Hello

->Does anyone know what might be causing a distributor's internal linkage/spring to jam up and break?

I have a '64 F100 w/292V8. I started overheating a while back, and a couple of weeks later I lost all power. --I replaced the distributor with a reman. unit.
This time, two months later, I noticed the timing hovering over 6-10 degrees and it actually jumped down to zero in a day or two. Losing power at sharp revs too. --I did look at the oil pump
shaft, and it looked straight and clean. Now, the distributor linkage is clicking and about to break again.

-->As long as the #1 is TDC, and the rotor lines up and points are opening, does it matter where
the distributor housing is with respect to the engine housing?

Thanks, I sure hope no one else has had to learn this the hard way like me at 75$ a pop! (And in the Kansas wheatfields is not the best place to get stranded.)

Blue'64


keywords: distributor distributer timing oil pump shaft overheat losing power

 

I put a FoMoCo dist. back in this time. The timing reading is better, but still not rock solid. It still flutters between 6 and 10. I'm putting in a new oil pump now...

The authentic distributor diaphragm advance points to 4 o'clock (thanks BBB). This puts the #1 wire on the distributor cap exactly towards the front of the truck. But of course, that's mainly for asthetic purposes.

 

Dwell meter was off by 50% -- everything o.k. now.

 

It sounds to me that your oil pump may be sticking or even locking up. Take a large screw driver, stick it down in where the distributor should be and you should be able to turn the oil pump freely.
-Chris