• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Distributor clearance issue

Green72

FBBO Gold Member
FBBO Gold Member
Local time
6:56 PM
Joined
Mar 7, 2019
Messages
137
Reaction score
114
Location
52314
1816B72A-7898-4FC5-A341-A3601DF8CA1F.jpeg
5E2FE30D-9CE8-4A02-9234-DF5750DE320C.jpeg
440 source fabricated valve covers and MSD distributor. I have ground the valve cover flange as far as I think I can. I can now install the distributor but it has very little room. I can install the cap and rotate the distributor but the spark plug wire ends contact the valve cover. Should I be concerned about wires in contact with the valve covers?
Any suggestions to remedy my situation would be great!
 
View attachment 1029914 View attachment 1029913 440 source fabricated valve covers and MSD distributor. I have ground the valve cover flange as far as I think I can. I can now install the distributor but it has very little room. I can install the cap and rotate the distributor but the spark plug wire ends contact the valve cover. Should I be concerned about wires in contact with the valve covers?
Any suggestions to remedy my situation would be great!
I don't think you will get any spark jump with all new components in the secondary ignition system.
Mike
 
When that aluminum valve cover gets hot. Its going to break that Dist. cap.
 
See this quite a bit with aftermarket valve covers and the MSD distributor. Seems they are a bit more bulky than a stock distributor.
 
You might get spark jump through the boots. A friend with a 69 Hemi ran a MSD for awhile and the cap/boots rested against the hood air intake pan which has a metal strip reinforcement for the screws. He was blowing through a distributor wire boot about once a week and shorting to the metal strip. We would find a small, pin head size hole burned through the boot each time. He finally changed to an FBO distributor that was shorter.
 
Aftermarket always has issues. Remember I would bet lots of Engineers were involved in the motor and the distributor.
 
View attachment 1029914 View attachment 1029913 440 source fabricated valve covers and MSD distributor. I have ground the valve cover flange as far as I think I can. I can now install the distributor but it has very little room. I can install the cap and rotate the distributor but the spark plug wire ends contact the valve cover. Should I be concerned about wires in contact with the valve covers?
Any suggestions to remedy my situation would be great!
First rule of hot rodding: Not everything fits with everything.
 
I am leaning towards modifying the valve cover. Just have to figure out how much room I have on the rocker
 
I am leaning towards modifying the valve cover. Just have to figure out how much room I have on the rocker
Looks like the valve covers are powder coated though? You can cut them up and modify the corner but it might not look great when you're done. Bottom line is that whoever built those valve covers did a poor job. They should've known that MSD distributors don't fit. The valve cover might have been designed to work with the 440 Source distributor.
When I designed my own valve covers I made sure they worked with my distributor.
DSC_3420 (Large).JPG
 
I powder coated them, so I can fix that. I should have mocked it up!! Seems like 440 source could mention it.
 
Trickflow 240s
I thought maybe, i have T.F. 270's and they seem to put the valve cover closer to the dist. When my engine was dynoed we used the builder's valve covers and he noted that this was the most he had to clearance them . I'll take the trade off,lol.
 
Thanks for all the input everyone.
Andy F your book has been invaluable.
I will make it work one way or the other
 
Depending on the rocker arm clearance, maybe fab up an Internal corner weld bead & grind off the extenal interfering bead material + "massage" hammer to clearance fit...
 
That’s kinda what I’m thinking
 
Same distributor with my Indy 440-25 manifold. I ground the intake and the lip off the cap. Wires touch the valve cover. 7 years 700 +passes at 15-1 compression. Never a misfire issue.
Doug

1027121338.jpg
 
I made it work. Took a little here and a little there and then some shaping with a hammer. I'm comfortable with it now
Thanks again everyone
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top