how do I fix my distributor cap?

[Charles Talbert]

We offer rebuild service if that will help you; also electronic ignition for the military distributor. I would caution you to be careful in buying a used unit, whether it is military or civilian as either may be in need of a rebuild just like what you already have.

If you are still thinking of changing over to a civilian unit, don't forget you will be changing over to a 12 volt system. That will require an oil pump, distributor, the RIGHT starter, generator or alternator, externally mounted coil, gauges, light bulbs, and a few other odds and ends if it is to be a successful conversion.

It will be cheaper to correctly rebuild the mil spec distributor.

[maineSS]

Think carefully before you mix 'n match HEI with your stock distributor- you'll quite likely end up with a really impressive backfire event, the type that shears off oil pump shafts and bends/breaks other things. Flatheads do not need or like anywhere near the ignition advance of OHV engines- other people have learned this the hard way...

[gusbratz]

i apologize if i have taxed your paitence. I get a little frazzled when I am on the night shift and i tend to stay up all day working on stuff. I took the dist in to work last night and gave it one last go-around. dissassembled it totally, lapped the shaft into the bushings, cleaned everything in the parts washer, made new wires up going from the coil to the points and soldered a new wire from the little capacitor in the side to the coil and put shrink wrap around them. I flipped all the rubber washers on the cap over. regapped and cleaned the points and now the truck is running ok. it has a speed miss as it idles but I can live with that. drove it up and down my road for about 35 min today. I have new stuff on order to fix those bushing right when it comes. I wanted to thank everyone for all there help and ask one more question. how do I time it and what is the timeing? I don't see any marks on the crank pulley. do I need to static time it with a dial indicator?

[Charles Talbert]

i apologize if i have taxed your paitence. I get a little frazzled when I am on the night shift and i tend to stay up all day working on stuff. I took the dist in to work last night and gave it one last go-around. dissassembled it totally, lapped the shaft into the bushings, cleaned everything in the parts washer, made new wires up going from the coil to the points and soldered a new wire from the little capacitor in the side to the coil and put shrink wrap around them. I flipped all the rubber washers on the cap over. regapped and cleaned the points and now the truck is running ok. it has a speed miss as it idles but I can live with that. drove it up and down my road for about 35 min today. I have new stuff on order to fix those bushing right when it comes. I wanted to thank everyone for all there help and ask one more question. how do I time it and what is the timeing? I don't see any marks on the crank pulley. do I need to static time it with a dial indicator?

The belt pulley has a timing scale on it. You may have to sand the edge to find it as it is often covered with paint. The best timing set is generally 4 degrees BEFORE top dead center. Your gasoline quality and elevation where you are may dictate a slightly different timing set. I would start at 4 degrees before, that is optimum for most.

[Charles Talbert]

Lapping the shaft to the bushings creates a too loose fit generally. If you want it right, install new bushings and ream them to .501". This will put you in perfect alignment with no play. Be sure to remove the oil wick before pressing out the bushings. The wick slot will have to be cut into the top bushing and the oil hole drilled in the bottom bushing prior to reaming. Be sure to replace the oil seal at the top bushing, or you will have trouble again soon. Remember the top bushing does not oil from the engine, you must fill the elbow to keep the wick saturated or that bushing will wear out quickly.

[gusbratz]

I rebuilt the dist last night and put it in today, i located the timeing marks on the crank pully and cleaned them up but cant see what to line them up with. there is a hole drilled in the front engine brace at about 1 o clock as viewed from the front. am I missing a pointer that bolts on there or something? Seems like the light hits the marks around 11 o clock as viewed from the front.

[Charles Talbert]

I rebuilt the dist last night and put it in today, i located the timeing marks on the crank pully and cleaned them up but cant see what to line them up with. there is a hole drilled in the front engine brace at about 1 o clock as viewed from the front. am I missing a pointer that bolts on there or something? Seems like the light hits the marks around 11 o clock as viewed from the front.

There should be a pointer spot welded to the timing chain cover. If it is missing, you are basically dead in the water. It would be best to locate a cover with the pointer intact and change it out in order to be able to use a timing light accurately.

[gusbratz]

that is what i kinda figured charles. I am posting this so if anybody has a similar problem and finds this post looking for a solution. the #6 cyl has an 1/8" Npt plug through the head to the bore. #6 is on the same crank throw as#1. I drilled out a 1/8" NPT plug and made a slider to go inside it. then i put it in with a dial indicator on top. turn the eng in direction of normal rotation and watch it come up to true tdc. it you go past you can't just back up a little because you must approch TDC in the direction of normal rotaion to take up stacking clearnce in wrist pin and crank pin. once i had TDC I made a little pointer and tapped a hole in the front engine mount and bolted it on and lined it up. here is the pointer tool and dial indicator in use.

[Charles Talbert]

That will work fine for you.