ebay distributor


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By silent rick - 3 Years Ago
somebody said this had already been posted here but i can't find it. what are your thoughts on this distributor

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ford-y-block-272-292-312-small-cap-black-hei-distributor-45k-coil-usa-wires/322646614526
By 2721955meteor - 3 Years Ago
sounds to good to be truer have converted several ys to dura spark, including the box 250.00 cn but need a302 ford dura spark list for most of the parts. yours is a great deal if it works
By silent rick - 3 Years Ago
this seller alone has sold 110 of these and there's about a dozen others who have listings. i figure someone from here probably bought one and has input on it.
By charliemccraney - 3 Years Ago
These Chinese distributors have been available for probably over 5 years now.  I know a lot of people have used them and while I have heard of occasional problems with the electronics, they seem to be generally ok.  The saying you get what you pay for would definitely apply so I wouldn't expect too much but it still may serve you well.  And for what it's worth, the much higher priced MSD offerings have had their share of problems, too.

Someone posted on the Facebook group recently that a Pertronix distributor is coming soon.  We've heard that before with other items but if it does actually happen, it should be a good product from a name brand priced somewhere between this and the MSD.
By panel driver - 3 Years Ago
I got mine from FBO performance distributors.  I have had good success with it.  
By Ted - 3 Years Ago
With any distributor, new or used, it’s a good idea to measure both the distributor hole depth in the block and the gear placement on the distributor shaft to insure that the distributor gear is not going to be in a bind in the block when it’s installed.  Even the stock distributors can be troublesome in this regard when just moving them from block to block.
 
I recently checked out a new TSP ‘pointless’ distributor with mechanical tach drive capability for the ’55-’57 Thunderbirds and it was good both on the preliminary measurements and test running it on an engine on the dyno.  The carton and enclosed literature did not have any indication as to where exactly these distributors were being made and assembled but very likely they are made offshore.  With this particular distributor being mechanical tach drive capable and there not being a U.S.A. made alternative, this is an easy choice for a new distributor versus hunting down one of those hard to find factory 1957 Thunderbird points distributors.  And if you do find an original ’57 TBird distributor and after paying what is essentially twice the price of one of those offshore distributors, that original distributor may still need rebuilding and converting to electronic ignition.
 
For those instances where the mechanical tach drive is not required, there would appear to be a multitude of choices for a modern electronic distributor for the Ford Y.  Due diligence in researching reviews before purchasing is recommended.  Whenever possible, I do prefer U.S.A. made just to keep those jobs at home even if it costs a little bit more.  On the flip side of this, those offshore distributors I have used for the Ford Y do run okay and at basically half the price of the MSD distributor for the Ford Y.
 
Looking at the Summit site, the ‘new’ Pertronix distributor for the Ford Y will ship 5/17/2021.  On the Jegs site, the Pertronix distributor is said to ship 4/23/2021.  Here’s the Summit link.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pnx-d135700 
By KULTULZ - 3 Years Ago
It is an HEI design. Which is worse, CHI-COM or GM (or both)?

Chinese knock off's WHY? would you even consider using a low quality, poor performing with No  tech help or parts available distributor in your classic early Y-Block Ford?  When you start installing those low grade Chinese parts you might as well just bolt in a 350 scruby/350 trans and a 3.50 gear and build a belly button car.Do you really want that Chinese distributor with scruby cap starring at you every time you open your hood.... call me a purest but that would be way to embarrassing for me.


FBO DISTRIBUTOR -

http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/uploads/images/2a198dd5-b03b-48ca-b51b-d229.jpg

http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/uploads/images/312de0f5-84e9-49e6-be28-7c61.jpg

SOURCE - http://www.4secondsflat.com/Ford%20Y-Block%20Distributors.htm

Now, if enough people leaned on them, would they cast and machine a BIRD TACH DIST?

By charliemccraney - 3 Years Ago
HEI has become a fairty generic term for electronic ignition and most often when a cap with male terminals is used.  This distributor is about as GM HEI as an MSD or factory distributor with a duraspark conversion.

I'm positive that if there were enough demand, a Bird distributor would be produced.  I doubt there is enough demand, but every time I've played dumb and asked pertronix if or when they will produce a Y distributor the response was basically not enough demand... and now it looks like they are making one.
By KULTULZ - 3 Years Ago
HEI has become a fairty generic term for electronic ignition and most often when a cap with male terminals is used.  This distributor is about as GM HEI as an MSD or factory distributor with a duraspark conversion.


Charlie. you forgot to add IMO.

HEI is purely a GM term as it was their design as DS/TFI was to FORD. Most aftermarket vendors design is based on GM HEI. How they get away with using a GM TERM is beyond me. The CHI-COM DIST can usually accept DELCO IGN as SERVICE REPLACEMENT. Now I have worked on many a GM and if that is not a GM design, I will kiss your butt in a public square and give you thirty minutes to draw a crowd.


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By PF Arcand - 3 Years Ago
Am I missing something here?  Probably!  But going to the Summit site & at well over $300 U.S. just for the Cap & rotor assembly, stll leaves me with a worn bushing Distributor that I don't want to trade in to Cardone, after the problems they have gone thru with their rebuilts. So, now what  ??      
By KULTULZ - 3 Years Ago
So you are just wanting a standard rebuild, no fancy race car stuff?

