Distibutor base

[kaiserpug]

Just looking for some insight.  I just had the motor rebuilt (mouse ate my motor posting) in my green 53 Manhattan.
The hole in the base of the distributor base was broke off on the tab.  I have located four other used distributors and what I found was that every one of them was broke in the same place.  I tried bolting it down with a washer, but the distributor still rocks back and forth slightly.
Has anyone encountered this problem and know of a fix or know if a replacement part is available?
Thanks!
Mike

[Kenn Evans II]

Check with Seth Jones, he may have one.

[dpledger]

This condition is epidemic among Kaiser distributors, which is why it's hard to find replacements. The break occurs because of downward pressure on the hole from the bolt-this ultimately leads to it's breaking, but before that point it will lead to the base becoming slightly convex (facing downward.) This is why they will tend to rock before and after they break. To get a good fix, one needs to restore the base to a plane, by grinding a small amount off the bottom where it is pushed out. Once this is done to a broken unit, a washer under the bolt sometimes will hold things together. On an unbroken unit it will restore normal fit and give you a lot of miles before the same thing happens again.

[mbflemingkf]

Is there a number on the base?  I may have one.

[superk226]

There are two different distributor bases used on KF cars. They look the same but one is slightly longer than the other. If you have the correct base, the washer trick sould work. Loosen the the screw on the clamp the holds the distributor to the base and make sure the distrbutor turns freely in the base before attempting to tighen the base to the head.

[joefrazer]

To determine which base you have, look at the lowest most point on the base...the part where it contacts the head. One version is flat with a 90 degree angle to where it turns to vertical on the outer edge. The other version has a chamfered base and does not have a right angle...it's at more like a 45 degree angle. The difference isn't readily perceptible because the chamfer on the second version is very small.

Several years ago, I broke the base on the distributor on the 54 (dumb move on my part) so I called the local Jeep dealer who'd been in business for a long time. They actually had one on the shelf...

[HJ-ETEX]

Distributors: Actually This is more than just an either/or question.  KF 226 engines used Autolite electrics (early), then Delco, and then back to Autolite. There are differences in the height of the mounting collars as well as the casting material. Right now I am looking at potmetal (zinc) collar marked F60014 235 that is slightly taller than the one that will work on an Autolite distributor and I assume came from a Delco distributor. I also have a Delco distributor with a cast iron collar Dist# 10224 OH2, collar casting# F600M 322.
How do you know if the collar is wrong? I used the F60014 235 collar
on an Autolite distributor and the fingers on the distributor shaft did not engage the slots in the intermediate shaft that passes through the cylinder head. That is, the when installed with that collar, the distributor shaft did not rotate.
You probably won't be able to repair a potmetal collar.
If you need a replacement collar, make sure which type of distributor it is supposed to fit.

[HJ-ETEX]

And Speaking of vacuum advances...
Autolite was an automotive electrics supplier - distributors, alternators, generators, starters, and spark plugs. Autolite was commonly used on independent car brands. Ford bought them out in 1962.
It took about 7 years but Ford was found guilty of anti-trust laws in buying Autolite, so suddenly Ford had to sell off Autolite and started using the Motorcraft name.
During this period, the Autolite name was used for a while on components for independent makes but was quickly replaced with the name PrestoLite. MOPAR distributors were suddenly Prestolite and not Autolite for example. I am not aware of an Autolite alternator used on Studebaker or AMC - the name used was Prestolite.
So much for the history lesson. Autolite distributors tended to look alike. The big differences were in the portion that went into the engine block. So if you need a vaccuum advance for an Autolite distributor and you can't find an exact replacement, look for a unit that fits a similar Autolite distributor.
As an example, I needed a vaccuum advance for a Willys F134 4 cylinder.  I couldn't get one through normal replacement part channels, but I could get one for a 64 Rambler American 196. The Rambler part fit perfectly. Now, the American part didn't have the same performance specs (total advance, amount of vaccuum before advance started, etc.), but I was a replacing a unit that was totally blown, so even an improperly calibrated unit was superior to what I had.