Motorcraft Distributor Alignment Tab

[Turbogus]

Howdy all, I fell off the forum forum for a while, life intervenes.

In preperation for the "Team Rush" upgrade I recently purchase the MSD Adapt-a-Cap 8414. The Motorcraft distributor on my 360 has a set screw hole for the Alignment Tab. I've noticed this on one of JeepHammers' excellent threads. I'm fabbing up a cable clamp to serve as the tab but can anyone tell me what the thread and pitch of that set screw is?
it's pretty tiny but seems to have a coarse thread.
I picked up some #6 #8 and #10 machine screws at the local hardware but I'm doubtful that these'll do the trick.

Thanks and a lift of the lynch lid

 

[Torxhead]

Gus, that bolt you have pictured looks like a 10-24. It should be around 3/16" in diameter, with a 24 thread per inch pitch.

 

[007]

It's a great question - but I admittedly grabbed whatever I thought was close and twisted it in there. Either the threads on the distributor or the threads on the screw gave just enough. It just needs to hold the tab and not work itself loose.

 

[gert]

Howdy all, I fell off the forum forum for a while, life intervenes.

In preperation for the "Team Rush" upgrade I recently purchase the MSD Adapt-a-Cap 8414. The Motorcraft distributor on my 360 has a set screw hole for the Alignment Tab. I've noticed this on one of JeepHammers' excellent threads. I'm fabbing up a cable clamp to serve as the tab but can anyone tell me what the thread and pitch of that set screw is?
it's pretty tiny but seems to have a coarse thread.
I picked up some #6 #8 and #10 machine screws at the local hardware but I'm doubtful that these'll do the trick.

Thanks and a lift of the lynch lid

Welcome back Turbogus glad you are still around

 

[mtnwhlr]

I got a reman from Summit and it didn't come with the alignment tab which I thought was strange.

 

[Turbogus]

Thanks so much for the responses guys, and thanks for the welcome back gert, good to hear from you.

Between losing 'Easy Bake' and getting 'BBB' (Big Blue Bastard, a '96 GMC Suburban) with it's own issues, being forced to part with 'Go Fast' and work around the house I've been terra incognita.

I've been told that all AMC/Motorcraft distributors all come with that threaded hole. I wouldn't be surprised if new distributors are lacking on account of experiences I've had with Chinese foundry work before.

I'll check out a 10-24 when I get off work today before I start in.

I pulled an assortment of screws in addition to the ones I recently purchased. From the oblique angle of where the tab hole is it's difficult to detirmine it's actual size ~ short of pulling the distributor. Since my work is still intruding 7 days a week, I'd like to have all my ducks in a row as they say, so I don't have to chase an unusual screw while the distributor is languishing loose in the engine compartment.

 

[Turbogus]

Yesterday during my short break I got out the Adapter and noticed that it fits very snugly, good news that as I've heard from some that theirs wobbles.

Out of a bag of screws I found the one that, with the help of some CRC Lectra-Motive and cutting fluid it threaded right in. (10/24) I went to drill a hole for the set screw into the pop can Alignment Tab but I jumped up sizes too quickly and destroyed it. I still have the one I'm grinding down from a cable clamp and taking my Micrometer I measured the Alignment Notch and the notch in the Adapter so I can get that tab as close as possible.

Edit: It's a good thing I went into this at the time, it turns out the Coolant Bypass hose clamp was slipping off

 

[007]

FWIW it seems NAPA has good authentic remans of these.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Turbogus]

Thanks but this distributer while a little greasy, is working fine.

With my calipers I measured the following;
Distriutor Notch width .364"
Adapter Notch width .364" X .210" height

...and with the Adaprter mounted the gap measured about .0125"

 

[Turbogus]

I've read from others that some of the remanufactured distributors have no alignment groover or set screw hole, they mest be relying on the clamps to hold the adapter steady.

 

[Turbogus]

It may not be pretty but with my fumbling 55 year old fingers, this is what I came up with;

 

[Turbogus]

I test fit the dingus and those measurements translated well.
It fit so well, I installed the Adapter and it seems I'm on my way.

 

[Turbogus]

I found it kind of odd that while all of the wire terminals in that MSD Cap are brass the coil connector appears to be bi-metal aluminum.
Perhaps a change of design by MSD?

 

[Torxhead]

Gus, it probably has to do with what country the coil is now made in. I was at a local store the other day and saw those MSD coils going for around $50.00.

 

[Turbogus]

Sorry Torx, I meant the central coil teminal on the Distributor Cap itself.

 

[Turbogus]

Well it looks as though this long upgrade will be even longer. I hurt my back at work again on Friday so I'm moving very slow. The wires are due this friday, I hope I'm better by then.

 

[Turbogus]

I've been doing some stretching exercises I got from my Doc and they seem to have worked. I'm back on my feet and feeling a lot better.
I got the MSD wires yesterday and I brought the Accel No.1 wire with me to work. I'm used to the Accel crimper and this one from MSD is a little different. Going to figure it out today and then get on to the rest of the wiring.

 

[Turbogus]

So opening the kit I found two styles of crimp terminals,


These terminals are described as the bronze colored Standard, and the silver colored Dual Crimp
I'm using the MSD Cap-a-Dapt and I believe the 90* Dual Crimp is what I shound be using, or could I be wrong?

 

[Torxhead]

I always use the shorter 90 degree fitting, it seems to make a more secure connection and reusible. For me, installing the fitting on the wire first, crimping it, applying dielectric, then slipping on the boot from the cable end into the cap terminal end works best. Auto Zone can order you individual replacement parts also.

 

[Turbogus]

Thanks Torx, I was able to get through (finally) to MSD support and they told me assuredly that with the Cap-a-dapt the 90* double crimp is the way to go. I've got No. 1 done while I was at work, I may get some more done when I get home unless I'm too beat from work.