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distributor
Last summer I used the tractor a fair bit leveling out 140 m3 of sand for a horse arena. Anyway toward the end the old girl (TEA20) was missing badly.The problem was fixed by a new rotor and distributor cap.The bearings in the distributor must be worn. So I see myself with 2 choices. Remove the old dist and get new bearings installed. I think the lower bush would have to be custom made. Or buy a new distributor. Then I am changing wonderful English engineering for a part made by people who probably dont even know what the part is for. Anyway, perhaps some of you out there have some expierence with either choice. I See the probable cost as much the same either way.

It"s cheaper here in the States to replace the bushings(no roller bearings in these distributors)then to buy a rebuilt or a new distributor.
you can check for bushing wear by rotating the engine til the points close then push the shaft radialy (from the side ) at sevreal different lateral positionswhile watching the points. The tolerance is rathe small~0.002" so the points should not move at all. When I did this on my TO-30, the points actually opened 0.030"!

Or you can install a Pertronix electronic ignition for less than $100, which has no points or points gap and probably/possibly resolve all your problems permanently.

Bob,

I don"t know how permanenty a Pertronix is. My first one lasted 5 years and the second lasted 2 months. I have the third but have not installed it on my TO-30 as i put the points back in waiting for the warrantee replacement and it"s running so well I have not installed the replacemnet unit.

I"m wondering if Pertronix might have starting outsourcing the mfg of these units.

Jerry

I guess I've had the Pertronix unit in my TEA20 for at least six years and in my XKE Jaguar for four years and they've never missed a beat. Condensers and points are also prone to failure...... At least the Pertronix units don't seem to mind worn distributor bushes as they don't rely on mechanical points.

I'm sure the manufacture is outsourced to the cheapest bidder probably in some third world sweat shop. What isn't outsourced these days?

Mercedes, MG and Chrysler cars are built in China, but no one in Australia seems interested in buying a Chinese Great Wall 4WD at less than half the price of a Japanese 4WD. Jaguars are built by TATA in India. "Hitler's Revenge", the VW, was also built in a number of countries, including Mexico. Did you know more Hondas are built in the USA, than built in Japan and the BMW Z3 and Z4 were only built in South Carolina USA and shipped back to Europe for sale? And GM (Holden), Ford, Mitsubishi and Toyota vehicles are made in Australia.

Now, all that is outsourcing!

You like travelling in a Boeing airplane? That also has components manufactured, overhauled or maintained in a number of Asian countries. Fancy a sea cruise? Check the vessel's port of registry - "flag of convenience" vessel registration in Panama, Vanuatu or even land locked Mongolia has been in vogue for years.

And before you call Microsoft Technical Support, language courses in basic Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi or Tamil helps. :lol:

Which is why I love my 1953 Fergy and 1966 XKE Jaguar, both quality built entirely in Coventry, UK. My 1993 XJ40 Jaguar must have been outsourced - built by Ford, German ZF transmission and steering, electrical components made in Asia.

And if the Pertronix ignition were built in Australia or the USA, it would probably be double the price with no improvement in quality!

That is the World we now live in. It is called globalisation!

I wonder if we could outsourced our Politicians? There must be a country somewhere that produces quality, intelligent Politicians at a far lower price?

Bob in Oz

I wonder why these big companies don"t out sorce their CEO"s. Instead they pay them millions to run the company into the ground and then gien them an even bigger "golden parachute" to leave. There"s soemthing wrong with this picture!