300 U Points Removal???

Bob Kirk · Oct 20, 2008

My trusty '55 IH 300 U suddenly wouldn't fire the other day after running fine a couple weeks before. I've been going thru things (first time in 7 years!!!) and have hit a wall.

Can't figure out how to remove the old points. My owner's manual says nothing about it. My distributor has a little threaded pin running thru a plastic block on the outside where two wires attach with a nut and a plastic block on the inside where the points spring slips in behind the thin head of the pin. That spring is under the head very tight, even when the nut is loose. I tried tapping the threaded pin toward the distributor shaft to free the spring, but no budge. Before I start getting physical thought maybe I should ask someone who knows.

Could you please explain the points removal steps to me?

Also, any suggestions for getting the new points up on the top of the cam lobe by removing plugs and turning the crank somehow by hand? Punching the starter seems to want to stop it with the points closed every time.

Thanks for your help. Bob

mkirsch · Oct 20, 2008

On all the IH distributors I've ever worked on, there's a nut on the inside to loosen that frees the points. I've never seen a pin like that.

For yours, is there a second nut on the outside that may be holding things together? Nut, coil wire, nut underneath?

Janicholson · Oct 20, 2008

It may be necessary to remove that bolt entirely! Take a picture to be sure to keep the positions correct. The bolt must not touch the metal. As noted below, they usually have a small nut on the inside to allow removal (it is still a Pain. Check the distributor shaft for side to side slop. If any it needs a bushing (and possibly a shaft or longer bushing to run on clean shaft) to run at all well.
Putting it in High gear on level ground and rocking the engine slowly will let it get to the high point. As will holding in on the fan belt and turning the fan (key off, Plugs out, and in Neutral) JimN

ScottyHOMeY · Oct 20, 2008

All the other advice is good and the only thing I could add is that there are few things as handy as a set of ignition wrenches. If you get a blank look from your parts guy, ask him to look up "midget" wrenches, which is what they're starting to call them. You'll only need one of them to take care of the nut inside, but the sets are pretty much sized in increments of 1/64" and there'll be something there that will work in the tight quarters inside a distributor without lettin' the smoke out and well worth the price.

formerly ny bill · Oct 20, 2008

the nut takes an 11/32" wrench. that size wasn't even in my craftsman tiny wrench set. it WAS in my dad's old western auto set.

ScottyHOMeY · Oct 20, 2008

I still have the 11/32" from the first Craftsman I got in the early 70s. It doesn't get lent out. Along with the 1/2 drive 19/32" regulr socket andthe 25/32" deepwell that came in the same set.

Cub149 · Oct 20, 2008

I just had mine apart (the hydraulic pump seals were leaking, forcing oil thru the distributor, but that's a whole other story). That pin on mine had a nut on the inside that held the points spring and condenser wire along with two nuts on the out side, one to hold the pin in place, the other to hold the wire to the coil. I just had to loosen the inside nut and pull up on the points and spring and the points came free. If your point spring is under a head, removing both outside nuts should free the pin, but you say you only have one outside nut...hmmm.

Brownie 450 · Oct 21, 2008

I'd guess that there is a loader on the tractor. If so, changing points & cond is twice as hard. The neighbor always got me to change his 300 points. A small angle mirror helps to see into the distributor, & a pair of 2 power reading glasses as well as a good light help.

300 U Points Removal???

Bob Kirk

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mkirsch

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Janicholson

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ScottyHOMeY

Well-known Member

formerly ny bill

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ScottyHOMeY

Well-known Member

Cub149

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Brownie 450

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