How to rebuild a Ford Model A distributor 

I needed this about 3 weeks ago. I just had to have this done by a friend after spending a full day myself with no satisfaction. lol Thanks for the video.

Thanks for your video, time and work you put into making them. I finally got my '30 pickup running. Was the float valve. Now that she's running I can tell I need a new muffler gasket. Already watched your video on that one. Will be doing that this winter.

Great info to go back to again and again. Thanks!

Great video on the rebuild of the distributor. Love your shirt, Glenn Miller Orchestra, my all time favorite.

Thank you for another super video. I have had my A for about 2 years now. Last year, I had a major problem with it breaking down on the road several times. Every time it did, by the time I got out to check things it would restart. Being a new owner of an A, I was going by what everyone was telling me that were knowledgeable about A's. Everyone's advice, Change points & condenser. I had the modern points upgrade? After 3 sets, I was ready to give up. Then, after installing the fourth set, I tried to start the truck. It didn't even attempt to fire. I checked fuel, fine. Then out a desperate act, I checked spark. No spark! How can this be, I just had spark. So, I started checking voltages. After checking where I had & had no voltage, I discovered the ignition cable was shorting out on the body. I bought a new distributor from our Model A dealer a couple hours away & that truck never ran so good. It runs smoother & it added about 10 mph to it's top speed. I saved the old distributor to rebuild to the original style points so this video is very valuable for me Thank you again.

Thanks Paul, another great learning video. I look forward to them. Made for a nice start to my Sunday morning with my coffee. Going to look for the jewellers rouge soon. Thanks again, PaulB

I think Bob needs more stuff on his work bench! 😄 Another great video! Thank you!

Lots of very good tips in your video Paul. I've used old shafts to remove bushings by turning down the cam shoulder and pressing them out with an arbor press. With a bit of work you can also use an old shaft as a hone to lap the bushings. I really like the idea of drilling out the cam screw and shaft to accommodate lubrication of the upper bushing. Thanks to you and Bob Guimarin for sharing your knowledge.

Good stuff. Quite possibly the worst time I've had with a set of points was on my 1971 Honda CL350e. The plate, screws and all that was fused into a solid piece. I was in highschool at the time and had no money. I managed to get the arms moving, but had to sand down the contacts because of how pitted they were. Because of that, I needed to bring the gap I my but couldn't adjust anything since it was all fused. So, I used a hammer to bend them in and out until they worked. Surprisingly, the bike ran just fine and had no issues for several years after that.

Great video!

One more member from Brasil 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷😍😊

I like this guy he’s extremely knowledgeable. But as he’s explaining this, oh boy got me lost. So I guess when it comes time to do something with this distributor, I’ll be buying a new one out of the catalog.

more teaching thank you

Thank you

Paul I like the way you do, How do videos because you do the whole job from start to finish showing each step. I wish Bob did that. I wish he showed how to rebuild a distributor from start to finish without just talking through the steps.

Paul when I buy one I need you to move in for a few i told the wife we will be having a gust for a few while I get the car straight, Paul is the guru of these cars..lol

Paul could you show how to change original points by taking old points off and putting new points on in a video thanks

Oh yeah Very Interesting Paul Mammal.

Thanks Paul for yet another excellent, entertaining and educational video. One little hiccup at 18:12 when you said "POINT zero two five microfarad..." should have been "zero POINT two five microfarad..." Thanks again for sharing your Model A Ford knowledge!

old post, so i dont expect an answer. Perhaps, you mentioned it in the video and i missed it, but there are screen shots of what looks to be a catalog, and part numbers for variouse parts along the way, as though one can order parts from a catalog. I have been wanting to rebuild my distributor for the 1930 and use this as a guide, but not sure a good place to buy a kit. Or to have access to this catalog for parts ID and order. Some fantastic content you have, and im looking forward to getting this 1930 on the road. After seeing you vids, ive decided to leave it 6v and mostly stock. Thank you! looking forward to years of fun.

This is a great video. Lots of great info. Question, should not the thrust washer Part A-12180-A be installed between the upper shaft and the distributor body? This part was not discussed... Regards

Hello Paul, Nice video, I learned a lot! What type of meter do you use to check your condenser? Can you check modern condensers as well? Thanks Jim

Another great video Paul. Look forward thé thé T/A comparaison, pity we can’t use my T would confuse the heck out of a lot of viewers being RHD. 😂

Hey Paul, First, great to see you back looking healthy and hopefully feeling good too. Question, what do you do when the bushing is warn enough that the half inch tap doesn't bite into the bushing? Help!!

Good video

Good video, I like the proceedure to remove the bushings. Except I did not see any thrust washers being installed on the shaft or clearance checked. End play should be .003" max. Maybe I missed it?

Thanks for uploading! What would be a point at which a distributor needs rebuilding? Are there numbers of tolerable play in the bushings?

Paul what r ur thoughts of a tudor vs fordor. Im looking at a nice Tudor burgandy with a merlot interior. Has a model a basement under rear floor. Just an expert told me on a fordor has a lot more wood and a lot more issues as it ages. Tudor he said is less wood less problems.

I would be happy to buy a distributor from that man but I’m not sure who’s the best person to teach on how to do it. If you are experienced with this kind of distributor than he is probably talking your language exactly but if you’ve never done one before and just having general mechanical knowledge his explanations are not as clear as yours.

Hey Paul big fan had a question for you How often do you have to rebuild a distributor? Does this happen a lot?

Very informative video. The only "thing" that I don't agree with is his dismissing of modern points. I know it's not what Henry did, but there has to be a reason the old points were fazed out. But, It looks like the old points are easily adjusted! My Victoria has the F.S. Electronic Ignition.

I greatly appreciate the time and effort the gentleman put in to teaching us how to reassemble a distributor. But unfortunately he's all over the place. He needs to explain how to assemble the distributor step-by-step rather than explaining how to assemble the distributor and assemble it the right way and wrong way at the exact same time. He needs to assemble the distributor and then speak about what could happen if you don't do this or this this might happen so please just stick to assembling the distributor and then talk about what can go wrong after the assembly of the distributor thank you much sir I still enjoyed the video

I replaced the original wire 'tween the lower plate and the upper plate was replaced with a computer wire encased in a soft silicone insulation containing many wire conductors. This wire is so flexible I don't think it can be broken. Ends are soldered.

Can you tell me what should be the space between the "tappet" and the valve stem when the valve is closed? Indeed I mount my engine with adjustable "tappet" and I do not know the distance, tolerance that I must apply? should it be zero?

Is there any certain way the cam need to go on ? I was putting new points in mine and it doesn’t have any key or anything to keep it in a certain orientation.

Paul you have any video on removing a steering column?

Unfortunately, the use of a 1/2" tap to remove the bushings is a non-starter. The tap doesn't have enough grip on the bushing. If the bushing is worn, there's no grip at all. Any other ways to get the bushings out???

Can we get an in depth distributor rebuild? This one includes a lot of "Do this but not that" and "Use this but not that" Not trying to be a jerk at all, just wanting more of a step by step. Dad and I have rebuilt multiple A's, but I've never seen a rebuild on a distributor that was informative enough.

I do not like the original points I run modern with a wireless lower plate have been for over 20 years and over 200,000 miles never had a problem never had the points walk been restoring Model A for over 40 years.

I found that the procedures taking apart and assembling the distributor was a bit scatter and hard to understand. He is not a good teacher.