Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

[malc]

I have not run the car in several months due to other commitments.
When I got it out on the road last week it was like a dog on three legs.
Did all the usuals and last of all the plugs and a new distributor cap and rotor.
When I removed the cap this is what greeted me, a total rust up of the pickup in the dist.
I managed to clean the pickup but I will have to remove the dist. to do it properly.
I also noticed you cannot remove the pickup to replace it without removing and dismantling
the distributor.........bummer. >

[JeffMcKC]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

That's a common deal, its because of Ionized air.

[malc]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

Could I paint the parts after cleaning ?
except the pickup on the rotor side.........obviously.

[BBR]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

Drill a vent hole in the cap.

[joe_rocket45]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

dielectric grease IMO, paint would be ok too, but I don't see that making it run like a 3 legged dog.??

[malc]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

The cap is vented in the top.
Since I did the cleanup it is running better.
I have done nothing more to the dist. since adjusting the carb
and replacing the plugs.
I still need to remove it and do a thorough job.
Wondering, maybe the damp inside the engine bay is
excessive due to the cowl hood. We do get a lot of damp
here in the mornings this time of year.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

what did you do to the carb ?
that iron oxide build up is normal ..hei does the same thing

[malc]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

Before I went to the dist. I tried to even out the idle
with the mix. screws, SpeedDemon.
I have had several HEIs, never seen rust in them.
Seems to me the rusty pickup on the magnet was inhibiting the
spark signal.

[joebogey]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

Had something similar happen with my brother's MSD, but his was the wheel. Haven't actually done anything to fix it yet, and it's now on the 'before spring' list, but got a lot of feedback that it's a regular occurrence. I'm sure a damp environment has something to do with it, but not sure how much the hood would affect it.

Posting this for my brother. He's got a GM crate motor in his '37 Plymouth, came with an HEI that wouldn't fit against the firewall. So he pulled the MSD electronic distributor from the old motor, and stuck it in. After having this setup for two years it was running extremely rough on idle. He pulled the cap and the pickup was covered in corrosion. He ordered a new pickup and swapped it in, all was right with the world. Last week he took it out again and it was running rough, he pulled the cap and found the the wheel covered in corrosion, which he told me he's found once before after changing the pickup. He just used a file to clean the edges of the wheel that pass the pickup.

Does anyone else have this issue? And what would be causing it? We threw around painting the wheel, but the edges would still need to be bare metal to act on the pickup and would still corrode. Open for any ideas.

[IMG width=768]http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/joebogey75/webpostings/P5161339.jpg[/img]

[Runner1972]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

I have had several HEIs, never seen rust in them.

It seems to be common with MSD Distributor. Maybe they are using Bi-Metal and that's why they are rusting the way they are, I've pulled Distributor's out from the Junkyard and never had one with rust on that part either.

[Barry Donovan]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

That's a common deal, its because of Ionized air.

powerfully so..

some get this at exhaust studs. something special needed..

I would try one of those charged self baking paint deals.. feed the paint the way it is feeding the rust and it has to stop.

how does exhaust look? any drooling stalactite bleeding slobs at the studs?

[malc]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

Most of my fastners under the hood are corroded, especially the ARP studs which are black oxide.
The only ones unaffected are stainless.
I did have stainless studs for the exhaust headers but the swap to larger tube Hedmans needed smaller headed bolts.

[joebogey]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

Where do you live in relation to the ocean, I live on Long Island in NY, so salt air is an issue

[malc]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

I am half an hour from the Mediterranian, a very salty sea.

The need is for someone to make little plastic bags for dizzies. ;D

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: Internal Rust On MSD Distributor.

Any chance of running a vacuum line into the distributor cap to your air filter housing? Just a light vacuum to reduce the air in the cap to reduce ionization?


I don't have that issue, but it's what I'd try and see if it cures it. I don't actually know if it works....