Hello Everybody, I'm helping a friend with a '65 Panhead. He bought a Mallory distributor (I think it's a A556) and the underside of the distributor body hits the crankcase before it fully seats in the engine. The gap between the distributor flange and the crankcase is about 1/8 inch when it hits. Have you guys run into this before?
(https://i.imgur.com/jrgGcXel.jpg)
Are they factory engine cases?
Crazy question then, it's a genuine Mallory unit?
Quote from: Ohio HD on March 02, 2019, 05:02:44 PM
Crazy question then, it's a genuine Mallory unit?
I guess it's as genuine as a new one can be as I understand Mallory was bought by Accel. It doesn't have the metal Mallory data plate riveted to the body. It does have a Unilite pickup in it though.
Look here, then look under additional pictures.
http://www.vtwinmfg.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/VTwinProd1_10101_10102_3304891_-1
I would think it would also have the Accel logo on the top like this one. The instructions are V-Twin labeled, but look just like the older Mallory instructions. The problem has to be the distributor just isn't made right. Big Twin years 1936 to 1969 all distributors should interchange.
Quote from: Ohio HD on March 02, 2019, 05:53:33 PM
Look here, then look under additional pictures.
http://www.vtwinmfg.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/VTwinProd1_10101_10102_3304891_-1
I would think it would also have the Accel logo on the top like this one. The instructions are V-Twin labeled, but look just like the older Mallory instructions. The problem has to be the distributor just isn't made right. Big Twin years 1936 to 1969 all distributors should interchange.
It's identical to the one in your link. It was bought off ebay, maybe my buddy can return it. Thank You for your input.
Tom
I suspect that's a Taiwan Tedd's distributor he bought. Tedd's stuff is a crap shoot as to how well they work, unless they are a manufactures branded item.
how about you trim the sharp edge off of the distributor and it'll fit just fine. a flat file should do the trick. dsv
As I recall the body is pretty thin.
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Been awhile, but where the dist body bolts to the flange, is there room to install a shim?
How about trimming the case where it hits?
Quote from: Hillside Motorcycle on March 04, 2019, 08:37:05 AM
Been awhile, but where the dist body bolts to the flange, is there room to install a shim?
There is room for a shim, it will have to be stepped as there is a counterbore under the distributor for the o-ring to sit in. The unknown is where the drive gear engages it's gear and if there's enough to move it up 3/16 to 1/4 inch. We'll check with some Prussian blue or something, worst case is we have to remove the gearcase cover and have a look see. I'm pretty sure he's going to return this one and buy another one from a more reputable place like Summit Racing. The thinking is this one might be a knock-off or otherwise defective. There's got to be plenty of Shovels running around with this dizzy so it should fit a '65 Pan.
Quote from: xlfan on March 04, 2019, 08:57:41 AM
How about trimming the case where it hits?
No, the cases are too valuable for that.
Your case looks a lot different than my case in that area. Mine is a '49 and has a lot less material making it east to fit a Mallory or other AM timer. What year is your case?
-Craig
Oh, I see above you said it was a '65. I looked at some '65 case photos and they are all beefier like yours. Looks like Mallory didn't take that into account when they designed the timer body. Maybe you can modify the timer body by grinding a small flat spot where it contacts the case?
-Craig
I think I might speak to Vulcan Engineering before doing anything else. I haven't used this from them, but everything I have used was made well and flat worked. I bet they can give you a better idea as to fitment with your cases than someone at Summit or JP Cycles.
https://secure.vulcanworks.net/Electronic-Ignition-Billet-Aluminum-Distributor-1936-1969-Big-p-180.html
Quote from: CraigArizona85248 on March 04, 2019, 09:21:27 AM
Your case looks a lot different than my case in that area. Mine is a '49 and has a lot less material making it east to fit a Mallory or other AM timer. What year is your case?
-Craig
1965 case cast for shovelhead conversion in 1966?
Maybe it is for the better that it doesn't fit. I personally have seen every single one of these electronic iggy setups for gen style bikes take a dump on my friends bikes. For some reason they just don't hold up. It's a Panhead, points work very well in them and are super reliable.
My experience is the polar opposite. 130K+ miles and I've seen one failure of the electronic ignition module. I'd say that's pretty darn reliable.
-Craig
Agree with Craig, while I ran points for many years, the electronic is much better. No more bad condensers in the middle of nowhere, etc.
My buddy sent that dizzy back and ordered the same one again from Summit Racing because we thought the ebay one might been a knock off. The one from Summit was the same. We used gear marking compound to see where the dizzy gear was meshing with the drive gear to see if there was room to shim it up to clear the engine. It turns out there was plenty of room, I found a .080 washer the right size and it moved the distributor body up enough to eliminate the clearance issue. The Pan's a fresh build and we haven't started it up yet, in fact the bike is one of the victims of the "Butcher of Appleton, WI".
I have had one of the Vulcan units on my Pan since 1998, no problems yet. You can wire it for single or dual fire, 3 or 5 ohms, but it is not designed to run a Drag Spec 2" electric tach on single fire, it will work on dual fire. :emsad:
id mark it with pen , the mill it ,as it bolts in a certain way ,and not much of rotation for timing, wouldnt need alot off one side ,the underside , may be 90 degrees,