Farmall m distributor

Brian in MO · Sep 27, 2016

I guess I never paid much attention before but most m's have a horizontal (sideways) distributor, however mine has a vertical (up and down). Just wondering why the different ones were used? My m is a 51' but looking at pics on the web the aren't very many with the distributor like mine, so what's the deal? Aftermarket for some reason?

notjustair · Sep 27, 2016

My vertical is on a machine with a live pump. I'd imagine in the later Super runs if they were ordered without live hydraulics they still got that upright. She was probably a swap out at some point. Or aftermarket.

Janicholson · Sep 27, 2016

It an after market (probably Delco) distributor. The owners often replaced failed mags,(or good mags) with this after market component because it was less expensive, or available. They also had cantrifugal advance making part throttle and light work more efficient and smoother. Some were installed when an after market hydraulic pump was put on the distributor drive because the original distributor would hit the oil filter. Pretty common, and points condenser cap and rotor are easily found. Jim

PretendFarmer · Sep 28, 2016

My 53 SM has a horizontal distributor and it came from factory with live hyds. Like Jim said, the vertical distributor is an aftermarket replacement.

D Slater · Sep 28, 2016

Hard to say why it was added to the tractor. Unless specified wanting a magneto the IH distributor was standard equipment on a 51 model for the whole year.

Brian in MO · Sep 28, 2016

Thanks for the replies that's kind of what I had figured. I have seen a few with the same set up as mine but not many, and mostly super m's.

Farmall m distributor

Brian in MO

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notjustair

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Janicholson

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PretendFarmer

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D Slater

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Brian in MO

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