Points distributor base metal gasket.

[Huicho417]

Anyone know who sells the meta gasket for a 318 points distributor base? I need one for my original distributor and all the replacements I find are the felt type that seem to deteriorate over time, causing a leak.

 

[toolmanmike]

Anyone know who sells the meta gasket for a 318 points distributor base? I need one for my original distributor and all the replacements I find are the felt type that seem to deteriorate over time, causing a leak.


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@HALIFAXHOPS

 

[Huicho417]

Does @HALIFAXHOPS make them?

 

[toolmanmike]

Does @HALIFAXHOPS make them?

No but there's a good chance he has some that are NOS.

 

[Huicho417]

Oh, good. How do I get a hold of him?

 

[toolmanmike]

Oh, good. How do I get a hold of him?

He should respond to this thread. @Huicho417 creates a notification.

 

[Huicho417]

Got it, thank you.

 

[pnora]

FEL-PRO 6464 Should have a composite and a coated steel gasket.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Does @HALIFAXHOPS make them?

In the works actually. Hoping in a month or so not cheap to get the dies made. None left that I can spare anymore. That fel pro set is really misleading in the description is not metal so will not transfer the ground.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

FEL-PRO 6464 Should have a composite and a coated steel gasket.

Nope a fiber and a o ring. Tried them.

 

[AR67GTX]

I didn’t realize those things had gotten impossible to find. Please post a notice Ray when you get some reproduced. I’ll be buying several.

In the works actually. Hoping in a month or so not cheap to get the dies made. None left that I can spare anymore. That fel pro set is really misleading in the description is not metal so will not transfer the ground.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Plan on it have to get 1000 made minimum. I think I bought every nos one out there over the years. Same with the dist leads. Dual point repops the guy that made them just retired. Sucks. Trying to find a company to make them all for me.

 

[Rishi]

If you MUST have the crush washer, Bill Rolik still has them as a $12 two-piece set including the O-ring:

Distributor Housing Seal & Gasket Pkg., 8 ELECTRICAL-SWITCHES-RELAYS, 1326836-P - N.O.S., Reproduction, and Replacement Chrysler Parts

But if you're picky, the O-ring in his set doesn't seem as thick as the OEM spec.

The FelPro #6464 kit can be had from Amazon for under $4 shipped, the kit bearing the fiber washer, and its O-ring is closer to OEM thickness.

The base gasket doesn't really show, and it's missing on many cars. The FelPro fiber gasket functions well, because the hold-down bracket at the distributor base provides the ground.

From some schools of thought, once the crush washer is crushed, it won't seal as well as the fiber unless you replace it periodically after changing the engine timing.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Did not know he sold them. Thanks. You have to have a metal gasket if it is any type of points if you want to ensure ground to the points period. Paint, bad clamp grounds etc. Ask any one that did not have one and the timing walked all over the place. Fun to troubleshoot.

 

[lewtot184]

I would think that if using an aluminum distributor, battery grounded to the block and the distributor clamp and bolt clean, it would be grounded no matter the gasket,....? as far as painted distributor goes i can understand a possible grounding issue. i'm going to install a prestolite in one of my cars in a few days and have thought about grounds using the paper gasket. worse comes to worse for me i'll just do a ground pigtail off the distributor.

as for erratic timing, and i'm assuming aluminum distributor, that is exactly the problem i'm having with trying to get a single distributor to work. spark scatter is crazy!

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

O ring is always grounded to the block by the flange. Electronic does not matter doesn't use a ground, only points need them. 90% of the point distributors use the o ring the Metal one is some pre 65 single point and most of the dual point. The scatter your having sounds lke it can be the dist ground check it with a ohm meter from the dist. to a ground point on the motor the way it is now don't change anything yet. That will drive you nuts when the timing mark wanders with a timing light. Ten I have gotten in Painted single points that were painted on the flange for rebuilds, and the issue is spark scatter. Wonder why! Easy for me I have been doing theis a long time.

 

[Huicho417]

Thank you for the recommendations and feedback everyone. I will keep note of those who sell the metal gasket. I took a trip to to my local scrap yard and their classic section had a 66 four door cornet. I was able to take several parts I needed for my car including the metal gasket. I got all this for 100 bucks, the guy even donated the distributor that had the o ring option.

I also discovered what may have added to my distributor leak. When I removed mine I compared the hold down to the one I got at the scrap yard and one of the tabs was different. I think only one side was actually pressing down on the distributor base.

 

[toolmanmike]

Thank you for the recommendations and feedback everyone. I will keep note of those who sell the metal gasket. I took a trip to to my local scrap yard and their classic section had a 66 four door cornet. I was able to take several parts I needed for my car including the metal gasket. I got all this for 100 bucks, the guy even donated the distributor that had the o ring option.

I also discovered what may have added to my distributor leak. When I removed mine I compared the hold down to the one I got at the scrap yard and one of the tabs was different. I think only one side was actually pressing down on the distributor base.

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Yep. THat one won't work well.

 

[Rishi]

You have to have a metal gasket if it is any type of points if you want to ensure ground to the points period. Paint, bad clamp grounds etc. Ask any one that did not have one and the timing walked all over the place. Fun to troubleshoot.

You're probably right. Many of the blocks I work with are freshly painted, and a crush washer provides little to no grounding across the painted surface. The hold-down bracket provides the bulk of the grounding in these scenarios. I favor the FelPro #6464 gasket, as it seems to provide a better seal against oil seepage. But everyone has their differing experience. Unless there is something amiss with the distributor, I suspect the timing will hold (presumed it's sufficiently clamped) regardless the gasket used.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

It will hod. What I run into if it is a weak ground the spark wanders almost 180 searching for a ground. Hard to describe.