[Chrysler300] On Our Distributors

["John Grady jkg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300]" <Chrysler300-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have been “ fooling around” with 3-4 distributors , sort of a side project by accident , initially launched by trying to straighten out a really beaten up F distributor .
First, I now know —for sure — that the advance slot in the part with the point cam definitely varies in length by car to  limit advance     . 300F .39” but a 55 plymouth one — brand New is .48” . This has huge impacts as a lot of mechanical advance (!long slot) forces one to less initial so you do not end up with way too much at high  rpm . Realize you cannot “ add initial timing” without going way too much high up !! = Piston hole! 
 Thus F had a factory “Hot rod   “ tune ,significant initial and very limited mechanical     , very light spring ... .so mechanical all in fast, probably by 2500 rpm.  - 2 Nd spring ( high rpm) so beefy I doubt it moves . Note that second  spring has loose loops as assembled so first one can move   . Takeaway : identical appearing point cams and slots are not . Unique to car tune . Never swap . P stamped on this F one ,Q on plymouth . Heads up . 
Second , for sure — hole in vacuum advance arm wears egg shaped , that kills you as initial timing can dance around — as can the whole timing curve at WOT due to that play .   Vacuum arm  is relaxed (in ) at WOT , it is all that keeps breaker plate in place rotationally — the can arm (!!)  — And that fit .. 

hardened pin in plate but too small diameter , soft steel arm wears . Later mopar have larger pin . They knew . 

Third , casual check of it with rotor on , the rotor hits cap terminals ! YOW . Disaster that  is  . Whole point cam , and thus rotor can move up and down maybe .125 . Cannot be  right    , although have noticed vertical play there before . How much ? 
This cam plate (on  both of them) has a little  sleeve welded under    , while later have ( I think ) a flat underside and a Loose Spacer. Same prurpose ? Or supposed to be a spacer too on F     ??    ? But spacer only stops any downward motion — not upward , which is what causes the hit.   I think maybe should be a spacer washer under that damn impossible to get off wire clip ?  
Started to make one ,to  Keep rotor down-for  sure   . But decided to ask first on site . Maybe parts were missing on my F dist . 75 w Mobil one really freed it up , grease is a sad joke . Heavy Oil mixes with grease we are really good 
Related , rotor fit to metal stem seemed very loose ; there is a flat “hat like “ top on the spring steel flat retaining spring inside the rotor , has a tiny projecting clip that snaps sideways into a slot — only if the “hat “ is pushed in all the way , and flat . That was wrong on my rotor , not seated . Looked like factory built it wrong . Fixed that ,but that made flat spring part on side sit really flat , rotor did not grab metal shaft well at all .. rotor could drift up !! Disaster again . Fixed that . Bent out side flap with tiny screwdriver — I have seen  tape , paper etc Jammed in  there on  this,so beware .   Will wipe out your cap and wires = big mess . Rotor fit should be vertically tight . Now it is . Should take effort to slide  up 

But now left with what seems like too much up travel,  on whole point cam and rotor toward the retaining wire clip  — and noticed this much up starts to lose advance pin engagement below.. cannot be right  . If no concrete answer going to make my spacer under retaining spring .  And what to do with a good F vacuum can  with egged hole. A Drill bushing or something ?  
All this very subtle and new info to me anyway . Thought I would share for comment and info. It is important to a good running car . That vacuum egg shape   thing might lead to  wandering idle , something I fought with minimal success for  years   On ram cars , — as vacuum can is active / moving then .. timing change = Idle rpm change . 
FYI , 
John   G 


Sent from my iPhone not by choice 

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Posted by: John Grady <jkg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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