Distributor replacement problem

1959 CJ5 F134

I got a solid state dist. from Kaiser that is supposed to be a direct drop-in.
Well not so much. It will not seat the last 1/16th - 1/8th or so.



I have measured/compared the neck, shafts, tab at the bottom etc.
All check out the same.




The biggest difference is the tab at the bottom. Though the overall shaft is the same there is some difference in the end.
There is a hex-clip on the original. Does that need to xfer over to the new unit?





I think this might be where the problem is...


Clip off the old and compared to new...


What do I do? Am I missing something? Should I grind/dremel the new tab some?

 

Some of those aftermarket distributors are 180 off from the factory unit. Might spin 180 it and see if it will drop in.

 

Not 180* out. rotor is in correct position in relation to the slot down in the oil pump.
Doesn't seem like 180* would matter on slot alignment, either way.

What is the clip for?

Total length is the same as well as the shoulders.
You can see the oily limit on how far it drops in.




I doesn't feel like the tab even goes into the oil pump. When I set it in, the shaft (rotor) spins freely like it doesn't drop into the notch in the oil pump.

 

OK just got an email from Kaiser mentioning the tab is offset on the shaft, and saying I might need to file it a bit.

Maybe this will help others...(as clueless as me)

Upon closer inspection... the shaft is offset. Making the 180* comment critical.


Still wouldn't fit with the 180* orientation, though.

Kaiser also confirmed that i may need to file the tab due to close tolerances.
So I took to my new part with a file, a little at a time.
After many file/fitment tries I got it to drop all the way in.
So I too off the "ears" and some of the width....BAM!!

I'll have to re-arrange my plug wires but I think I'm good to go.

Hope this can be of use to others that experience this.

Philip

 

You could always simply send it back with a note that says you bought a grade A part, not a factory defective part.

 

Philip

*** newbe alert ***

I notice that after changing my distributor my Jeep seems to be more sluggish than it was with the point and condenser. I have a hill in my neighbourhood I use to climb easily at 40 mph in third and now the Jeep barely hold 30-35 forcing me to downshift to second. Could it be an installation issue (180 rotation) or I probably just buggered my timing when I re-install the new unit? I'm asking because the oil cup use to be downward in the old distributor and now it point up and reading your post, it seems that there is no way it could have been installed in reverse due to the offset tab right?

Pierre

 

I would say you are out of time a little. get ya a light and see where it's at.

 

Thanks,

Will do... My TDC mark may be off - the crank pulley isn't marked so I estimated the TDC using a wooden dowel in the sparkplug #1 - but I found another way to do it using an old plug - a plastic tube and a bottle of oil on the internet.

Pierre

 

Iirc the timing marks are on the flywheel on F-Heads.


Sent from my iPhone

 

I had to double check the service manual... while I'm sure the flywheel has timing mark for re-assembly, the tune-up section of service manual fig c16 clearly show a notch in the crankshaft pulley. On my CJ5, the pulley edge is as smooth as a baby's bottom so I use a dowel in the #1 cylinder (in the compression stroke) to guess TDC and mark the pulley on the left hand side of the tab (looking at it from the front) assuming the left is the TDC mark. This is not well described in the manual so I'm hoping I'm not wrong. I timed it using the right side of the tab. If I reverse the mark then I'm 10 degree off?, if not then I guess I muffed up the TDC mark.