U.S. 250 Distributor in Aussie Six?

[Anonymous]

Hello, all.

Firstly, I just want everyone to know that my OZ250 head+manifold has arrived, and it's in GREAT condition.. I'm darn happy about it, so look forward to some questions coming up about that.

For those of you who don't know--I'm in the U.S., but I have a '73 Mad Max "March Hare" XA Falcon with an Aussie 250 in it.

In any case, I'm not sure what type of shape the dizzy is in, so I'd just like to saunter down to my auto supply store and get a U.S. Motocraft one to replace the Bosch one that I have now. This will give me peace of mind, as well as giving me a dizzy that I can dump a Pertonix unit into later.

So, can I do this? Do I have to get a U.S. 200 dizzy, or does it matter? Can it be done at all?

Thanks a million.

Mako

 

[xctasy]

Yes, it will fit, but re-read Jacks note on the X-flow chronicals in the tech section. If you are refereing to the so called Duraspark I or II units used on post 1973 machines, then you will need to either machined down the American shaft to 485 thou, or ream the block 30 thou to 515 thou.

All Aussie engines from 1971 to the last X-flows in 1993 had smaller bosses to hold narrow shafts. Read Jacks notes on the similar X-flow Aussie block.

http://fordsix.com/crossflow.htm

7. The Crossflow distributor body has the same dimensions, but the shaft is smaller, like the pre-64 US engine. I can fit a Duraspark, but will have to ream the shaft pilot hole in the block to the larger size. The distributor hold down is located in a different spot also. A small block Chevy holddown fits perfectly though

I will ream the block out to use a Duraspark distributor tomorrow. The block is machined for a .485" distributor shaft. The Duraspark shaft is .515"

I reamed the distributor shaft opening to .515" in order to use the Duraspark.

There are two generic kinds of Ford I6 distributor gear. loadamatic for 1960 to 1964, then 515 thou for the Motorcraft items of the various incarnations. The gear must be a perfect match for size, and the engagement (the degree of distance from the machined area where the distributor bolts into the block, and the end position of the gear on the cam shaft) must be the same. You need to do some very through checking.

Mark advance at 1500 rpm without the vaccum advance, and mark it on the flywheel with white-out or white paint. Mark the mid point of the securing bolt on the machined flange of the block with a scribe or punch.Then, pull the distributor out. The compare with the US Motocraft. It should be the same, but you need to check it out in a very thorough manner.

I'd use the US distributor on a oz 250 in the US. Unless you have a few friends send you spares on the Aussie distributor, its better to use the domestic US stuff.

 

[addo]

It should drop in no modifications needed. Measure the old one and see. I'll barrack for the electronic '85 Bosch model 'til I die, but if you want parts availability... (Do the DS-IIs fail a lot? )

 

[Anonymous]

This is one of those things that always messes me up. If you are talking about the DII in a crossflow, I was told that it will "work" if you turn down the shaft of the dizzy but it will not clear the intake. Then I see some people say that it will clear the intake.

I agree that it makes the most sense to use as much US parts as possible so I may just wait to get it all back together any dry fit everything for myself. If I do end up going with the Bosch, I will order a remaned one from OZ and throw the old one I have on the shelf as a backup.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm running a '73 setup, non-crossflow (will be using an OZ 2V 250 head, sooner or later), with a breaker point-type dizzy at the moment. It looks to me like the dizzy is pretty old, and I'd just assume replace it with the Motocraft 250 breaker point-type dizzy...one that will allow me to dump a Pertonix unit into it later, if I so choose.

Mako

So.. does that change any of the equation, here?

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah. The 2V head has the intake on the other side so clearance is not an issue. I guess the guys are saying that the pre crossflow OZ blocks had the smaller dizzy hole as well. If I was you, I would grab a US DII dizzy and have the shaft on it turned down. This way you could always go back to the Bosch at a later date. If you ream out the hole on the block you ase stuck with DII forever.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok.. but, let's say that I wanted to go Pertonix to keep the original look, but I wanted to use the U.S. Motocraft dizzy in order to make sure that I could get a fit, and get parts.. Would the U.S. one fit?

 

[addo]

You know the old MoFoCo joke; never say never...

I have a 221 with the DS-II size shaft from factory on its original points unit. When I had a Bosch electronic dizzy knocked up for it, they TIG-welded an XA 250 shaft to the crossflow advance assembly. Ergo, the 221 and XA (precrossflow) 250 both have the larger size shaft. It got smaller again in '80 or '81 IIRC.

I rebuilt the points unit as a startup dizzy. Nothing beats the certainty of points for a spark when everything's new and unproven.

Cheers, Adam.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm so confused :-(....<cry>

 

[xctasy]

Don't worry brother, the advice Adam has looks sound.

Follow my advice on the basic checks first, and grab a US distributor you are happy with. Then take the original out and check the diameter and the kind of gear length.

Report back, and well help you through it.

Adam has picked up boat loads of information on the finer details of these engines, and I'd trust his jugement. He's got lots of acess to these parts.

What Adam is saying is that Ford reserve the right to change the specification of items without notice. That means you always should reduce your heartache by asking, and then doing some measurements.

Plenty of other people love the Aussie Fords here, and well help you out with the ignition.


Lastly, the differences will work in your favour, not against you.

This means

if you have to use the early points Motorcraft unit, it will b cheap and easy to fit.

If it fits the later Durasparks, then you'll have the best US made igniton system around.

If you end up in a bind, I could organise some XD-XE 1981 to 1984 October electronic set-ups.

And you could always have the stock 250 XA shaft added to the US spec distributor. Your only confused because you've got any number of options!

Either one should work

 

[AzCoupe]

madmaxmarchhare

If you need a dizzy, just let me know. I have several used OZ dizzys, both magnetic and point.

Plus, I'll be down in Tucson on Thursday 1-13. I could bring one down to you, if you could meet me before noon.