Broke down on the side of the Road today

[Jay Bee]

Can you believe it?

It happened again.

Bummer, I can't imagine the frustration.

[jordan]

Keep us informed on what the problems is again.  I have a FBO distributor, and ignition problems until last week.  I have plans to pull my distributor this week when the limiting plate and springs show up to better optimize my total degrees of timing.  If this thing is a POS, i may as well save the hassle and just get a Firecore distributor and set that up instead.  I thought the FBO distributor was just a warmed over stock type MOPAR piece.  Why the failures? 

[Topcat]

Keep us informed on what the problems is again.  I have a FBO distributor, and ignition problems until last week.  I have plans to pull my distributor this week when the limiting plate and springs show up to better optimize my total degrees of timing.  If this thing is a POS, i may as well save the hassle and just get a Firecore distributor and set that up instead.  I thought the FBO distributor was just a warmed over stock type MOPAR piece.  Why the failures?

Roger 10-4.

Don wants me to send it back for evaluation.

He said I'm the only known case of this happening.

[73440]

I am using the Accel 59300 , made in the USA , which at the time was the reccomended distributor by Rev N Nator when that system was bought , they now recommend Firecore.

http://gatorperformance.com/catalog_lookup/accel/ACCELdistributors.pdf

Accel is now owned by Holley

[HP_Cuda]

That sucks Mike, let us know what Don says about it.

Maybe rev-n-ator or just come to the dark side with an MSD billet distrib - heck with the MSD you could swap out the springs (diff colors) for different type of advance curves which is kinda cool.

Keep us informed on what the problems is again.  I have a FBO distributor, and ignition problems until last week.  I have plans to pull my distributor this week when the limiting plate and springs show up to better optimize my total degrees of timing.  If this thing is a POS, i may as well save the hassle and just get a Firecore distributor and set that up instead.  I thought the FBO distributor was just a warmed over stock type MOPAR piece.  Why the failures?

Roger 10-4.

Don wants me to send it back for evaluation.

He said I'm the only known case of this happening.

[Solarguy]

What a weird problem to have.  Sounds like a junk distributor and obviously not a lack of lubrication.  How much tension could there possibly be on advance spring posts?  I don't know about the quality today and I'm using the small block version but my old made in USA MSD distributor is super easy to curve and bullet proof. 

[Topcat]

The Saga continues:

I was finally able to ship back the second distributor to Don this past Monday.

Today I spoke with him and asked him what he felt the problem is and what's causing it.

Don said that he believes there is some type of harmonic vibration that is running up the distributor.

This he believes is 3 possibilities:

1. Excessive crank shaft end play
2. Bent oil pump shaft
3. Or issue is at the oil pump where the shaft goes into.

The mechanical advance pins are hammering the inside grooves and breaking off after causing a groove prior.

This engine only has 3,000 miles and was built by one of  the best in the Bay area! 

[RUNCHARGER]

Hmm. What's the plan now, try a different brand distributor?

[Topcat]

Hmm. What's the plan now, try a different brand distributor?

I leave Monday for my trip and I won't be back to do anything until 9/16.

I'm open to any suggestions.       

[RUNCHARGER]

You're pretty much losing the whole season. I try not to give advise as everyone views things differently. What I would do if it was my car though would be to throw in one of my recycled original Mopar 440 electronic distributors in it and see if it ran for awhile with it.

[Topcat]

My first suspect to go after.

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/361392/distributor-drive-bushing-backyard-install.html

[HP_Cuda]

I have a standard spare distributor I took out of the Cuda I had sold. I have a new set of points I can throw in it as well but if you want to try an electronic setup need to find one.

Maybe Bob has one you could borrow?

[RUNCHARGER]

The bushing is easy to check, for that matter pulling the dist drive and checking it for straightness and looking at the hex is easy enough. A dial iindicator on the crank is easy to set up in the car as well. Then an old 440 electronic distributor would be my plan. Something else racers used to do was to limit your up and down movement of the oil pump drive with a piece of heater hose, theory was that the oil pump drive moved up and down on deceleration and acceleration.
My gut feeling is the distributor isn't built as robustly as a stock distributor though.

[Brads70]

If it were me I'd try another known/proven distributor next. I'm suspecting a quality issue. But I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination. 

[Topcat]

Called Milodon today and he said they make 3 oil pump shafts for the big blocks.

It's possible I have the wrong shaft going to a Melling H.P. oil pump.

Measure and call him next Monday.
Look at wear on it as well.