The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop distributor for '54 235

I'm restoring the distributor but am having difficulty placing it back in. I don't think I'm putting the end of the shaft down into the oil pump slot. I'm wondering if the end of the shaft is to big. When i turn over the engine by hand, the shaft and rotor spin. Did a PO put in the wrong one or am i not trying hard enough? The Delco Remy model # is 1112403

If you have the dist set down in the right position slowly rurn the engine with a light pressure on the dist. When the dist shaft lines up with the oil pump it will drop in rest of the way.

I did what you suggested and it seems to seat properly now. The point set is 2 1/8" long. Am i right in thinking this may have been from a gmc? Will that matter at all and will it affect setting the gap? Thanks

Master parts book shows that dist. was for '55-'57 Chev all 6 cyl 12 volts. Is that the dist. that was in there when you got the truck?

I do believe the '54 drive gear on the cam is steel but the '55-'57 dizzys used a cast iron gear and you can't mix and match them.

Hopefully someone with more detailed info will chime in soon but I wouldn't run the engine too long until you know for sure.

That's the dist that came with the truck. The last time it ran was at least 10 years before i got it. The '54 235 is originally from a car. Would i be able to put a '54 dist gear on my current dist?

The short answer is yes. I think you could use any gear from '47 thru '54 and it would work (216 or 235). If your '54 engine is from a powerglide car or a Corvette, you won't need to do anything, these used cast iron cams. Just look at the stamped numbers just to the left of the distributor, if they end with 54Y or 54YG you're good to go. Otherwise, the gear change should work. Hopefully someone who has done this will chime in soon.

If you want to upgrade to HEI , Tom Langdon makes one for the 54 235. Easy to install and worth the time/ money. I never believed my Grandpa when he said points were horrible until I was on the side of the road checking the gap and re-gapping it almost everyday until I changed to the HEI.

Properly set up points should last a minimum of 10,000 miles, unless you do something dumb like leave the ignition switch on with the engine stopped and the points closed. The reason for going to HEI in the mid-70's was to meet the federal requirement that emission-related components (including ignition systems) had to go 50,000 miles service-free.
Jerry