Thread: chevy 400 distributor clamp/not holding

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Hey fellas does anyone know of a real good distributor hold down... mine is chrome and doesn't hold real well. I can get it tight and the timing is right on, but when I let the car sit for awhile after running it for a day or so it doesn't want to start right up like it normally would. Then when I check the distributor and it is loose again. I am guessing this is why the car doesn't want to start right up because the timing is off. Anyway the engine is a chevy 400 built with 425 HP. The clamp I have on there is a Mr. gasket chrome type. Any suggestions

what difference does the stock one make? I know with chrome parts you always need to scuff it up a bit but is the stock one a harder metal or something....and what about a aluminum clamp?

Dump the chrome one and go with a steel one as others have said. There are various finishes that can be applied to improve it's appearance. You could, I suppose if you had your heart set on chrome, drill two small holes(not through) on the underside of the chrome one. Jam in the drill bits and break ithem off in each hole. Grind the drill remaining so that it protrudes about .030". This would grip the distributer.

I use a stock chevy hold down but replaced the stock bolt with a stud and nut, works much better.

Viking's got the hot ticket! Stud and nut. Those chrome ones are made of milder steel and just don't hold as well. If you don't believe us, stick the stock one back on there for a week or two and see if it makes a difference. Nothing to lose by trying it.

Pat

Sorry about being a little late weighing in on this; I'm new around these parts, and am just catching up on the various posts.

In my foggy memory, it seems that one of my Chevys had a distributor hold down that was crafted from spring wire about three sixteenths of an inch diameter, and was held down by a stud thru a flat U shaped washer, and a nut and star lock washer. The pointy ends of the clamp were shaped to a sort of modified chisel shape and bore down on the distributor flange, and the thing was slightly bowed; so when it was in place, and tightened down, it bit into the flange, and the spring steel gave with expansion and contraction, and the distributor never strayed from wherever it was clamped. This was not the prettiest thing going, but if polished real nice, and painted, it probably would not look too bad. Like I said, though, my memory is somewhat foggy on this; I may be thinking of something else, altogether.

Originally Posted by onemangang

what difference does the stock one make? I know with chrome parts you always need to scuff it up a bit but is the stock one a harder metal or something....and what about a aluminum clamp?

My 2cents worth: A dist. is not hard to hold. Sounds to me like it is bottoming
out on the oil pump , pull it out and put center punch ...... marks around
the manifold and under the dist flange . Now add 2,3or,4,good gaskets tighten
good, and you should have it. Unless you have a night time prankster. EN

I hope he's got it fixed by now, this thread is 3 years old.

Originally Posted by DennyW

Oops, Oh well, maybe someone else will ask.

I've decided that I'm only going to post until I reach the big 10,000 post. From then on, I'm going to try to be just a reader.

Now you and I both know that is BS. Who cares about the post count? Just keep doing what you're doing and ignore the naysayers.