'63 Tach Distributor restoration question

[Irby G.]

Hi,
I'm restoring my tach distributor using the 'how-to' from superchevy.com 's vette 'how-to' section here>>>

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/corp-1001-corvette-distributor-rebuild/

and it's seems to be pretty good instructions, just a bit vague on some issues. If you look at the attached picture, what is the material indicated by the yellow arrow? It feels like 50 year old hardened grease. Do I remove it and pack in new grease?
Also, what type of grease is used? I would assume it would be normal everyday automotive bearing grease.
They don't say what type of grease or what to grease. So I think I'll just be using it below the breaker plate/ felt pad and also by the tach gears. Then just use assembly lube on the rest.

Thanks in advance,
Irby

[Joe L.]

Re: '63 Tach Distributor restoration question

Hi,
I'm restoring my tach distributor using the 'how-to' from superchevy.com 's vette 'how-to' section here>>>

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/corp-1001-corvette-distributor-rebuild/

and it's seems to be pretty good instructions, just a bit vague on some issues. If you look at the attached picture, what is the material indicated by the yellow arrow? It feels like 50 year old hardened grease. Do I remove it and pack in new grease?
Also, what type of grease is used? I would assume it would be normal everyday automotive bearing grease.
They don't say what type of grease or what to grease. So I think I'll just be using it below the breaker plate/ felt pad and also by the tach gears. Then just use assembly lube on the rest.

Thanks in advance,
Irby

Irby-------


The original lube was something like sawdust saturated with an oil. In SERVICE GM did once offer some specialty lubes for this but they are all long-since discontinued. I recommend that you fill the cavity with a general chassis lube like GM #12377985 or Mobil 1 grease.

[Stuart F.]

Re: '63 Tach Distributor restoration question

I believe there are some threads in the archive about this including recommendations from Duke Williams. I used just a good quality "Full Synthetic" bearing grease, believe it was from Valvoline and was black. You are right in the areas you mentioned to apply it. I packed a lot in the tach drive cross shaft area as I installed a set screw (drilled and tapped) to set the limit of thrust travel on the cross shaft. Mine had already started to wear into the housing pretty good and I did not have the tools to do a counter bore for installation of a thrust button as used on later model distributors (bronze or nylon). The set screw worked well by using loctite and turning it in until it caused some drag on shaft movement, then backing off slightly until it moved freely. I also covered the outside of the screw and tapped hole with black silicone to help hold it in place and sort of hide it's existance. You want to pack the cavity pretty good as that is practically all the lubrication that area gets. Also, I reused my existing gears even though I had bought new ones. I figured my good old matched set of gears looked better than the quality of the new ones. The tool set I bought to drill and tap the housing did work very well though.

Stu Fox

p.s. Now Joe can tell you the right way to do this and what all I did wrong.

[Joe R.]

Re: '63 Tach Distributor restoration question

Irby,

Nice reading the article by Super Chevy especially the 63 restoration article and the replacing the distributor article as it could be used by some members on this board.
I have never seen a felt pad used below the breaker plate that you show in your pic. That may cause problems as there is not much room under the plate and is not necessary for the distributor to function.
The depression around the shaft is filled with a felt ring and lubricated to offer some lubrication to the upper bearing. Usually turned to a brick by now but the intention was for lubrication.

JR

[Duke W.]

Re: '63 Tach Distributor restoration question

Search for a thread stated by me in Dec. '12 - L-79 distributor blueprint overhaul.

If you don't have any GM 1960954 Distributor and Starter Motor grease use Mobil 1 or equivalent in the upper bushing grease well. Use the old plastic seal as the "replacement" is nothing but a flat plastic washer. The felt washer that is installed above the plastic seal should be saturated with engine oil, then allowed to drain a bit so it is just "wet".

Pay attention to possible problem areas like the breaker plate ground wire. On assembly shim up the end play to two to seven thou, and you should also get a spring kit to bring the lazy OE centrifugal advance in earlier.

The engine configuration determines the proper VAC and point set, so, assuming it's basically on OE config., what is it?

Duke

[Irby G.]

Re: '63 Tach Distributor restoration question

I also found this...:

http://www.tispecialty.com/articles/article6.htm

Thanks guys. With y'all and these two links, I've got a plan now.
Aloha...