Hi
I went to pull the distributor cap off, and the damn little screw from the cap broke off in the base plate of the distributor. What size thread is that hole that the cap goes into . I tried a 6-32
tap but it seams to bind. Is this a m3 size hole? I wanna retap this so as not to have to run out and get a whole new distributor.

Thanks

Dynodan

 

You should be able to guage the screw on the new (replacement) cap. I'm not certain of the later V-8 distributors, but the later V-6 distributors use a M3.5x0.6 hold down screws.

 

If for some reason you do screw up the tap, you could use a longer bolt and put a nut on the bottom. They don't have to be very tight. JB weild tapped would even cure it or a nut epoxied to the bottom. Not sure if there is a helicoil that small. Many possibilties but I wouldn't chuck the dist.

 

Naw I am not chucking it to much money for this family guy. I picked up a 3.5 today after trying to tap start a 3 and a 4 finally figure it was an oddball 3.5. Drilled it out with a #33 bit and retapped it. Thats what I get for not changing the cap in 12 years in wisconsin weather. Its all good now.

Thanks Vader for the help.

 

A steel screw (even plated) into an aluminum substrate (like your distributor base) is an excellent application for anti-seize compound. You'll have a lot better chance at not snapping it off again with a little applied to the threads.