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[BobH]

HiYa-I'm in the process of eliminating the distributor on my '73 TR6 (going to ford EDIS), and am fabricating a 'stub' to take the place of the distributor and pedestal--looking at my shop manual, I'm having a hard time determining if the pedestal base sets the end float on the oil pump drive gear (does the drive gear press upwards against the pedestal base?) , or if the distributor drive dog (acting on the fiber washer/acting on the distributor base--the gear presses upward against the drive dog) sets the end float.  That is, do I need to fabricate a drive dog and stub shaft, or can I get by just mounting the pedestal with a 'slug' in it?  thanks in advance for any insights or advice--

BobH
'73 TR6

[none]

Hi Bob, sounds like an interesting project.

The gear is against the pedestal. The measurement is done by a known thickness washer under it and checking under the pedestal flange and then subtracting the washer thickness and adjusting by the gasket thickness. Bentley says .005" but fails to give a + or -.
Be aware that especially with thicker gaskets there may be what the manual calls preload which needs to be accounted for. But I don't think it is so critical for you with no dizzy shaft. The possibility of binding would be more of a concern.

[BobH]

Thanks, Tom-

That's what it looked like to me--that you pull the distributor out of the pedestal base, and set the end float with just the pedestal base installed...I was having a hard time believing that the oil pump drive gear just bore against the cast metal of the distributor pedestal, though.  I suspect that there is plenty of oil there so maybe it isn't as crazy as it seems.

This means that all I have to do to eliminate the distributor is fit a plug an inch or two long..maybe with an o-ring half-way down it..into the pedestal base.

On the other hand, I've just about completed a 'dummy' drive dog and stub shaft with oil groove...

I'm still working out what my new timing curve will look like. This is, hopefully, the first step on the way to fuel injection.

BobH