I am assembling a MSD/Holley Dual Sync distributor into a Borla/Rousch EightStack manifold atop an FE. The distributor uses a tapered gasket to seal the joint between it and the manifold. I am finding it to be EXTREMELY tight, to the point you have to use a deadblow to get it to go down. Take the gasket out and everything slips together fine. Doing some research:
1) a number of threads on the hole being too large, nothing on it too small.
2) checking the Ford drawings, the hole is supposed to be 1.97 (don't know the tolerance range). The hole in the manifold mic's at 1.965
3) Checking gaskets (Felpro), I find two different sizes, one slightly smaller OD than the other. Even the smaller one is much tighter than you would expect.
4) looking at alignment of the shaft and the hole, it seems to be pretty well centered. Using gauge pins, it's maybe .002-.004 off center. We used the distributor to position the manifold when we torqued it down.
Anyone else run into this. I know the tighter it is, the less it will leak, but this makes it extremely difficult to adjust the timing. With everything in place, it takes two hands to rotate the distributor.
Ideas or comments? Should I try to reduce the taper on the gasket?
Paul
