Subject: GM HEI distributor rebuild questions
I'm rebuilding a '77 GM HEI distributor and have a few questions. The GM service manual and other repair manuals don't cover these details. Can you answer any of these?
-What grease do you recommend for the upper shaft bushing grease well? GM no longer makes the special "GM Cranking Motor and Distributor Lubricant" recommended in the manual. This low-viscosity grease is supposed to flow slowly from the grease well through two holes in the bushing to lubricate the upper shaft. One parts guy suggested Echlin ML-2 moly lube.
-If the distributor shaft is in good shape, how can you tell if the upper and lower bushings need to be replaced? What is the maximum allowable clearance (shaft diameter - bushing diameter)?
-If the shaft and other parts are in good shape, but the bushings need to be replaced, what do you do? Is this something auto machine shops normally do - i.e. press in new bronze bushings, align, and ream to size (to match the shaft dia.)? GM also sells the distributor housing P/N 1876222 for about $85, but it isn't clear whether it comes with new
bushings pressed in. And Cardone rebuilt distributors (without cap and coil) are about $100.
-Mr. Gasket sells shims/washers to adjust the shaft end play. What is the end play spec? It's not in the Chevy manual. People have posted anywhere from 0.005"-0.020", but others have said that it shouldn't be under 0.015."
-Some camshaft makers say you should replace the distributor gear whenever replacing the camshaft. Is this necessary? My iron gear doesn't seem to have any visible wear other than the black finish removed where the teeth engaged with the cam gear.
-The manuals show how to test all the electrical parts except the capacitor/condenser. How do you do this?