Distributor slipping?

Finally got good spark at the coil on my 860, but still getting random and intermittent spark at the plugs. New Cap & rotor, and I checked all the plug wires for continuity and resistance.

The tractor will start for 10-20 seconds and stumble through a bit then cut out. Is it possible the distributor shaft is slipping somehow? Seems fine with the cap off.

I'm not a loss and what would be causing it. The rotor doesn't have the metal clip but it is very snug on the shaft.

Anything else I should check?
 
(quoted from post at 16:10:34 01/25/19) You do have that little clip in the rotor button? If you loose it you get what you described.

I dont have the clip, but the rotor fits really snug. The other one I had on hand did slip a lot. So much so that the dust cover always came off with the cap. Now it stays put and only the cap comes off.
 
Ya gotta have the clip.

FWIW, I've known Ford automotive distributors to shear the roll pin that holds the distributor gear to the shaft. Not sure if the same thing is likely to occur on a tractor distributor.
 
there is supposed to be a clip,but its not in the rotor button. The clip actually fits in a groove on the distributor shaft. Install the
dust cover, then slide the clip down on the distributor shaft with the tab on the tab on the clip facing upwards ,install the rotor button
and rotate until you feel the rotor button drop down onto the tab that will then lock the rotor button in place and keep it from slipping.
Once again place the clip onto the distributor shaft not inside of the button.You have to look close,but there is a groove in the distributor
shaft. The clip usually comes with a new rotor button. I hope this helps
 
(quoted from post at 08:16:06 01/26/19) there is supposed to be a clip,but its not in the rotor button. The clip actually fits in a groove on the distributor shaft. Install the
dust cover, then slide the clip down on the distributor shaft with the tab on the tab on the clip facing upwards ,install the rotor button
and rotate until you feel the rotor button drop down onto the tab that will then lock the rotor button in place and keep it from slipping.
Once again place the clip onto the distributor shaft not inside of the button.You have to look close,but there is a groove in the distributor
shaft. The clip usually comes with a new rotor button. I hope this helps

There's no groove. There's a flat spot. Nothing faces upwards on the clip. You simply place the clip on the shaft the only way you can and then install the rotor the only way you can. The rotor is then snug on the shaft, not locked to it.

I don't believe the clip is Barnaby's problem if he's got a snug fitting rotor. I don't know where he found one that fits well without the clip . . . but he ought to know!
 

Every one of these Ford distributors I've ever seen is supposed to have that clip. It holds the rotor tightly so it can't rotate back and forth on the shaft randomly. His rotor may fit tightly on the shaft, but I bet it can be rotated back and forth which doesn't make for accurate timing.
 

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