Distributor Drive Shaft End Play

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JK73Super
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:16 pm

Distributor Drive Shaft End Play

Post by JK73Super »

What problems could I encounter if my distributor shaft end play is greater than 50 thou?

I'm assembling my 1600 DP engine and following Wilson's instruction. With the distributor hold down clamp loose and flat on the engine case and pushing the distributor onto the case, I measured my distributor drive shaft end play as 60 thou.
According to Wilson, it should be between 20 and 50 thou. Found the distributor hold-down clamp slightly distorted. Straighten and filed it. Now the gap is 55 thou.

I'm using a Pertronix Flame thrower Distributor. I also checked the gap with the original VW distributor and found the gap to be 49 thou after adjustment.

Seems to me that it wouldn't take much to distort the OEM type distributor hold down clamp after tightening, which would result in even more end play. Is this a problem?
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Piledriver
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Re: Distributor Drive Shaft End Play

Post by Piledriver »

If you have the required factory end play spring in the drives center hole ... no issues.

I'm pretty sure they still cost ~50 cents, and should be available used for ~free from most shops.
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JK73Super
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:16 pm

Re: Distributor Drive Shaft End Play

Post by JK73Super »

Yes I have the spring. The end play test is performed without the spring so that maximum end play can be easily measured.
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