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MG TD TF 1500 - distributor

I was setting my points and noticed the shaft bearing are worn on my distributor. I am intimidated by the discription of replacing them myself. Are special tools needed or can an alignment shaft and tube be jury rigged to get the old ones out and new ones fitted. May be I should consider a new mallory duel point distributor or a pertronix ignition. Any thoughts?
Russ Oakley

Russ - It is a fairly simple procedure to press out the old bushings and new ones in, if you have an arbor press or a drill perss and can get new bushings. It is important that you not support the distributor by the bowl when doins this as the bowl itself is pressed into place and will be disloged by the procedure. The problem arrises when you have to ream the newly installed bushings to fit the shaft. An adjustable reamer is required fo this. If you are unsure about doing it youself, take the distributor and the bushings to a local auto electric shop and they can do it for you. Just be sure that they know not to support the distributor by the bowl while pressing the bushings. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Any idea where an adjustable reamer can be purchased?
Russ Oakley

Russ - Adjustable reamers are available from MSC http://www.mscdirect.com/ and McMaster-Carr http://www.mcmaster.com/
Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Hi Russ,
While your distributor is apart,check to see if there is any movement between the alloy body(bowl)and the
steel housing which holds the scinted bronze bushing(s).Put the steel housing in a vice,with minimal clamp
pressure,and rock the body to see if there is any movement.All is not lost if you find movement.Two(2)set screws,set at right angles to each other, can be
used to pin the body hard back onto the shaft.Of course,one has to be careful to align the body position with the shaft when doing this process.I successfully have used this method on a TF Dizzy and it has worked perfectly for 15 years without any movement arising.Strong loctite was used on the thread of the setscews to assist bonding.
Cheers
Rob. Grantham
Rob. Grantham

Russ -- I found that reaming with an adjustable reamer is an art, so I took the rebushed dist. to a shop that could still do king pin fitting. Came back with the most beautiful fit you can imagine. They use a machine that is made for the job and can be adjusted very precisely.
Good Luck,
Bob
R. K. (Bob) Jeffers

Other options include Blair Engle and Jim Taylor, who both rebuild distributors and carbs. You can search the archives for their contact information. I've dealt with both men in the past and have been very satisfied.

dave
Dave Braun

Hi all - I agree with the above but don't forget to soak bush in thin oil around 24hrs. before fitting and a similiar time after reaming. If you let it then drain a while so the pores are moist but not dripping (you know what I mean !) If hot oil is used 6hrs should be OK.

Cheers John.
J.C Mitchell

Dave,

Blair Engle no longer repairs distributors...he sold all of his equipment to Mike Lewis, an old friend of his. Mike lives in New Orleans and is very familiar with the XPAG distributors. His email address is MG50Ytype@aol.com if you need a distributor rebuilt.

Best,
Gene

Gene Gillam

Jim Taylor's address and phone number are: 1222 Harned Dr., Bartlesville, OK 74006 918-333-3444

On the subject of a 24 hour (or 6 hour hot) soak in oil, that can be short cut to a few seconds by doing the following: Place one open end of the bushing on your thumb, fill the bushing with light engine oil (I use 20w) until the oil brims over the top opening, place you other thumb over the top opening (it helps to be double jointed here) and pressyour thumbs together. in a few seconds you will see the oil oozing through the pores of the bearing. Viola, a 24 hours soak in about 10 seconds. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

David is right about the 'thumb method' and I've used it myself on, for example, generator bushes when I've been in a hurry on a 'same day job'. I still prefer one of the longer soak methods however esp. on long bushes where the thumb pressure has to be considerable to achieve even penetration. Steady guys we are talking sintered bushes here !!

Anyway Russ, you've a choice of methods now - the main thing is to do one of them !

Cheers John.
J.C Mitchell

This thread was discussed between 05/07/2006 and 11/07/2006

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.