New engine build - got some Qs on HEI

[klawrence]

69 302 block and a JBG HEI distributor does not seem to want to sit flush, seems to stop at the O ring. It is meshed in with the cam gear, just not sitting the whole way down.

I do have a melling HV oil pump.

Is the shaft too long ?

Thanks!

Kerry

 

[m_m70]

I found that distributors can be tricky because the gear does mesh before the oil pump shaft reaches the distributor shaft. What has worked for me is using a priming tool to turn the oil pump shaft just a hair and keep trying until it seats. I can be frustrating but with patience it has worked for me.

 

[Hozr]

double check the oil pump drive shaft length. There was a random spate of excessively long drive shafts in the mid 2000's and they were eating cam gears. The dizzy needs to seat flush before the drive shaft bottoms out.

 

[WSM29]

The oil pump shaft has a keeper on it... Besure it's pushed down far enough...

 

[klawrence]

Well after scratching our heads for a bit, simply cranking the engine over via the starter allowed the distributor to settle in the whole way. never had that happen to me.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[DirtDonk]

That means that it was as was stated earlier, and the oil pump shaft's hex-shape was not quite aligned with the female end of the distributor shaft, even though the gears were meshed properly.
Since the oil pump and the cam are not connected until the distributor is installed, this is a very common issue.

On early GM V8's this was easier to see when looking down the hole before installing a distributor. With their simple slot-and-ridge design (think flathead screwdriver) it was easy to tell if it was close or way out. You still had to align it first of course, but it was easier to see the misalignment and had extra leeway where the beveled edge would "self align" as things got closer.

Paul

 

[carmi]

Bumping the motor to get it to seat is pretty common. At least it has been for me.