Distributor problems

[R.E.Co.]

So this is a strange situation I think. I have an old distributor which was in the halftrack when I got it. It ran with the distributor as pictured on the left. I bought a NOS white style distributor and the two are different. The NOS one wont fit into the teeth inside the block. It's like the dog eares are too wide on the end of the distributor.  Also the lengths are different. I also found the distributor mounting if you will, has  a vacuum advance on it. Is that stock or added when this distributor was put in? Any feedback or help in this situation would he very much appreciated. Thanks.

Jon

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[steve1973]

Looking at the distributors at first glance I say the top distributor is correct and the bottom is not correct. Since the top shows the distributor tag I ran the number in the ORD-9 parts book and for 110159 and it is correct for a shielded ignition distributor.

Over the years the halftrack used three different distributors. The first being a two part distributor, tag number 1901959, and is for radio shielding. The second type is the one you have, top distributor tag number 110159, for radio shielding. I also found another tag number listed for the second type in the TM 9-1711 manual 110112 for the second type. When they switched to radio suppression, easier to maintain, they used a distributor with no lower flange for the shielding can and that distributor tag number is 110174.

[steve1973]

I had to dig in to my boxed set of manuals for this info. Here are some scans of the early, two piece distributor.

[R.E.Co.]

Thanks Steve

[steve1973]

I also found the distributor mounting if you will, has  a vacuum advance on it. Is that stock or added when this distributor was put in? Any feedback or help in this situation would he very much appreciated. Thanks.

Jon

Hi Jon, Vacuum advance was not an option for the White engine. I wish it had one. Usually I see vacuum advance on Chevrolet or GMC 6 cylinder engines. The best way to determine what distributor you have ins the number on the tag. The one, clean, distributor you have should work. If you originally had the two piece one then remove the lower section from the block and the newer one should work just fine.

Steve A.

[R.E.Co.]

Thanks Steve, that's what I ended up doing. Just a heads up though,I had to change the end gear on the NOS as it did not fit into the block. I put the gear from the other distributor and now its fits great!