Question about grease in Distributor housing

neblinc · Feb 13, 2009

When I put grease in this back half of the distributor it comes out the bottom hole that will in turn fill the cavity where the 2 shafts hook up. Am I supposed to pump grease until that cavity is full or just till it comes out the hole?

Randy

ScottyHOMeY · Feb 13, 2009

Always a good question.

My own thought is that forcing grease in with a gun until it comes out the other side is the rule of thumb. On a new assembly and even later, there can still be air in there between the inlet and the outlet. That shouldn't be a problem as long as there is a reasonable amount of grease put in to start with. With time and the heat that comes from working it, the grease will get to where it needs to be.

If the new assembly was clean and dry, I'd grease it again after the first hot run and a little more frequently a few times at first after that. From there, the regular recommended schedule should do the trick.

That distributor would ordinarily only take a stroke or two once it's going right.

neblinc · Feb 13, 2009

So are you saying the grease should fill that cavity in the 2nd photo?

Randy

ScottyHOMeY · Feb 13, 2009

Short answer to that question is no. As far as I know, the little bit of oil oozing off the gears is sufficient for the lugs in the cavity you show. Any grease in that area would just be flung off to the edges anyway.

For grease, you should have two zerks, both on the body of the distributor. It looks like you've had it all apart (Good!) and may have found a slot-head plug in place of where either zerk would go. One is for the reduction gears and the short shafts they ride on. It will take a little more than I described to fill up but very little afterwards. The other is up on the neck of the distributor, and lubricates the shaft. In regular maintenance, the former will take a little to fill up initially and no moe than a stroke or two afterwards. The latter will fill up with a stroke or two in either case.

neblinc · Feb 13, 2009

Ok, makes sense. I filled the front cavity until grease came out the small pin hole and will fill the back til it just comes out the bigger hole.

Thanks!

Randy

Nebraska Cowman · Feb 13, 2009

I wouldn't get too carried away Randy. The reason there is a plug instead of a zerk is so farmers won't overgrease it. Most have never been greased and thy run forever.

ScottyHOMeY · Feb 13, 2009

Excellent point!

NDS · Feb 13, 2009

This is what operator manual says.......After every 500 hours of operation remove the grease plugs and insert lubrication fittings. Apply pressure-gun grease (chassis lubricant) to the distributor fitting until a small quanity comes out of the relief hole opposite the plug. Apply several strokes of the grease gun to the drive housing fitting.

Remove the distributor cap and the distributor rotor, and apply one or two drops of light engine oil to the felt in the hole at the end of the breaker cam.

Owen Aaland · Feb 13, 2009

The grease in the distributor housing goes around the outside of the bushing and out through the relief hole. The shaft is lubed by grease being absorbed through the bushing. Over greasing that location merely results in grease passing through the housing. If you over grease the adapter housing it is possible to force grease between the distributor shaft and bushing which will end up inside the distributor and can cause problems with the points.

Question about grease in Distributor housing

neblinc

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ScottyHOMeY

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neblinc

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ScottyHOMeY

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neblinc

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Nebraska Cowman

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ScottyHOMeY

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NDS

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Owen Aaland

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