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I'm still fixing stuff that the previous owner broke and left for me and after getting advice from Wes (cuz) in another thread on how to adjust the timing manually I went out to work on the truck yesterday evening and noticed I only had two of the screws holding the cover on... and naturally they are stuck as well so it looks like I have no choice but to remove the distributor so I can keep rolling on this project and fix the problem... I'm going to soak all the screws this morning in penetrating fluid even the ones broken off... in hopes when I get the distributor out I can at least remove the two that are not broken...

So anyone else had a broken screw in the distributor before and how did you deal with it...

Right now my plan of action is to try to remove the two that are still whole and then drill and use an extractor bit if I can't groove and drive it out the other end with a screw driver...

Thanks
Brian
Oddjob

If you are lucky you have a stump to work with. Generally once the steel screw welds itself to the aluminum body they are not coming out peaceably. Soaking is good. Patience is needed big time. A little heat helps. Then gentle coaxing back and forth. Those that are broken off flush or lower will have to be drilled out. Use a bit one size smaller than the screw. Drill alignment is very important. A drill press helps here. It's nice to have numbered bits available for these accurate drilling tasks. If you are lucky and salvage the body remember to use anti-seize on the threads of the new screws.

I usually can feel if the screw stump wants to come out but if I doubt it wants to break free rather than pull all the treads out with the screw I will drill the rest of them out. Filing the stump flat and flush with the body and then center punching helps get the drilling done without issues. This will save having to heli-coil each hole.

Pulled the distributor this evening Looks like I have two stuck screws intact and one that the guy actually was able to back out and 3 that are missing the heads... Let the soaking process begin...

I think I'll have to drill them... I just have a weird feeling about that... Another hurdle to jump before I can get the project back on track... I was hoping to see if I got spark this weekend but that'll be put off till I get the distributor back in...

UPDATE:
Removed the two whole screws and one bit only have two more to remove but will be soaking them over night...

Looks like some moisture got into the distributor as the steel plate below the rotor is bit rusty... The good news is the distributor bap rotor and points look near new...

You don't want rust on the plate under the point plate. That is the counter weights and springs for your centrifugal advance and they must move freely or you'll come up short on power. I have the exerpts for that series distributor from TM 9-1825B 1952 Auto-Lite Electric Components overhaul manual. They are loaded on my M38 web site. Feel free to sign on my web site and download them. www.willysmjeeps.com

Okay I created an account over there... waiting on the system to confirm me I guess...

Looks like the guy when he reassembled the distributor did not clean the corrosion off the aluminum which is probably how moisture got in there...

The good news is I got the other two stubs out... Now I'm soaking the other screws looks like the distributor is going to get a full R&R...

Great news! I was more worried about the stubs than anything else. Glad they came out okay.

Lifer wrote:Great news! I was more worried about the stubs than anything else. Glad they came out okay.

Yeah I'm the guy that tends to break small screws... I guess I took enough time to do it and enough penetrating fluid it all worked out... One of them I thought it was going to take some of the thread out of the aluminum but it didn't... I also got all the other internal screws loosened up yesterday as well...
So I'm hoping that's the last pitfall to try to get the motor fired again... I'll be wire wheeling the rust of the internal parts this weekend...

cuz wrote:You don't want rust on the plate under the point plate. That is the counter weights and springs for your centrifugal advance and they must move freely or you'll come up short on power. I have the exerpts for that series distributor from TM 9-1825B 1952 Auto-Lite Electric Components overhaul manual. They are loaded on my M38 web site. Feel free to sign on my web site and download them. www.willysmjeeps.com

Grabbed something off the site on the 4 banger unit that was able to walk me through what I needed to know I got the stuff out ready to clean it up so it goes back together right...