Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Hi

Am trying to get a replacement rotor for my autolite distributor for a 288 ci. Am not sure if this is the original distributor, but it is in good condition.

The problem is that the replacement I found is about 45 degrees out. See the notches on the rotor shaft. See my original photo and replacement photo.

My question: is it possible to rotate the distributor so that the replacement can work? This replacement is the same as what you can buy from Max Merritt so it seems that the replacement I got is original, but not my distributor maybe?

Thanks

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If your mount & clearance will permit, don't see any reason why you couldn't rotate other than the steel vacuum tube might not have enough give or length. Another possibility is move the wires a hole or two instead of distributor and then retime which shouldn't require nearly as much rotation. Of course, either scenario means the pictures in any manual won't be quite right for anyone that didn't know about change.

The distributor you picture is correct for a 22nd and 23rd series Eight. The rotor can be in any position as long as the wires in the cap are correctly positioned and has already been suggested, just walk the wires around.

Put #1 cylinder on top dead center (TDC) on the compression stroke (if you put it on TDC on the exhaust stroke, all your wires will be 180 degrees out of sync). Then look at the position of the rotor and place the wire to #1 plug over the rotor. Then continue in the firing order sequence 1-6-2-5-8-3-7-4 in the direction that the rotor rotates; sorry I forget for the moment whether it's CW or CCW.

Thanks guys. Ithought as much but was unclear as to the movement of the wires. Thanks for the good description Owen!

I cleaned up the dizzy and it really is in great shape! Only a bit of hard grease. Works beautifully and smooth now. Also...I painted it black? Hope this is allright as the blue seems to have been done afterwards?

Glad the instructions worked out. Black is the correct color for the distributor. Those originals that I've cleaned up seem to be somewhere between semi-gloss and glossy black. If the vacuum advance is unsightly, you might try Eastwood's NiCad spray paint.

the notch in the rotor looks more like 60 degrees than 45 degrees. Go ahead and try rotating the distributor. If u have a choice it would be better to rotate WITH roation of distributor shaft rather than against rotation. Once u have the distributor set where u want it then double check the position of the rotor to the posts on the cap.

I think u will find that the rotor will wind up pointing directly BETWEEN two posts of the cap. That's why i recommend rotating the distributor IN the direction of shaft rotation.

Why not just get the rite rotor for the distributor. The distributor has a tag on it. Do u know where the distributor came from????

what is the streight 8 firing order????

Perhaps you missed it, I gave this person the firing order in my earlier response above, the only Packard L8s that I'm aware of that have a different firing order are the 1st and 2nd series Eights. All others are 1-6-2-5-8-3-7-4.

Hi packard V8. I cant get the correct one here locally and the one I saw pictured on Max Meritt's site is the same as the new one I got. Their notches are about 45 degrees of - that is the rotors notches. My dizzy was with the car when purchased and the rotor was the one pictured in the first photo. I will try the movement of wires and dizzy as described to get it working with the rotor in picture 2.

Thanks Owen, i painted it black and it looks great.

It's your car u can do it anyway u want to. But what's wrong with the old rotor???? If it's not cracked or broken just use it. There are NUMBERS on that dist. tag. Use the numbers to figure out what kind of rotor it really needs or what car it originaly came from. There are websites that can decipher the number. If it's a Packard dist. then the dealers or clubs OUGHT to know!!