You would need to find a service such as this - https://ignitionengineering.com/distributor-rebuilding.html

or, re-bush it yourself. It is fully described in the SHOP MANUAL. Just don't let it go to the core barrel.
By KULTULZ - 3 Years Ago
Maybe this will help with the explanation of GM HEI and the cloning by the aftermarket (cheap and easy) as most DIST HSNGS most likely are cast (possibly machined) by one manufacturer in CHINA.-

There are two types of HEI DIST used, according to fit and need in GM vehicles, the HEI (coil in cap) and the DUAL POWER (free-standing coil). While both are cloned by the aftermarket, the DUAL POWER design seems to prevail in the FORD style, even though you will see the coil-in-cap design also.


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This is what I was trying to get across. Wether you use one is entirely your business, but I believe some would want to know. Maybe ask the seller if DELCO parts will fit as the CHI-COM will most likely a have a higher failure rate and most likely the DELCO service parts will have a better purchase price and warranty.



By silent rick - 3 Years Ago
the distributor is made by TSP. top street performance pro series also makes the tbird with tach drive that Ted mentioned earlier

https://www.topstreetperformance.com/products/ignition/pro-series-ignition/pro-series-ready-to-run-distributor-ford-y-block-tach-drive.html


By 55blacktie - 3 Years Ago
I suggest that you go back and read Ted's earlier test/evaluation of the off-shore electronic, mechanical tach-drive distributor. His findings were positive. Long term? Who knows. But no matter where a part is made, once the warranty expires, you are stuck if there's a problem. Baseless opinions only prejudice people. 
By silent rick - 3 Years Ago
55blacktie (4/16/2021)
I suggest that you go back and read Ted's earlier test/evaluation of the off-shore electronic, mechanical tach-drive distributor. His findings were positive. Long term? Who knows. But no matter where a part is made, once the warranty expires, you are stuck if there's a problem. Baseless opinions only prejudice people. 


do you have a link to it?

By Joe-JDC - 3 Years Ago
https://www.bing.com/search?q=crt+distributors&form=ANSPH1&refig=1383d8263337424ca355cf15015de1d2&pc=U531&sp=1&qs=AS&pq=crt+distributors&sc=8-16&cvid=1383d8263337424ca355cf15015de1d2#
By 55blacktie - 3 Years Ago
Go to "Technical" and scroll down to "Thunderbird Distributor I.D. Help."
By paul2748 - 3 Years Ago
Are you looking for some one to repair your distributor?  I have a couple of names, one that did some work for me.

PF Arcand (4/16/2021)
Am I missing something here?  Probably!  But going to the Summit site & at well over $300 U.S. just for the Cap & rotor assembly, stll leaves me with a worn bushing Distributor that I don't want to trade in to Cardone, after the problems they have gone thru with their rebuilts. So, now what  ??      


By PF Arcand - 3 Years Ago
Kultutz & Paul2748: thanks for the offers of help.. Yes, just looking for basic Distributor repair, for a bad bushing as far as I know.. A Dwell meter check showed deviations in readings, + a persistent miss, particularly at idle. Don't think I'm well enough equipped to attempt a bushing repair ?. Unless I could find an electrical motor rebuilder or similar that could do a bushing ? Paul, your in N.J.. I'm in Canada on the west coast..so ?  - Paul  
By Ted - 3 Years Ago
silent rick (4/16/2021)
55blacktie (4/16/2021)
I suggest that you go back and read Ted's earlier test/evaluation of the off-shore electronic, mechanical tach-drive distributor. His findings were positive. Long term? Who knows. But no matter where a part is made, once the warranty expires, you are stuck if there's a problem. Baseless opinions only prejudice people.
do you have a link to it?

http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/FindPost156530.aspx 
By paul2748 - 3 Years Ago
Paul - These are the two people that I know that repair/refurbish YBlock dstributors.  The first one did one for me :

Lou Sumas  -  lsumas@aol.com
Lee Johnson, - leejon@outlook.com  812-598-8965
Both in U.S.  First in New England, the other in Arizona

PF Arcand (4/17/2021)
Kultutz & Paul2748: thanks for the offers of help.. Yes, just looking for basic Distributor repair, for a bad bushing as far as I know.. A Dwell meter check showed deviations in readings, + a persistent miss, particularly at idle. Don't think I'm well enough equipped to attempt a bushing repair ?. Unless I could find an electrical motor rebuilder or similar that could do a bushing ? Paul, your in N.J.. I'm in Canada on the west coast..so ?  - Paul  


By PF Arcand - 3 Years Ago
Paul 2748 : thanks for the address's, appreciated... ( your post came thru twice, you can go in to "edit" & delete one...)
By Jack Groat - 3 Years Ago
I own two of these.  The first one went into my stock 292 and runs fine.  The second I bought for my warmed up 292 with higher compression and performance cam but that one has not yet been run.  Mine came with springs to modify your advance curve.  I wanted a new coil, spark plug wires plus distributor.  When compared to a MSD, plus wires and coil the savings was significant
By Talkwrench - 3 Years Ago
I dont think its HEI.. Usually its a 4 pin module easily seen. And shit do they throw a spark!. 
By silent rick - 3 Years Ago
thanks for all the replies. i could always add a pertronix kit to my mallory YC or rebuild my spalding flamethrower and paint it to match the engine color.

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