Small project, oil pump drive for DIS

[Joey120373]

Not a huge project but thought i would share.
I was inspired by Jays work on his intake adapter dyno mule.
Just started on this so not much to show at this point but figured I would update the thread as i go.

Started with an old points distributor i had laying around, pulled it apart as much as i could without driving the roll pins out of the gear and thrust bearing.
Then i picked a spot and used the shop band saw to cut it in two.
I ordered a few bearings on line, however none of them have quite the correct ID. The shaft is .468, not a common size.
I may turn the shaft down to the next common bearing ID.

One other issue i will have, using a stock distributor, there was just one rather long bushing at the top of the distributor, once i machine it for the bearing, there will be no support of the shaft on the gear end. My plan is to drive the existing bushing out of the top part of the dist and drive it into the bottom section to support the gear end.

[scott foxwell]

There are two bushings...there is a small (short) one at the gear end of the dist. Sounds like you're moving in the right direction.

[Joey120373]

" There are two bushings...there is a small (short) one at the gear end of the dist. Sounds like you're moving in the right direction. "

Strange, my distributor does not have any bushing in the gear end, however it does look like it was machined for one. Wont know till I drive the
bushing out of the big end.
I'll take some more pics when i get back to the shop this afternoon.

[thatdarncat]

" There are two bushings...there is a small (short) one at the gear end of the dist. Sounds like you're moving in the right direction. "

Strange, my distributor does not have any bushing in the gear end, however it does look like it was machined for one. Wont know till I drive the
bushing out of the big end.
I'll take some more pics when i get back to the shop this afternoon.

Actually, the '65 & later Ford distributors came both ways, probably most with just one long bushing, some with the shorter bushing also. The short bushing was discontinued as a Ford service part many years ago. I looked this up in the Ford parts books a long time ago for a friend, I think he ended up having a short bushing made, I don't know if there is an aftermarket distributor parts supplier that has them.

[Heo]

The gear is supported in the block so Ford probably
decided to save a few cents

[gt350hr]

  +1 pennies

[Joey120373]

The gear is supported in the block so Ford probably
decided to save a few cents

That was my thought, not sure what the clearance is between the dist. and the block, but I doubt the end of the dist shaft can move around much.

I am re thinking my approach on this, I may just bore the lower housing out so that I can install the factory bushing farther down in the housing. It’s slightly shorter now, maybe .250-.300, but it’s still in pretty good shape after all these years. Haven’t been able to find a roller bearing that fits perfect. One I ordered is close, maybe .001 to big on the ID, but it’s a pretty small bearing overall. Could probably just locktight the inner race to the shaft and be ok, but using the origional bushing would offer way more bearing area and support.

[Joey120373]

Large bearing opposite the gear is a 1/2in ID bearing, way to big.

The small bearing on the shaft is the one i could find that has almost the right ID of .467.

the bushing, however, fits perfectly for some reason........