TheAMCForum.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > The Garage > AMC V8 Engine Repair and Modifications
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - dist gear shim
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Click for TheAMCForum Rules / Click for PDF version of Forum Rules
Your donations help keep this valuable resource free and growing. Thank you.

dist gear shim

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123>
Author
Message
xspiriment View Drop Down
AMC Nut
AMC Nut
Avatar

Joined: Apr/27/2009
Location: New Mexico
Status: Online
Points: 376
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote xspiriment Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: dist gear shim
    Posted: Jan/11/2018 at 8:18am
I'm going through early point dist, has too much shaft end play. Was wanting to finish it this weekend and drop it back in. Didn't really want order and wait for a shim kit to come in. Do you think a standard steel washer is ok or are dist shims some special material. Thanks Paul
Back to Top
Lyle View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Jul/17/2014
Location: None
Status: Offline
Points: 772
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/11/2018 at 12:09pm
I wouldn't put a steel washer in there.
If you are in a pinch a fibre washer, just like they use in electric motors, is the way to go. Older hardware stores have them in a box with different sizes or an industrial fastener place will have them.
Those distributor shims are usually polished and hardened steel, fibre washers or brass if really old. Mild steel washers will just eat away your distributor housing and may score the shaft.
Back to Top
needafasterAMX View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Feb/20/2008
Location: TLH,Florida
Status: Offline
Points: 724
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote needafasterAMX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/11/2018 at 7:49pm
i would be careful, there is a reason for  more end play then you would think that is needed when the dizzy is out of engine.


Edited by needafasterAMX - Jan/11/2018 at 7:55pm
74 AMX, 401
Viper spec T56 6 speed trans
Hydroboost brakes with rear disks from a Avenger
3:73 TG rear,now Trutrac with 3:15
A Turbo is in my future.
Back to Top
Steve_P View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar
Charter Member

Joined: Jun/28/2007
Status: Offline
Points: 3759
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steve_P Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/11/2018 at 8:34pm
Is there an end play spec? And why would a conventional steel flat washer somehow wear the distributor when a hardened one wouldnt?
Back to Top
amxron View Drop Down
AMC Nut
AMC Nut
Avatar

Joined: Nov/18/2011
Status: Offline
Points: 295
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote amxron Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/12/2018 at 1:54am
These are always sloppy. Remember they were made by Delco!
I put a couple of these washers from old distributors on mine years ago.
It was a sbc speed secret!

BTW a plain washer will wear dropping metal into your oil.

Ron.

Edited by amxron - Jan/12/2018 at 1:58am
AMXron
Fleet/Jeep Mgr.
Orbit AMC/Jeep
50-1787
Back to Top
Lyle View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Jul/17/2014
Location: None
Status: Offline
Points: 772
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/12/2018 at 7:48am
A conventional washer is neither polished or low friction. On the aluminum housing it will act like an abrasive and pick up aluminum as it rotates, then aluminum will be rotating on aluminum - one of the worst bearing combinations, and things will go bad quite quickly.
There are aluminum on aluminum combinations that work like 2 cycle engines that have high silicon aluminum blocks and soft aluminum pistons - these do not "pick up". Aluminum based bearings on steel shafts - specific metallurgy.
Back to Top
Greyhounds_AMX View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Nov/14/2009
Location: Kansas City
Status: Offline
Points: 1268
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Greyhounds_AMX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/12/2018 at 1:08pm
I found that when I shimmed the distributor gear to reduce the clearance to what appeared to be a reasonable amount, the engine would then eat the gear.

1968 AMX 390 w/T5
Back to Top
6PakBee View Drop Down
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Avatar
Charter Member

Joined: Jul/01/2007
Location: North Dakota
Status: Online
Points: 5454
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 6PakBee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/12/2018 at 1:41pm
Originally posted by Greyhounds_AMX Greyhounds_AMX wrote:

I found that when I shimmed the distributor gear to reduce the clearance to what appeared to be a reasonable amount, the engine would then eat the gear.


That's interesting.  Would it be reasonable to assume that when the engine is running the distributor shaft moves outward?
Roger Gazur
1969 'B' Scheme SC/Rambler
1970 RWB 4-spd Machine
1970 Sonic Silver auto AMX

All project cars.

Forum Cockroach
Back to Top
Lyle View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Jul/17/2014
Location: None
Status: Offline
Points: 772
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/12/2018 at 3:17pm
The distributor shaft moves up and down with acceleration and deceleration. It's a 90 degree gear and that's why it wears, tough angle to transmit motion on a spline gear no matter how little load.
Shimming should be done to recenter the distributor gear with the camshaft gear.
In most cases you will find shimming top and bottom is required.
If you don't know were to shim then check against a known good distributor. I don't have one out of the car or I'd provide a measurement from the top or bottom of the gear to the housing flange.

Back to Top
needafasterAMX View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Feb/20/2008
Location: TLH,Florida
Status: Offline
Points: 724
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote needafasterAMX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/12/2018 at 3:26pm
Originally posted by Greyhounds_AMX Greyhounds_AMX wrote:

I found that when I shimmed the distributor gear to reduce the clearance to what appeared to be a reasonable amount, the engine would then eat the gear.




exactly , It can be shimmed to get what play is in the dizzy, But it is a process, not hard, but not as easy as shimming the dizzy by itself.


Edited by needafasterAMX - Jan/12/2018 at 3:30pm
74 AMX, 401
Viper spec T56 6 speed trans
Hydroboost brakes with rear disks from a Avenger
3:73 TG rear,now Trutrac with 3:15
A Turbo is in my future.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123>
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.03
Copyright ©2001-2019 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.328 seconds.
All content of this site Copyright © 2018 TheAMCForum unless otherwise noted, all rights reserved.
PROBLEMS LOGGING IN or REGISTERING:
If you have problems logging in or registering, then please contact a Moderator or