Thread: dist. hold down

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Anyone have any suggestions of how to keep my distributor hold down bolt tight. After every time I use my truck I have to tightned down my distributor as it comes loose. I've tried a new bolt, lock tight, sealer around the threads but no dice. It's a pain to retime your engine after every use. I now mark where my distributor was at the last time and reset it there, but still a pain in the a--.

does the dist tab have enough bend in it to create some tension when you tighten the bolt?
other thought get a little stud that you goud thered and locktght into the hole and use a locknut on the top to tighten.
just a thought

Go to Fastenall or Brafasco (nut and bolt retailers) and buy a bolt which has a nylon insert in it ( this is called a "Nylock"). The nylon insert extends out a bit beyond the thread plane of the bolt. When you tighten it the bolt in place, the nylon will deform enough to keep the bolt from coming loose. If you ever do want to remove the bolt, a wrench will still remove it.

A couple of wraps of teflon tape has helped my in some of these situations. I usually have this problem on distributors with aftermarket clamps. The bolt does not come loose-the clamp deforms.

Brian Thaks for yours and others advice. Think I will try the nylock. Never thought of that but at my age what else is new????

The Nylock bolt, or a stud with a self locking nut, would be easiest, I think. A '70 350 I had, had a Dist. hold down made of about 3/16 spring steel rod, and held down with a u-shaped bracket and bolt; the rod had enough spring to it that when tightened down, it acted as it's own tensioning device; the ends of the rod were what contacted the distr. flange, and they were cut on a slight angle to give them "bite".

An external star washer would work also.