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| | | | Joined: Aug 2019 Posts: 35 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Aug 2019 Posts: 35 | Hi Folks, Just got my truck back from local restoration shop where I had them perform a tune-up. They purchased the ignition parts from "Standard".
What I noticed when poking around under the hood, that if I grab the distributor cap, I can move it from side to side about 1-2 mm, while its locked down.
Seems like that's a bad thing.
Should there be any play in movement of the cap?
1954 Chevy 3100
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,440 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,440 | Yes, it’s normal, if your referring to being able to turn it slightly.ðŸ›
Martin
'62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress)
'47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project)
‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily)
‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence)
“I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one!
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| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,777 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,777 | A little rotation isn't a bad thing. rocking side to side isn't good, as it can result in the rotor hitting the cap terminals inside. Tighten the spring clips a little by bending them with a pair of needle nose pliers. Make sure the cap is fitting all the way down onto the distributor housing- - - -sometimes the counterbore at the base of the cap needs to be scraped a little so it can slip over the housing correctly.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
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| | | | | Joined: Aug 2019 Posts: 35 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Aug 2019 Posts: 35 | Thanks for your feedback. It's the Rocking side to side motion that has me worried. Clips hold it well enough, just concerned if the engine starts nocking, it could be moving the Distributor cap amplifying the effect of the knock.
I've asked my Garage to make sure it's the right cap.
1954 Chevy 3100
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,777 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,777 | If an engine is knocking hard enough to make the distributor cap move, don't lean over the fender without a ballistic vest on- - - - -it's about to start throwing pieces in all directions. That being said, any rocking motion between the cap and the housing is too much. Either find a better[fitting cap, ort make that one fit correctly.
What's a stovebolter doing going to a "restoration shop" for a tune-up in the first place?????????
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | What's a Stovebolter doing talking mm ?????????????? Seriously Kevin.....your truck is in the 47-54 era. The caps from 47 to 52(53) ARE DIFFERENT than the 54 cap. The clip slot is a different shape and at a different level as far as I can tell. The Standard Part number is different. Other vendor part numbers differ at the 1954 level. So, very easy for them to get the wrong cap. ASK THEM FOR THE PART NUMBER ASAP AND WE WILL ADVISE. Part number may be on your receipt.
The rotor is very different also.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2019 Posts: 35 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Aug 2019 Posts: 35 | That was the first thing i checked. On the invoice, it just stated "Standard Distibutor Cap", I'll dig deeper.
In regards to the "Stovebolter going to a restoration shop", it was there for a problem with the transmission, and thought it would be a good idea to get a tune up done, so I would have a good base to maintain the truck going forward. I had just purchased the truck in June of 2019.
It is my pledge to do 99% of all maintenance on the truck going forward. :-)
1954 Chevy 3100
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