Wobbly fitting rotor on '48 distributor

[jclary]

[55s]

If the rotor spins around completely with the shaft, the shear pin at the bottom of the distributor has severed, and you need to pull it out and replace the shear pin and the vacuum advance weights (which probably jammed the distributor in the first place). (My only Studebaker dead-on-the-road failure)

My recollection is that the fit is fairly snug for the rotor itself, and it should be turning with the shaft. The shaft itself has a little play for the advance. You should be able to turn it a bit on and off the lobes that open and close the points.

Paul

[Dwain G.]

It could just be the wrong rotor. What is the distributor number on the Autolite tag, and what is the part number of the new rotor?

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Dwain G.

[Carl Purdy]

I checked the 48 distributor in the barn and mine had a spring clip in side the rotor bug. I don't know if it was made that way or not but it doesn't wobble.

Getting cabin fever.


7G-Q1 49 2R12 10G-F5 56B-D4 56B-F2
As soon as you find a product you like they will stop making it.

[jclary]

Thanks for all the input. I have had too many other "irons in the fire to follow up" but I do know that the shear pin is ok. The rotor is one NAPA looked up for the car. However, either it is wrong or the shaft has worn where the rotor attaches. I will check it out and let you know.

IMG]http://i518.photobucket.com/albums/u346/jconln/5555.jpg[/IMG]

[jclary]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!Ok folks, I finally went out in the cold and used a mechanics mirror to check the disrtibutor number. The best I can tell reading backwords is that the Autolite number is 10C4805 10C. The rotor I bought from NAPA is in an Echlin box and the part # is AL62.[img][/img]

[jclary]

Ok, so when the bowl game isn't going to suit me, I distract myself by tinkering with the Studebaker! I went back out to the barn and dug deep among the spider webs and shivering black widows and found a couple of old auto-lite distributors. The most complete one was a model AT 4001 4E. It has a smaller type rotor that does not have the bakelite counter balance . However, the shaft where the rotor attatches seems to be the same diameter on both distributors. I took the old rotor off the rusty dist. and it fits snug on the one in the car. The loose fitting rotor (NAPA # AL62) is loose on both. I think the NAPA rotor is wrong. I would welcome any knowledge from any of you folks that eat, breathe and sleep this stuff.
[img][/img]

John Clary
Greer, SC
SDC member since 1975

[dpson]

John,
If you go to NAPA's website they list two different rotors for 1948 Champions, AL 62 and AL 58. There are pictures of both. The AL 62 is listed for the Autolite IGC distributor. I suspect you need the AL 58. Here is the link to the NAPA webpage: http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPage...d=1&SubCatId=1

Dan Peterson
Montpelier, VT
1960 Lark V-8 Convertible
1960 Lark V-8 Convertible (parts car)
1961 Lark Crusier
1962 Lark V-8 Regal Convertible

[jclary]

Thanks Dan! Even though the engine has run with the al62 flopping around, I think the al 58 is the correct one. That may explain why the idle was a bit erratic. The al 58 is what is on one of the old rusty but slightly newer Auto-Light I found among the spider webs.

John Clary
Greer, SC
SDC member since 1975

[Dwain G.]

I thought I vaguely remembered a bulletin that addressed incorrect tag numbers on some distributors, but I guess that was just defective thinking. Rotor AL104 is also a possible fit.

[img][img]
Dwain G.

[jclary]

Well, the little coupe is running again! It has been days since I began this thread, and some time since the last post. Maybe we can put this one to rest. As it turns out, it was NAPA part number AL-104 (DWAIN) that finally worked. The AL-58 will not fit the shaft. The AL-62 worked flopping around on the shaft inside the distributor cap for many years. (Hmm, could that explain the little erratic nervousness of the engine I detected from time to time?!)
The real reason it wouldn't crank was that the points had closed up. So, that inspires another question ... What lubricant should be used on the distributor cam? I used a tiny amount of white lithium grease. I remember buying new points that had a tiny capsule of cam grease in the box. I have not seen that in years.
[img][/img]


John Clary
Greer, SC
SDC member since 1975

[Dwain G.]

Happy to hear that John!
The white lube is probably okay. It's getting to be a lost art, but it is absolutely necessary to put something on that distributor cam.
Cam lube is still around. A small tube of the stuff is a lifetime supply! Try NAPA for ECHLIN ML-1. Also, Bosch cam lube is sold by several different sources.

[img][img]
Dwain G.

[BobPalma]

quote:Originally posted by Dwain G.
Cam lube is still around. A small tube of the stuff is a lifetime supply! Dwain G.

True, Dwain! I've got a medium-size tube of genuine Delco-Remy Distributor Cam Lubricant acquired while a junior in high school...46 years ago! And I've only used about a third of it. BP

[jclary]

Bob, I suspect that a lot of us cruise around in antique shops just to see what all that stuff we have in our houses and shops are currently selling for!

John Clary
Greer, SC
SDC member since 1975

[BobPalma]

quote:Originally posted by jclary

Bob, I suspect that a lot of us cruise around in antique shops just to see what all that stuff we have in our houses and shops are currently selling for!

John Clary

True, John. I suspect that's a good reason to keep our mouths shut when antiquing with the wives, lest they ask how come we're still hanging onto all this stuff! BP