Took my 57 dizzy apart and got all the spider webs and rust cleaned-up and re-assembled except for the little wire spring clip retainer that holds the cam assembly on the shaft. What's the trick I'm missing to get that re-installed? Is there a special tool for spreading that clip so it drops down over the shaft? I was able to get it off with very thin needle nose pliers, but getting it back on is another story and I don't want to bend it.

Thanks,

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

The top of the shaft usually has a generous chamfer, so I set the clip on the top of the shaft, take a couple of small screwdrivers and push straight down at 90 and 270 degrees from the opening in the clip.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Thanks John...that's the tip I needed. One thing I didn't realize is that the counterweights must me lead not steel. I found that out when I put everything in the rust desolver

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

I hate to ask after you put it back together - but how long are the slots in your upper rotor shaft plate - the ones that limit the total advance?

If you want to put a quicker advance curve in your distibutor (greater initial and less centrifugal) - reducing the length of those slots is how you do it.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Well...I haven't put that top spring clip back in yet, so I can still take things apart easily. The plate with the slots is stamped with a "10". I understand some go to "13". Do you think I still need to shorten the slots? Is that done by brazing?

I am a little more concerned about the counterweights which I thought were steel, but turned out to be lead and dissolved a little when I put them in a solution to dissolve rust. They still held their shape and the pins that hold the springs were not affected, but I'm sure I lost a couple of milligrams of lead from each of them.

Rono 

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

Rono,

I was going to send you a PM but it says you exceeded your limit, you should go in there and delete the old ones not needed.

I have plenty of distributor parts if you need. Come visit, it doesn't have to be on a weekend, I am at the shop most of the time unless out on a job.

55 Vicky & customline

58 Rack Dump, 55 F350 yard truck, 57 F100

59 & 61 P 400's, 58 F100 custom cab, 69 F100, 79 F150, 82 F600 ramp truck, 90 mustang conv 7 up, 94 Mustang, Should I continue?

This diagram shows one modifed to provide 13° in the distributor -26° at the crank.

Ends of the slots were filled with braze material and smoothed with a rat tail file that matched the pin diameter. The original size was just over 1/2 inch and gave the distributor 20° of internal advance.

This one has the braze in it - and the cam machined off to convert to a Duraspark trigger system. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Hey Bill;

I cleared my PM box and tried to send you a PM but your box is now full

Are you going to be around this Wednesday? Maybe I can come down then. Do you have an extra pair of those dizzy flyweights? I'll bring mine so we can compare.

Send me a PM with you phone # and I'll call you today.

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID