How to get the distributer to seat?

[Bronchole]

I was installing a new aftermarket distributer in to my new 351W this evening and the dam thing wouldn't sit all the way down against the block. I tried cranking the motor and using the lock plate thing to drive it down in to the block and it was not coperating. It is about 1/8" up off the block and the upper portion of the distributer can wiggle around about 1/16" all around. Am I missing something?

I just wrote to the supplier of the distributer to see if they have had some problems of this kind.

Anyone got any advice?

Dan

 

[22213evl]

check oil pump shaft

 

[av bronco]

Gotta make sure the pump shaft is in the oil pump, then set the dist. in-it should be about 1/2 inch up- dont force it just bump the starter a few times-sometimes it takes 4 or 5 bumps but it should drop in eventuly.

 

[fireman1749]

I always just take the oil pump shaft and put it in the dist then into the hole try that

 

[Mark]

I always just take the oil pump shaft and put it in the dist then into the hole try that

How do you keep the oil pump drive shaft in the distributor while you place it in the hole?

 

[Viperwolf1]

You shouldn't be able to remove the oil pump driveshaft from the top if it's properly installed with the retaining clip. Yeah you could force it out and lose the clip in the pan but that's just setting your engine up for oil system failure in the future.

 

[barronj]

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146987

Oil pump shaft might have jumped out of its seat. You can try spinning it to see how much resistance there is. Resistance=seated.

I had this same problem w/ my new reman & 351-for me, it wasn't the shaft, but just a matter of time before it took. I had to put some emory cloth to the casting flash on the lower diz, below the collar.

 

[Mark]

You shouldn't be able to remove the oil pump driveshaft from the top if it's properly installed with the retaining clip. Yeah you could force it out and lose the clip in the pan but that's just setting your engine up for oil system failure in the future.

Been there - done that.

 

[TBS-POPS]

The oil pump shaft shouldnt pop out if the retainer is in place. The key here is "aftermarket dist." What kind is it??? Check it against the one you pulled out. is the shaft the same length??? is the shaft drive the same depth??? Casting diameter the same as the stock body???

 

[Explorer]

The oil pump shaft shouldnt pop out if the retainer is in place. The key here is "aftermarket dist." What kind is it??? Check it against the one you pulled out. is the shaft the same length??? is the shaft drive the same depth??? Casting diameter the same as the stock body???

And the gear same place on both shafts.

 

[barronj]

Last thing to address the gear- if you're running a hydraulic roller cam, be sure that you're not using a cast gear. I had to press the cast gear off of mine & put a steel gear that I'd pulled of another dist to use a HR cam. Maybe you already knew this though.

 

[Bronco_69]

The oil pump shaft shouldnt pop out if the retainer is in place. The key here is "aftermarket dist." What kind is it??? Check it against the one you pulled out. is the shaft the same length??? is the shaft drive the same depth??? Casting diameter the same as the stock body???

i had to trim a MSD unit to fit in a mustang.

 

[markperry]

How do you keep the oil pump drive shaft in the distributor while you place it in the hole?

Their is a retainer clip! How are you bypassing using that clip?????????Are you just not using it??????

 

[Mark]

Their is a retainer clip! How are you bypassing using that clip?????????Are you just not using it??????

I don't know why you quoted me, I was wondering how Fireman keeps the shaft (sans clip, I'm assuming) in the distributor when he's installing it.

 

[1970mule]

there is absolutely no problem, if it is not seating all the way then you can be sure the oil pump shaft is still there. like AV Bronco said you need to bump the starter and apply light pressure on the dizzy whilst doing that and it should plop down.

 

[TBS-POPS]

there is absolutely no problem, if it is not seating all the way then you can be sure the oil pump shaft is still there. like AV Bronco said you need to bump the starter and apply light pressure on the dizzy whilst doing that and it should plop down.

He already stated that he tried rolling the motor over.....

 

[1970mule]

He already stated that he tried rolling the motor over.....

yeah i know.. depends how much he did it it takes time sometimes.
also if you are not certain about the oil pump drive shaft being in take a look with a flash light. if it still does not seat take a non-magnetic drive very important and do it the long way, turn it 1/8 turn each time and try to seat it like that. because if the drive shaft was not seated at all, then it would drop in easy each time.

 

[22213evl]

I don't know why you quoted me, I was wondering how Fireman keeps the shaft (sans clip, I'm assuming) in the distributor when he's installing it.

grease works good

 

[Pa PITT]

I thought you could only use the clip if you were installing it from the bottom up .. meaning put the dist in 1st and then with the pan off put the shaft in the oil pump and install the oil pump ..then install the pan ...
...If you doing the dist. from the top like you have to do when just replacing the dist.then I have used heavy wheel bearing grease to hold the shaft in the dist. but this is still risky ..If the shaft drops out of the dist. then it lands in the pan and you pull the pan.
...MY last install gave me a fit for several days ..That's why my Broncos name is ''SNAKE BITE'' ...everything on it takes forever or several tries ..

 

[Bronchole]

Thanks for all of the replys while I was out wheeling in Truckheaven.

The distributer is a billit aluminum unit so I don't think that "flashing" is getting in the way. Here is the auction that I bought it on:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350266101815&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT

I have verified with the monufacturer that it is a steel (not cast) distributer gear since the 351W I built has been converted to a roller cam. I also verified with the cam manufacturer that this was the correct choice for the gear.

I did not get a distributer with the block so comparing to the previous distributer is not an option.

I am reasonably sure that the distributer is engauging the pump shaft because as I crank on the motor oil is now being pumped out of the oil pressure sending unit port(I'll be fixing that tomorrow night). Also if I index the distributer over to the next tooth it definatly sit up at another level, then I put it back at the "correct" tooth and it sits down a good deal further. I do not have spark plugs installed in the motor right now so that I can easily crank the motor. I have probably something in the neighborhood of 80 seconds of cranking time in maybe 10-15 individual starts. I also have few dozen "bumps" to the starter while applying pressure to the top of the distributer. I am pretty sure that continual cranking is not going to get it any farther.

My oil pump shaft is a chromolly aftermarket unit and is retained by the clip. I am pretty sure it is seated in to the oil pump because it is moving oil thru the motor, even if it isn't at any pressure since the pressure sensor port is unplugged. I will look at this again after I plug a gauge in to the port tomorrow and see what PSI it is getting at cranking speed.

It fells like something is bottomed out or too long and keeping it from seating. I am hoping that the manufacturer is going to say something like "Oh ya, we have that happen every once in a while" or something like that.

Well I guess tomorrow the plan is:
- Install oil PSI gauge to gauge port.
- Verify that pump dive shaft is in pump.
- Verify that the pump shaft retainer clip is installed.
- Verify the size of the hex on the pump drive shaft.
- Re-stab the distributer and bump/crank the motor.
- Note the oil pressure while cranking the motor.
- Scratch head and wonder WTF if none of this shows me a problem

Dan