m-37 ign timing keeps moving

[Channing]

My timing setting keeps changing. It's at idle. I set it go to clamp it and its already changed. when I do camp it down I can sit there with the timing light and watch it move around upwards of 10 deg.
Real strange if I rest my hand on top of the secured distributor it moves, I rock the dist a little the timing chages some more.

If the base is clamped down and the timing is floating up and down it must be the springs right? There is no vacume advance. Points cap and rotor are brand new and the key is in the rotor.

 

[Bill W]

Your dist has a wobble?
I once tried to use a o-ring gasket for the base of my dist that I got from VPW and it made it wobble so I went a found the correct cork flat gasket and that fixed it
OR.. Do you have the correct military dist & oil pump or are they civie units?, the military dist/oil pump have off set slots at the base ( see picture ) that fit into each other where the civie units have centered slots, if you mix them up you'll have a miss aligned dist that will wobble bady

 

[73m819]

this is just ONE of the reasons i love this site so, SOMEBODY ALWAYS has the answer to what ever question put forth

 

[M543A2]

I might mention also that there are two clamp bolts, one on the distributor base and one to the block as you can see in the picture provided by another member. Make sure both are tight.
Regards Marti

 

[citizensoldier]

check the play on the distributor shaft and bushing.. Sounds like this could be worn out. There is a section in the manual on tolerances for this and how to repair it..

 

[rosco]

If the points setting keeps changing, as above, the bushing is worn out.

 

[citizensoldier]

Plymouth Dodge Distributor Rebuild Kit NOS 2275229 :eBay Motors (item 260264846259 end time Jan-10-10 13:15:29 PST)

 

[Carter]

" Nice NOS kit for most 8 cylinder applications from 1959-1968 "

I would be supprised if that kit would fit a 6 cyl military distributor from an M37.

 

[tmbrwolf]

I had that problem with mine turned out to be the bushings (shaft wobble), I took the dist apart, pulled the bushings and took the old bushings, shaft and housing to a machine shop and they made me a new set. warked like a champ afterward!

 

[Floridianson]

this is just ONE of the reasons i love this site so, SOMEBODY ALWAYS has the answer to what ever question put forth

How many pounds of dirt would be in a normal American house hold floor if it went 50 years with out cleaning?

 

[citizensoldier]

I did not notice the 8 cylinder but it came up under flatheads so if its for a flathead 8 its the same rebuild kit. bushings are the same .

 

[bubba_got_you]

How many pounds of dirt would be in a normal American house hold floor if it went 50 years with out cleaning?

298lbs and .579 oz
lol this post made me laugh

 

[citizensoldier]

Here is the right one M715 M38 M37 M38A1 Jeep Dodge Distributor repair kit:eBay Motors (item 390116127586 end time Jan-07-10 15:11:00 PST)

 

[Channing]

Timing moving

Thanks for all the great replies. I will try to respond to all of you, Yes it's original Mil offset drive. No it's not a patterned wobble. I opened it up tonight and I guess it's the loose shaft throwing the points off the throwing the timing all over the place.

Citizien Soldier I hate to look a gift horse in the mouth but that ad says should be the right one can anyone concur that that kit is the right one???

Can I do this rebuild ? Has any one done it ? Thanks everyone

 

[citizensoldier]

Its the right one.."the second one anyway" I was in a hurry when I posted the first time.. My bad.. I have purchased several from the second listin and rebuilt distributors using them. The bottom half is the same on both civi and military just a offset tab on the shaft. Its a pretty easy rebuild. If the shaft is warn or bent let me know I have several. If your distributor is warn out completely for some reason it might be cheaper to find a complete replacement. These are out there also..
Just trying to help..

 

[Channing]

Timing

OK thanks I ordered it tonight. I will keep you updated

 

[Channing]

distributor bushings

Yup that kits the right one. you just use the bushings as neer as I can tell the other pieces go to somthing else. Once the bushings are in they need to be cross drilled and reemed but it can be done with make due tools. It's in and running . Oh yea the mechanical advance was frozen solid.