A fairly simple question here please. I have a 1959 401 distributor and retrofitting a Crane breakerless unit. I have the distributor apart for cleaning / checking / re-lubing. Q What shaft end play should I aim for ?
I'll ask Techg8 to chime in here, but I'd say no more than .030. It's probably closer to .010, but that might be a little tight for an aluminum housing. Better to be a little too loose than too tight.
If it's a cast iron body .018" is great. Are you still going to run vacuum advance I hope ? Be sure to use synthetic wheel bearing grease to repack it.
The end play at the moment is .035" I checked my 322 manual and the tolerance for that is .007" Different distributor I know but the .035" seems excessive ? I read somewhere ? that it's best to have tight as possible with with contactless to avoid swings of dwell angles etc. And yes, I have a new vacuum advance unit to instal.
I got a reply from Russ Martin aka Centerville Nailhead Buick. He says .010" I went a bit more conservative at .015" Turned up a new phosphur bronze bush and new pin. So the old bush was 1.00" O.D. --- a touch over .50" I.D --- .093" thick New bush 1.00" O.D. ---- .50" I.D. ------ .113" thick Just in case you want to do the conversion one day
GM didn't make much effort to tighten the end-play of the distributor shaft because it really doesn't make much difference. The drag of the oil pump should make the helical gear engagement push the distributor shaft to the limit of it's travel the entire time the engine is running.
