Distributor dilemma

Been thinking about upgrading to a Pertronix ignition system for my SA, and in doing the research, see they make one for the IH distributor, another for the Delco, but none for the Prestolite. So been trying to figure out which one I have. Here's what I've gathered by searching the forums, and the internet:

[b:9fc63ce6b9]The Delco is usually installed off a right angle drive from the front, and is vertical. The cap has a lip that goes outside the base, and it also has a longer 'stem' than the IH distrib. [/b:9fc63ce6b9]
Nope - mine has a short stem and is horizontal.

[b:9fc63ce6b9]The Prestolites are uncommon, but have an ID tag on them and (as some recall) have a cast aluminum base.[/b:9fc63ce6b9]
Mine is cast iron and has no sign of ever having a tag.

[b:9fc63ce6b9]The IH distributor base is cast iron (or cast steel), and has the 353... part # cast on the wide part of the housing. [/b:9fc63ce6b9]
Nope - no obvious IH part number in the casting, in spite of having IH numbers cast into nearly every piece of the tractor big enough to wear one. Is there an option #4?

Mine has only an IH logo and "L" in the casting on the wide part of the distributor, and a "7" on the stem. It has "AD0-051049" stamped on the outside face of the clamp ring - the number gets no pertinent hits on a google search. Not knowing any better, I got a TSC IH tune up kit for an IH distributor (that seemed to fit) about 5 years ago. It's been working fine up until recently, when it sputters some under a good load.

Not that this has any bearing, but the tractor serial (FAAM 307963) puts it as a '51, but the engine serial is a long way shorter (FAAM 289397) Hmmm... Shouldn't that be the other way around, as they made more engines than tractors?

In the deep and experienced wisdom here, what distributor do the experts believe I have?

(edited for exact serial numbers from the CRS versions)

You have an IH distributor, for which you can buy points as needed for the rest of your life, with $$$$ left over vs. the cost of an ertronics "awitch".

I agree with other post that stock dist will outlast you

I'm pretty sure you have an IH distributor, but hit Google Images and look up some pictures to compare to yours just to make sure.

On the serial numbers, that is not necessarily the original engine. Don't care what anyone tells you, in 60+ years lots can be forgotten.

Like Bob said its a IH. A = originally came to use on engines that used 40 max degrees advance at the crankshaft. D = the 4th month of the year. O = the year built, 1950. Numbers after that are the distributor serial number.

(quoted from post at 23:37:00 09/22/14) Not that this has any bearing, but the tractor serial (FAAM339...) puts it as a '51, but the engine serial is a long way shorter (FAAM 297...) Hmmm... Shouldn't that be the other way around, as they made more engines than tractors?

Click to expand...

The M and MD used a single set of serial numbers. The gas and Diesel engines each had their own numbers. There were more M/MD tractors built than there were gas engines.

Something doesn't add up. Super A chassis and engine serial numbers started at 250001. A engine and chassis serial numbers started at 501 and were supposed to match up to serial number 201000.

Thanks for the very helpful and informative replies, gentlemen.

Our internet connection is only slightly faster than molasses, so images are tough, but I checked here: http://www.external_link/IH-Farmall-Distributors
and the top picture shows what looks to be my distributor, other than the lack of part# on the casting. It shows a similar screw in the side and 'weep hole' on the stem at about 1 o'clock (from the clip at 12 in the picture). I'm still missing my TC39, so part lookup is difficult, but the in the light of day I see the inner dust shield has an IH 353900R1 on it, which along with DSlater's distrib coding info gives absolute certainty.

As for it outlasting me, I rather doubt it unless I don't make it through the rest of the month (which is possible, but unexpected). The shaft shows ~.016 wiggle measured on the cam block, both side to side and top to bottom, so it needs to be rebuilt, but that will have to wait until either it isn't needed daily, or I have a spare distributor to work with. The later may be coming, as I have a line on a mostly complete but 'stuck' A for parts (or project) - just have to make the time to go pick it up (and space in the shop to work on something else).

Mr Slater, I corrected and completed the serial numbers in the first post, and while closer than the original guestimates, the engine is still "older" than the tractor by at least 18,566 units, unless the left seat bracket was replaced, and that is even less likely.

I have absolutely no history with this tractor - an elder cousin got it probably 10 years ago from a deadbeat as collateral/payment for some money he loaned. No idea who as he didn't want to talk about it. He was going to give it to me about 6 years ago, but I paid him for it (more than it was worth, but I'm quite certain less than he had loaned). Cousin died 2 years ago at age 90. It is what it is.

