Found a loose spring in my distributor

[Rich Lambert]

Last week my '66 started missing at about 5K rpm, so I thought it might be time to replace the used points I put in in CA in early May to cure a miss at 4600rpm. As I pulled the points out I noticed a little black spring laying there. I pulled the distributor and removed plate that the points mount on and, after much work with a dental pick, bent coat hanger, and 2 pair of needle nose, got it hooked back up. I only shot it across the garage once.

How does this thing come loose? Is the spring damaged? Should I replace it even though it doesn't appear damaged? Can I expect this to happen again?

[docrodg]

That is a new one... but used points... could be the spring is stretched out, I would put in new points, or better - pertronix ignition.

[304065]

Rich,

I assume it's the advance spring-- there are two. They attach with one end on a post and the other end under a clip. You can see how they are different springs-- one controls the movement of the weights up until the "knee" in the curve, the other from the knee out to the total advance.

It is NOT good that it came loose, these springs are the only thing that prevents the car from going to full advance-- if the high-rpm one comes off then you can get full advance under load at low RPM, NOT a good thing. If the low-rpm one comes off then you get the advance at the "knee" right off idle, which will make it impossible to hold idle and also NOT good.

What distributor do you have? I have a spare '006 that I would part with for a reasonable sum to a fellow '66 owner (albeit one that's been. . . ahem. . . tastefully . . . modified reasonably)-- send me a PM if you have interest.

[Rich Lambert]

Originally Posted by docrodg

That is a new one... but used points... could be the spring is stretched out, I would put in new points, or better - pertronix ignition.

I put in the used points because they were what I had on a Sunday afternoon a long long way from home. They cured the high rpm miss!

[Walter_Middie]

Rich,

The advance springs originally sat on a small plastic pieces that fit over the spring posts inside your distributor. Over time the plastic gets brittle, breaks, and disappears. Now the springs will float loosely on the posts and come off easily. I made some new "sleeves" for my spring posts using a small piece of plastic tubing. Also, if your posts are bent inward, the spring will come off easily. Either way, your advance curve could be slightly altered from stock.

[docrodg]

sometimes you gotta do that just to get home. Frankly, I hate setting dwell on cars, so the pertronix ignition is a godsend and worth the money to get rid of the points. But I am assuming the spring was on the points. If it was the advance then JC is right, NOT good. Either way, wherever the spring came off it is probably a bad sign and means the little eye/hook thing on it is stretched out or deformed or the pin it sits on is busted/deformed and will continue to do this until the assembly is replaced.

[Rich Lambert]

Originally Posted by john_cramer

Rich,

I assume it's the advance spring-- there are two. They attach with one end on a post and the other end under a clip. You can see how they are different springs-- one controls the movement of the weights up until the "knee" in the curve, the other from the knee out to the total advance.

It is NOT good that it came loose, these springs are the only thing that prevents the car from going to full advance-- if the high-rpm one comes off then you can get full advance under load at low RPM, NOT a good thing. If the low-rpm one comes off then you get the advance at the "knee" right off idle, which will make it impossible to hold idle and also NOT good.

What distributor do you have? I have a spare '006 that I would part with for a reasonable sum to a fellow '66 owner (albeit one that's been. . . ahem. . . tastefully . . . modified reasonably)-- send me a PM if you have interest.

John. it's an 008. Remember I'm running a '70 T motor. I don't know if the springs are different, but the one that came off was about 3/4" long. Half the length was coiled spring and the other half was 'U' shaped. Other than the high rpm miss, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. It seems to be running fine now. Just in case, do you know if the springs are available anywhere?

Thanks for the offer on the 006. You seem to be toning down your distaste for my slightly modified car...a little

[304065]

Rich, the u-shaped part gives it away, that's definitely an advance spring. They are no longer available on the loose and are different in the various distributors. You might try Barry Hershon to see if he can source one, but the fundamental issue remains of how did the advance spring get loose in the first place. I would check that out to be confident.

[john baldwin]

Walter,
Do you have any pictures you could post of these sleeves you fabricated? The little rust-colored plastic "T's" on the posts inside my distributor recently cracked off, and while there is still just enough undercut to hold them on while stationary, I'm concerned about what happens when the engine is running flat out.
Also, did these sleeves create an imbalance? I was thinking of putting a dollop of silicone sealant on the top of the posts once the spring was attached.....

Originally Posted by Walter_Middie

Rich,

The advance springs originally sat on a small plastic pieces that fit over the spring posts inside your distributor. Over time the plastic gets brittle, breaks, and disappears. Now the springs will float loosely on the posts and come off easily. I made some new "sleeves" for my spring posts using a small piece of plastic tubing. Also, if your posts are bent inward, the spring will come off easily. Either way, your advance curve could be slightly altered from stock.

[Rich Lambert]

Originally Posted by Walter_Middie

Rich,

The advance springs originally sat on a small plastic pieces that fit over the spring posts inside your distributor. Over time the plastic gets brittle, breaks, and disappears. Now the springs will float loosely on the posts and come off easily. I made some new "sleeves" for my spring posts using a small piece of plastic tubing. Also, if your posts are bent inward, the spring will come off easily. Either way, your advance curve could be slightly altered from stock.

Rex, the posts on my distributor have little indents that springs fit into and they seem to be in good shape.

[Walter_Middie]

Rex, the posts on my distributor have little indents that springs fit into and they seem to be in good shape.

Rich - Just goes to show, you have to be careful who you accept advice from.

John - I don't have any pictures, I just used a very small piece of tygon tubing whose outside diameter fit the spring eye, and the inside diameter just fit over the spring posts. I'm not sure I understand your question about the imbalance. If you're asking about the rotating mass, I'd say with the small amount of weight combined with the small rotating diameter, it shouldn't be an issue.

[john baldwin]

Originally Posted by Walter_Middie

John - I don't have any pictures, I just used a very small piece of tygon tubing whose outside diameter fit the spring eye, and the inside diameter just fit over the spring posts. I'm not sure I understand your question about the imbalance. If you're asking about the rotating mass, I'd say with the small amount of weight combined with the small rotating diameter, it shouldn't be an issue.

Walter,
Did you put small pieces of the hose over BOTH posts or just one....?

Also, where did you purchase the Tygon? I see lots of online stores...wondering if its available at an auto store to help with selection...

Picture of the "good" post...



...the broken post....

[Walter_Middie]

I just used a scrap piece I had laying around the shop, but I would try an autoparts store first - they usually have a variety of sizes to choose from.

[MBruns]

John, do you have a spread sheet on the VIN for the 66's, I used to own # 304133, restored it, and as I understand it went back to Germany.

Mike Bruns