I put in a FoMoCo distributor from a original engine and she slid in pretty as you please. There is definitely a difference between the two. I think the 298/302 blocks have a larger orifice for the distributor than the later blocks. The FoMoCo works in both, the Motorcraft works only in the early blocks.
I'll be cranking up that baby this weekend.
I was just wondering about your problem earlier, and wanted to ask you this: Are you sure that "bigger" dist. is a small block one and not a Cleveland dist? 
( afterall, you did try to stick one from an FE motor in there too) 
The Cleveland dist uses a bigger oilpump drive, its 3/8 instead of the 5/16 one in the 289-302, the dist. shaft is bigger too.
( afterall, you did try to stick one from an FE motor in there too) The Cleveland dist uses a bigger oilpump drive, its 3/8 instead of the 5/16 one in the 289-302, the dist. shaft is bigger too.
I have nothing other than 289 engines in my shop. I have, however, picked up a few distributors from various engines over the years, although most that I tried were 289 peices. I am confident the the Motorcraft are different than the FoMoCo brand. I have one Cleveland distributor...doesn't work either.
Definitely a difference. Racked my brain trying to figure out the difference. If I didn't have FoMoCo distributor to compare with, I'd still be cussing you out...
Similar threads