Well Worn

(quoted from post at 21:12:40 09/23/14) Something doesn't add up. Super A chassis and engine serial numbers started at 250001. A engine and chassis serial numbers started at 501 and were supposed to match up to serial number 201000.

Click to expand...

hen A/B production ended, they skipped the remaining serial numbers through 250000 and started the Super A with both engine and chassis numbers at 250001. Similar skips happened in other models.

Thanks for the very helpful and informative replies, gentlemen.

Our internet connection is only slightly faster than molasses, so images are tough, but I checked here: http://www.external_link/IH-Farmall-Distributors
and the top picture shows what looks to be my distributor, other than the lack of IH part# on the casting. It shows a similar screw in the side and 'weep hole' on the stem at about 1 o'clock (from the clip at 12 in the picture). My TC39 is still MIA, so part lookup is difficult, but the in the light of day I see the inner dust shield has an IH 353900R1 on it, which along with DSlater's distrib coding info gives absolute certainty.

As for it outlasting me, I rather doubt it unless I don't make it through the rest of the month (which is possible, but unexpected). The shaft shows ~.016 wiggle measured on the cam block, both side to side and top to bottom, so it needs to be rebuilt, but that will have to wait until either it isn't needed daily, or I have a spare distributor to work with. The later may be coming, as I have a line on a mostly complete but 'stuck' A for parts (or project) - just have to make the time to go pick it up (and space in the shop to work on something else).

Mr Slater, I corrected and completed the serial numbers in the first post, and while closer than the original off the cuff guestimates, the engine is still "older" than the tractor by at least 18,566 engines, unless the left seat bracket was replaced, and that is even less likely.

I have absolutely no history with this tractor - an elder cousin got it probably 9 years ago from a deadbeat as collateral/payment for some money he loaned. No idea who as he didn't want to talk about it. He was going to give it to me about 6 years ago because I had a use for it and he didn't. I paid him $1600 for it; at the time probably more than it was worth, but I'm quite certain less than he had loaned, and with a little TLC (Tractor Longevity Care) it's since proven it's worth a few times over. Cousin died 2 years ago at age 90. It is what it is.

Well Worn

(thought I'd made this post last night, but didn't see it today... ?)[/url]

If not mistaken I think my answer can be explained. Before the posted serial numbers were corrected they were posted as 339 tractor and 297
engine. Thinking he may have some letters off also. So I was meaning if it was a A with above numbers the tractor and engine serial number should match if original, and if a super A the serial numbers with 3 numbers would be wrong.
Don't mess with the small letter series to much like you have. But I think the engine and tractor serials posted for the SA probably go together.
What's your opinion on that?

I was in my own world and thinking about something else when I made the MD comment. Clearly it has no relevance. The changed serial numbers in the original post threw me off looking back at it now too.

The Super A motor numbers got a little ahead of the serial numbers, but not by much. When the last code 1 Super A was built in July '54, the engine number was less than 2,000 greater than the serial number.

The corrected number from WellWorn still suggest an engine swap and the engine is older than the tractor (or maybe a seat swap).

Thank you all for the information. I replied to this thread twice, but somehow neither post showed up here. :?:

As an update, I searched for "IH Delco distributor", and (one of yt's competetors - perhaps why the posts never got posted) has good pictures of both the IH and Delco. Mine appears to be a match to the IH, minus the cast-in part number. Even though my TC-39 is still missing so part lookups aren't easy, in the light of day, I saw an "IH 353900R1" on the inner dust cover, which made me a bit more certain. DSlater's info on the serial number on the base ring was the clincher.

As for it outlasting me, it has ~.012 wiggle (checked with an indicator) at the cam block, so unless I don't make it through the rest of the year (possible, but completely unexpected) I'll probably last a least a bit longer than it will. I just need to make room in the shop and make time to pick up the parts (or project) A a fellow is holding for me to get a spare distrib to keep the ol' girl running while I make time to fix one or the other.

Yes, I only posted the first 3 digits of what I remembered of the (ballpark) serial numbers, leaving the last three as "...". When it was questioned, I went out and wrote them down in full. According to the numbers, the engine looks to be about 18,000 units older than the rest of the tractor, or the seat was swapped, but that is even less likely. The Touch Control, torque tube and transmission all have "W" date codes, but the engine has a "T". It also has bad (and only functionally, not significantly structurally repaired) freeze cracks on left side of the block from before I owned it. It's on the list for replacement, when it no longer starts, runs, or holds (most of) it's oil and anti-freeze.