The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop grease cup on 235 distributor

While waiting on the machine shop, I am cleaning/repairing odds and ends. I was working on the distributor the other day, and got to wondering about the grease cup on the side. Looking at it, I don't see how the spring is supposed to help with greasing the shaft. The whole thing looks pretty strange. I would guess that the idea is to fill the cap with grease, then tighten it every so often to force grease into the distributor shaft. Has anyone else worked on these? I'm thinking about just leaving the spring out.
Tim

Wrong move! The spring bears against a plastic (actually Bakelite) insert that puts pressure on the distributor shaft to dampen out any wobble created by worn distributor housing bushings. There is enough clearance around the insert to allow grease to get past it and keep the shaft lubed. If you leave the spring and shaft stabilizer out there will be variations in point dwell and erratic ignition timing.
Jerry

Thanks for the information. At least I now know the reason it's there. Now I just have to find the little plastic insert, which doesn't seem to have been inside mine.
Tim

If the spring rubs the shaft, it will wear a groove in it. Clean the crud out of the hole with carburetor cleaner and shine a light in there. If you can see the shaft turning, the plastic piece is missing. Sometimes it's very hard to see unless you do a complete teardown, including removing the drive gear and taking the shaft out of the housing.
Jerry

I'll have to dig to get it but someone here listed the number for a plastic piece that works very well. I think it was available at Lowes.

Nylon flat washer, Hillman #884566

Thanks everyone. I'll go out and pick up that nylon washer tomorrow. One more detail dealt with, 159,622 left to go!
Tim

Given the discussion in this thread, I took the grease cup cap off my 1955 Chevy 235 distributor and found the spring inside the grease cup. Next, I removed the remainder of the grease cup from the base of the distributor in search of a fiber plug or flat washer. I thoroughly cleaned everything and didn't find either one in the threaded bore at the base of the distributor.

It looks like I need the flat washer too; however, what holds the cap on the grease cup, just friction? The manual confirms the order of installation, assuming I have the original distributor.

Thanks,

Originally the fitting that screws into the distributor has a piece of leather crimped around it to prevent the grease to leak out, and I suppose to help keep it from backing off.

Thanks Dave!

The leather on mine is obviously worn resulting in a loose fitting cap. Can the leather be replaced or is it easier to find a different grease cup assembly?

It looks like an o-ring could ride on the leather providing a positive seal.

The grease cup requires re-greasing every 5,000 miles

with Delco Remy # 2 & 1/2 grease.

photo@photobucket

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/.../805579_Dist_CUP_GM_NOS__zpsnazwrui3.jpg


Llewellyn Obsolete
North Ridge, CA.
phone: 818-363-5094

Llewellyn has ( 1 ) GM # 805579 in stock.


George
'54 3600

Tap the grease cup gently with a hammer to make it slightly out of round, and the thread will hold itself in place from friction.
Jerry

GM # 2.364 - GM # 805579 Grease Cup

Superseded to: GM # 1955293 in June ( 1966 )

GM # 1955293 utilizes the same 1/8 " pipe thread as GM # 805579

photo@photobucket

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/...OS_Old_GM_number_805579__zps8w17oj1l.jpg


George
'54 3600

On mine the cover screws onto the body with a very fine thread. Being (I think) aluminum it would be awfully easy to destroy those threads. I am going to use teflon tape on the threads to seal it, no sign of the leather.
Tim

Distributor Grease Cup - GM # 2.364 - GM # 805579

with Spring & Plug

photo@photobucket

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/..._Grease_Cup_Spring_Plug__zpszhlvfert.jpg


When is the last time you greased the distributor

Shaft ?


George
'54 3600

The last time the distributor shaft was greased is anyone's guess. I purchased the engine non-running, and am in the process of rebuilding. While I'm waiting for the machine shop to finish I am going through all of the parts and pieces cleaning, oiling, greasing, and painting. I went out yesterday and bought a nylon disc and installed it today. Went in easy, fit fine, so I guess that is fixed up now.
Tim

Maybe this has been asked or discussed before but I haven't found an answer to it yet. I was doing some work on my distributor today and I am wondering if there is any reason I cannot replace my grease cap with a grease zerk? My cap is not in the best shape and I cant think of a reason a grease zerk wouldn't work instead of tracking down the specific cap for it. I am assuming you give the cap a turn every so many miles to push a little grease into the shaft and then refill it every 5000 miles. I could just break out the grease gun every so many miles and give it half a shot. Or is there something I am not considering here?

Thanks

As long as the spring and disc are tensioned by the grease fitting that should work. The grease cap was a simple, easy way to keep the distributor shaft lubed without having to hunt up a grease gun and hope it had the right kind of grease in it. A capful was at least a year's supply, and when points were usually changed every six months of daily driving, a competent mechanic never let the cup get empty.
Jerry

What kind of grease does it take anyway? Would the same stuff I use in the king pins and spring shackles not work?

Yes

I have a 1# can of VITA POWER CUP GREASE, Part # 2T3501
The label reads: Calcium base lubrication grease.
Designed for cups...distributors, farm equipment, electric motor shafts, etc.
Unfortunately you will need a Way Back Machine (and Mr Whoopee to operate it) to go back in time to buy it from Western Auto.
This grease is quite different than axle grease. It looks like butterscotch.