Successful Upgrade and Refurbishment of a '68 and Earlier F Engine Distributor Incorporating New NipponDenso Parts

[4Cruisers]

This morning I completed the upgrade and refurbishment of a '68 and earlier F engine distributor using new NipponDenso parts. The starting point was Part Number 19100-60042. My primary goal was to identify and install a non-Land Cruiser Toyota vacuum advancer with a similar vacuum advance curve to the original advancer (the original advancer worked fine, so it's now in my growing distributor "for sale" inventory). The replacement advancer is a direct bolt-in - no other modifications to the distributor are required.

However, as I researched and bench tested alternative Toyota advancers, I also identified an upgrade to the ignition points configuration. This upgrade incorporates a new NipponDenso breaker plate assembly from another non-Land Cruiser Toyota 6-cylinder engine, which allows the use of the newer, easier to adjust ignition points (Part Number 04191-41010).

I've attached two photos of similar distributors in a side-by-side comparison, the upgraded and refurbished 19100-60042 and a refurbished 19100-60070 with the original vacuum advancer and breaker plate. Note that the condensers are not yet installed - I need to order more to restock my inventory.

This is a really nice upgrade. The newer ignition points are easy to adjust and secure using two screwdrivers simultaneously. The earlier points could be adjusted similarly, but the tiny eccentric bolt needed is often missing and replacements are NLA (Part Number 90099-09017).

 

[4Cruisers]

I forgot to mention that the replacement advancer's vacuum nipple accepts the OEM 3mm vacuum hose. If you use one of these earlier distributors, with the original advancer as shown in the photo on the right, on an engine without the 1/8" copper tubing from the carburetor's advance port, you have to locate and modify one of the hard-to-find double compression nuts on the advancer (the 1/8" copper tubing at the fitting is too small to create a vacuum seal with the 3mm vacuum hose).